This evening I bumped into this magnificent video, ‘Earth | Time Lapse View from Space, Fly Over | NASA, ISS‘:

Time lapse sequences of photographs taken by the crew of expeditions 28 & 29 onboard the International Space Station from August to October, 2011, who to my knowledge shot these pictures at an altitude of around 350 km.

Meanwhile on the surface: sometimes I feel like I’m hovering in this urban space of ours, zooming in on the little things that we, more often than not, pass by on a regular basis, without noticing.

Like this scene: a mom trying to put her gloves on with her teeth, while riding home with her child.

She figured she could manage the last stretch by rubbing her hand over her upper leg.

She couldn’t, so she finished the job the way she started.

Life’s little observations. Precious.

In September BikeSnobNYC wrote about his family trip to this ol’ continent, cycling around Amsterdam on Henry Cutler’s Workcycles bakfiets & observing London’s day-glow extravaganza on top of a Boris Bike. Go on, read that first, it’s a good laugh.

In his post he succinctly & humorously describes the differences between his own American/NYC bicycle culture and that of ours (and the UK/London’s accordingly). It neatly amplifies and supports the ‘cultural’ context I elaborated on in my previous post ‘Bicycle Cultures Are Man-Made‘:

WARNING: Do not attempt international travel. Leaving the United States may provoke thought and result in reflection, dissatisfaction with the quality of your social services, and acute Arby’s withdrawal. The US Department of State shall not be held responsible for your imprisonment or death at the hands of a godless socialist foreign power. If you must visit another country, be sure to wear latex gloves at all times to avoid foreign currency-borne illness. Have a great trip!

“With that out of the way, I spent the bulk of my time in two (2) non-American cities, one of which was Amsterdam. When one thinks of Amsterdam, one thinks of the heady aroma of “Wednesday weed” wafting out of the coffee shops, the even headier aroma of human genitalia wafting out of the red light district, and of course the notorious feral cats that have taken to the canals over the centuries and evolved into strange flesh-eating otter-like creatures that have been known to bite off at the wrist the hands of unsuspecting tourists. But let’s leave all that aside for the moment and look at that other hallmark of “the big A,” which is bikes.”

“Simply put, in Amsterdam people ride bikes to go places. More than this, though, they ride bikes to go places without making any sort of fuss about it.”

“…and to say that riding around a city where cycling is a completely normal mode of transportation is to understate how pleasant it is to be someplace where you can simply get on a bike with your family without giving a shit.”

“Ironically, while I was in Amsterdam a bit of a kerfuffle arose on Bikeportland about how Fred Armisen of “Portlandia” is too much of a “woosie” to ride in the most cycling-friendly city in America. In particular, he’s afraid of the streetcar tracks:

“Armisen is young and healthy. If he’s too afraid to bike in the Pearl, what does that say about our city?”

“To me it says that the city of Portland should remove an entire mode of public transportation to make it easier for someone who probably hasn’t been on a bicycle since he was 9 to move there and ridicule them. I wonder if anything will ever be enough for the people of Portland–who, were they to be liberated from their hated streetcar tracks, would probably find some other cycling injustice to rail against, such as the high cost of Stumptown coffee or an overabundance of low-hanging tree branches. It seems to me that focussing on streetcar tracks as an obstacle to cycling is like saying the problem with living in Antarctica is that there aren’t enough Whole Foods. Anyway, Amsterdam is completely covered in tram tracks and it doesn’t seem to pose much of a problem.”

BikeSnobNYC…I mean Eben Weiss, has inadvertently entertained us with the notion how perception creates a certain reality. Many people with an equal interest for history and culture, aka the framework that entails describing and dissecting bike ‘cultures’, would agree with me when I say that it stems from a unprecedented decline in everyday cycling, fading from the public consciousness, shoved aside by prosperity, suburbanization and motorized transport, leaving one single vertical market for the sport cycling industry and ample growth of a zealous Health & Safety complex in a hostile urban traffic environment.

However, at the same time his post bridges that cultural gap, one step of many, taking us back to that place, to the perception that so many people around the world have forgotten about: cycling is a perfectly normal activity. Thus creating a ‘new’ paradigm for ‘perception creates reality’. Oh, the irony :).

I know I’m working on it and, naturally, in an unfazed and nonplussed kinda way, I’m very pleased to see that many more are and that it’s gaining ground & momentum around the world.

