Cycling, Amsterdam

This is a guote from my guidebook about Amsterdam. I think I read it on the plane to Holland and it comes from the part about using bicycles: 'It is necessary ALWAYS to put a pedlock on the bike. Theft is a real plague in Amsterdam. You can often see parts of bicycles attached with chains to metal fences or poles...' The picture I present here could be a perfect illustration to this 'word of warning', as it was titled in the guidebook.

Further to my previous entry re bicycles. Don't stand in their way expecting them to try and avoid you. The local tradition is for pedestrians to get out of the way and allow the bike to make progress. I come from the UK where they aren't even allowed on to the pavement and it came as a complete shock to me. I spent the first couple of hours hot under the collar thinking that they had all taken some sort of contract out on my life. It wasn't until a near death experience that one of the riders explained the local practise. Take care!!

No this is true! If you are cycler in Amsterdam, you are on top of the foodchain, well.. except for Trams, those stand just a little bit above the cyclers.

This means for you pedestrian/car driver.. WATCH OUT for cyclers. They cycle everywhere and they can, because most people you see on a bike are genuine Dutch people with experience in cycling in these conditions.

If you take the challenge to bike around yourself, don't follow their example.. many tourists end-up getting clogged with their wheels in the tramrails, don't know there are special lanes for cyclers and hit the main road or pavement. If you cycle, make sure to look around, that's the secret on how you can beat red-lights, stop signs, crossing pedestrians and when you are a pro, even a Tram cannot stop you (just make sure trams don't need to stop either, they don't tend to do that, and once it becomes physical the tram always winns).

The bikes are sometimes not in a good shape. This might not show if you are not carefull enough.

I was on a bike for one day and the other day, my right arm was aching a lot. I was told that obviously, the wheel was juuust not in place and I was struggling to keep it straight the whole day :((

They come from every direction and they will not watch out for you. They do not follow the directions the cars are driving so even if you think you are safe crossing if you don't see a car coming from one direction, look the other way! They are everywhere and bloody dangerous!

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I guess after China, they have the most bcycle population around the world. So be carefull because they are everywhere, and if you are not use to have bcycle road you find yourself easily on the road.

No, this number is not the amount of bicycles that go by any choosen place in Amsterdam, it's the amount of bicycles that get stolen every year! So, when you rent a bike or drive your own through town, take care that you have an appropriate lock and lock the bike together with a lanternpost, trafficsignpool or a fence on one of the thousand bridges in town. There are enough students that have bikes that cost less then the lock they bought.

Cyclists everywhere!They RUN AS MADS!You need to be careful!!!!! They have their own streets,so you have to pay attention where you are walking on!
And DON'T HAVE the wrong idea to move by car!!!!!!!
You had to see the CIRCENSIS number of certain cyclists around our car!

It is very easy to fall complacent strolling the wonderful canals and squares of Amsterdam. You MUST always be aware of bicyclists all around you at all times. There is often NO margin of error as they tear through the streets endangering pedestrians.

In a city with 600,000 bikes, is it any wonder that bike theft is the number one crime.

Always remember to double lock your bike. If you rent one, it will have a mounted lock for the rear wheel, and a heavy chain and lock to secure the front wheel and frame to an immovable object - such as a street light.