Not the entire western world, Steve Shaw. Lots of northern and eastern Europe are built as much around the bicycle, and this is increasing as the practice spreads of cities offering extremely cheap bike hire. Here's the Dublin Bikes version, currently sponsored by Coca Cola, and Paris Velib with its 1,800 stations every 300 metres around the city. (Dublin Bikes charges €20 a year for an annual ticket, a bike is free to use for the first half hour, then 50c for the rest of the hour and €1.50 for up to two hours. In Paris the first 30 minutes are free, the next hour is €1 and the third €2. Everyone uses them - business people, students, shoppers.

Here's how they look after their children in Holland: Dutch children's cycling test