2024 was the sixth year in which we were allowed to look for the answers to the questions you submitted. And beautiful stories came out of it! Many of the stories still appear to be relevant today, and other stories offer a beautiful view of history or nature, for example.
And now, on the first day of the new year, it’s a good time to look back on some of these stories. Because what have we figured out in 2024?
Drenthe is known as a cycling province par excellence. And the more the sun shines, the more cyclists appear on Drenthe’s cycle paths. A growing number of these ride an electric bicycle, and that sometimes raises questions. Because when can you take your speed pedelec on the road? What about an electric moped? And a lot in the news last year: what about those fat bikes?
Just quickly: you are allowed on a cycle path with a speed pedelec if there is a blue round sign with both a bicycle and a moped on it, you are not allowed on a cycle path if there is only a bicycle on the sign or if it is a voluntary cycle path (rectangular blue sign with ‘cycle path’ written in letters). Within built-up areas, these fast electric bicycles must ride on the roadway when there is no bicycle-moped path.
Do you have an electric moped, i.e. an e-scooter with a blue license plate? Then you do not go faster than 25 km per hour and in principle you have to drive on the cycle path.
Still relevant today: what should you have at home just in case? What do you need to prepare for something unexpected, such as a disaster in your immediate area or if war breaks out?
Prepping is a corruption of the English verb to preparewhich means to prepare. Preppers make sure they are prepared for what is to come, for the worst. Stefan van Goor of the online prep shop Ruimterugzak.nl, notices that more people are interested in survival packages, or survival kits.
What is really indispensable when ‘things break out’? “A water filter is priority number one,” says Van Goor. With a water filter you can filter bacteria and viruses from the water, among other things. People cannot live without drinking water, so if the water supply is at risk, this is a solution. In addition, a well-stocked first aid kit is indispensable. A wind-up emergency radio is also a good idea in the event of disasters. Then you stay informed of what is happening around you and whether help is on the way. “For the rest, a flashlight and candles are useful,” Van Goor tips.
If it is up to the new coalition parties, we will soon be able to drive at 130 km on the highway again. When this comes into effect, the traffic signs along the highways will have to be replaced again.
But where do the new 130 signs come from? Will there be new ones, or will the old signs be pulled out of the dust? We sorted this out for you in May. 2020 was a golden age for traffic sign maker Visser Print & Sign from Assen. They received an order for 3,000 traffic signs to replace the 130 and 120 kilometer signs. All leaves were canceled because “in addition to the signs, we also supply the posts and brackets,” said manager Jasper Zwarts at the time.