Biking Amsterdam
by Frans Kemper
If there is one thing that defines the “Amsterdammers” then it is the bike. We (bikers) own the city.
Everything we do goes by bike, take the kids, do the groceries, going out with or without the family, go to work, take the animals, take your love (Exciting!) and so forth.
63% of the city population gets on the bike every day. Amsterdam is home to approx. 881,000 bikes. That’s a little over one bike for every resident. We make collectively 38% of all our trips by bike.
We read on the bike, we text on the bike, eat and drink on the bike, laugh and cry on the bike and yes that to…. (Couldn’t find an image though) :-)
For the outsider the bike traffic in Amsterdam might look like a madhouse, but it is actually well organized and running smoothly. (No pun intended)
The perfect example is a crossing behind the Central Station where bikers and pedestrians meet coming from four directions. No traffic lights. Nothing. It is amazing to see this confusion, but it always goes well. Not one single accident happened. (Knock on wood)
Being born and raised in Amsterdam, I grew up on the bike. With just three years old, my dad put me on the bike and taught me to ride and taught me about traffic.
A few years later I ventured out on my own, as did most kids of my age.
Once you learn to bike, you never forget. Age doesn’t count on the bike, as long as you can you go.
And when you bike, you take your family, groceries and pets at the same time. Helmets? What’s that?
I couldn’t image my city without bicycles…
