Where Biker's Rule the Roost

There is no question that bikes are king of downtown Amsterdam. Never in my life have I seen such a high density of bikes. It truly is a sight to see, especially if you’re like me and grew up in the suburbs where cars are king of the road. There is no end to the bicycles that line the streets. With the road system as confusing as it is… I can see why biking is the preferred method of transportation. There is a lane specifically for bikes on nearly every road I’ve traversed since my arrival. Even the bike lanes are cleared off better than the pedestrian lanes. Some lanes are wide enough to have four bikes.

Since there are so many bikers, walking can be a treacherous task. Not only do you have to look both ways for cars, but bikes also. They do not stop for anybody or anything; most pedestrians seem to follow this ‘rule,’ even at crosswalks. There are three different sets of stoplights within the downtown area; lights for Cars, Bikes, and Pedestrians. Bikes and pedestrians are segregated at all intersections of main roads. At the Train Station in Downtown Amsterdam; there is a three story parking garage for bikes; only bikes, and from there they spill onto the sidewalks and streets. Bikes are everywhere; there is no end to the vast amount of bikes. Plazas are wide open with few obstacles to account for all the pedestrian and bicycle traffic. Even in the parks, the main path is for bicycle use only. The pedestrian walkways are on either side and seem to be a glorified cow path. Whether or not there is a hard surface underneath the packed snow is unknown. It doesn’t seem to matter what time of day it is, people are riding bikes and traveling all the time and the traffic never seems to die down.