Basic cycling commandments in Amsterdam
In the same way that Santiago de Compostela is the dream of any pilgrim, Amsterdam is for cyclists. holland is the quintessential bike friendly country which, unlike Spain, is fully adapted for life on two wheels. Upon arrival - something similar happens in other destinations such as Germany - what most attracts the attention of tourists is the number of bicycles there are. in the same street you can see dozens of them piled up , as if The Man in Black had played the butterfly effect with them. And of course, the first thing that comes to mind is “ how will its owner find it afterwards? ”.
If you are going to spend a few days visiting this beautiful city, the bike is the best means of transport to get to know it and blend in —or at least try to— with its residents. Initially, the number of cyclists that crowd its streets and the dizzying speed with which they do so tends to overwhelm . For this reason, we have decided to create a survival manual for those who want to discover Amsterdam on two wheels.
Bikes everywhere!
FOR AMATEUR CYCLISTS
1. You will love your bike above all things.
two. You will not say the name of a Dutchman in vain. Let's admit it. They are made of another paste. They are able to ride a bike rain, snow or hail without disheveled and we ... we do what we can . Once you start your cycling adventure through the Dutch capital, try not to hate your fellow bikers even if they overtake you. Because they are going to do it.
3. You will sanctify the padlocks. Believe it or not, in Holland they also steal. When you go to park your bike, first ask yourself this question: “Are there any bikes already parked?” If the answer is no, better choose another area. The second step is to place the padlocks, usually two: u not fixed that is attached to the frame —the quintessential thief's nightmare— and another that hooks the wheel to some surface.
Padlocks: your best friends in Amsterdam
Four. You will honor the tram rails. The streets of Amsterdam share space with cars, taxis, buses and, of course, trams. Be especially careful with the latter and especially with its tracks, since the wheels tend to get caught, which means safe fall.
5. You won't kill any pedestrians. Just like you, there are countless foreigners visiting the city who have not read this article before. Therefore, pay special attention to those giddy tourists who do not look when crossing and who have not yet understood what a bike lane is and that there is no point standing looking at a map.
Cycling happiness in Amsterdam
6. You will not commit impure acts on two wheels. If it's difficult to stand up and speak with sanity after partying, imagine what it's like to do it on a bike. Furthermore, in a city surrounded by bridges and canals, you only have to add 2+2 and the result is a bump without a doubt.
7. You will not choose coaster brake. If you are a foreigner and do not have your own bike, you will have to rent one. Our advice if you are a beginner is to choose a model with handlebar brakes even if it is a little more expensive. You can't imagine what it can be like to have to stop at a traffic light and start pedaling backwards...
Amsterdam: the classic that never fails
8. You will not give false signals. When you ride a bike, your arms are the indicators so you better signal correctly before doing any maneuver. Obviously, this does not happen only in Amsterdam, as a man would say a few years ago in APM, "it is in Beijing and if not in Pokón".
9. You will not take selfies in the middle of a bike path. Although you know that taking a photo with a bike with the canals and the Dutch houses in the background he's going to hit it on your Instagram , do not stop because you will cause an unwanted bike conga. If the urge to take a selfie is so powerful that you can't do anything about it, better get out of the lane, activate the front camera and prepare your best pouts.
10. You will not covet other people's bikes. The sooner you accept it, the better. Your rented bike in a Rent a bike will never outperform the native ones. It seems that there is a beauty pageant to which we have not been invited. Wicker baskets, flowers on the front, psychedelic saddlebags, speakers worthy of Harpo Marx, Frozen doorbells... How are you going to compete against that?
Your rented bike in a Rent a bike will never outperform the native ones
And for skittish pedestrians, two basic tips:
1. A friend of my sister said that since he lives in Holland, he knows that he will die run over by a bike. I don't know it says that Amsterdam is the bicycle capital for nothing, this city is owned by cyclists so there is no more crossing the street without looking. All through the zebra crossing as respectable citizens that we are. Those black and white stripes are like the “mare” when you played pilla-pilla, there you are untouchable, the bikes stop and everything.
two. Just as in the sales or in the casinos you have to be careful with the grandmothers, in Amsterdam you have to be careful with the off-road fathers and mothers. It would seem that what they ride are bikes, but they are much more. They carry Chanquete's boat hooked to the front and there they take all their offspring as if nothing had happened. So avoid them at all costs, if you don't want to give yourself a good scare.
Signage is sacred