‘3 + 1′

‘Errands’ & ‘Out Of The Wind’

‘A To B’

‘That’ll Do’ & ‘Grace’

‘Unfazed’

‘Solitude’ & ‘Urban Fabric’

‘Someone Needs To Pedal’

‘Top Of The World’

‘Run, Darling, Run’, ‘Hop’ & ‘Anticipation‘

‘Lining Up’ & ‘Shuffle’

‘In One Go’

Going around Amsterdam it’s not particularly hard to capture people on bikes. They are everywhere. They take it very much for granted (a point I’ve often made, but meant as a positive one, what I call ‘the endpoint of building a bicycle ‘culture’, its nirvana) and I often have to take my time explaining my efforts to my fellow (and often puzzled) Dutchies when the subject comes up.

‘Time’ is the operative word here. If you take your time a little bit in Amsterdam, stop to smell the roses, if you will, you can witness all kinds of everyday, yet very entertaining scenes. The devil is in the details. Case in point: after crossing a junction to make good use of the beautiful fall light, I parked my bike and as soon as I looked up I hit the jackpot.

A woman, nicely dressed for a chilly but warm enough autumn Saturday, her broken left arm in a sling, stopping at the light. It was clear she had been doing her shopping rounds around town, accompanied by her Jack Russell. ‘Jack’ was clearly loved and pretty excited as she rolled to a stop, leaning on the edge of the front crate. She laughed at him and said: “Easy, boy, be patient. Yeah, be patient!” The best guess then is that Jack just likes to move. Quick observers of this scene would just think he wanted to get out or that he’d be very close to leaping out. Not the case. He just wanted her to get going already.

The streetcar..I mean the tram beside her was already accelerating, so she double-checked for green and off they went again.

Time was the operative word. It all transpired in less than 30 seconds. The best 30 seconds of the day.

Update: Xander of Toronto Cycle Style quoted it eloquently on Flickr:

Stop dog stop the light is red
go dog go it’s green ahead.

Dr. Suess

Meet Reuben. A young professional, climbing the ladder of the film industry. I met him after he was referred to me, hiring him to help us out with the ‘Cycling For Everyone‘ production.

For this shoot I had lend him my OV-Fiets card (transit bike share scheme). There was not enough room left in the production van, so he had to travel by train. This weekend he came by to return it.

We talked about how well the film had been received by the embassy’s target audience, which he was pleased to hear, of course.

This was also a good opportunity to take a closer look at his bike. A Batavus. As you can see, not of the transport-type that people usually associate this well-known Dutch brand with. Bottom line, the Dutch bicycle industry has a rich history when it comes to road bikes and Batavus was and still is no stranger to it.

His Champion is a beauty. Nice proportions, quality steel & it sure looks nice in white. It’s from the early 80’s. Reuben was able to buy it via the Dutch equivalent of eBay for practically nothing.

I told him about my plans to get into track racing on the Velodrome in Amsterdam, which includes getting a similar bike for the fun of it, getting me to the track & facilitating other enjoyable moments.

Yes, you read that right. There’s more to Dutch cycling than meets the eye :).

Today I read this. Then I browsed through a few folders. Which led me to putting together this little token: We’re only human.

You remember Rose from my video posts ‘Rose Loves #bikeAMS TV’ & ‘Fishing To Catch A Bicycle’.

Last Monday was her birthday. She came round to show me what she had treated herself to…

As you know her best:

Naturally, this happy occasion deserved another Bicycle TV video:

Again, happy birthday, Rose! xox

I arrived at the Workcycles shop today to have a tire changed on Lauren’s bike and I entered an all too familiar scene: two of the mechanics decorating one of the rental cargo bikes. The customer’s name is Marnix & he was pressed for time, as his sister Brechtje was going to get married to Jeroen on the other side of town…and he was in charge of arranging the bride & groom’s ride before & after the ceremony. So the guys helped speed up the process of making that procession even more stylish and festive. Have a look.

You have to know that this is quite a common, aka traditional thing in Amsterdam & the Netherlands to do. Hell, I’ve seen 30 pedicabs for wedding guests parked outside a church at one point. My summer’s favorite picture is of the soon-to-be-married couple below, which I took in Vondelpark. Also a Workcycles rental cargo bike, but the bigger flatbed one.

I’m sure Brechtje & Jeroen’s wedding photos will turn out great. Life on two, or in this case, three wheels is bliss. Marnix, I know you’ll be reading this, you’ll have to let me know in the comment section whether you made it on time :).

Meet my good friend Rose. A free spirit, a talented artist & a lover of Amsterdam. Today I helped her out at one of the locations that displays her art. After finishing up we hopped on our bikes and rode back into the center. An off the cuff, yet perfect moment to get her on the record: Rose loves #bikeAMS TV. Enjoy.

Random bits and pieces from the month of August that I caught along my cycle ways that are worth posting. Top photo: after over 6 months of nudging my Swedish-Egyptian expat neighbors, they finally acted upon it and got themselves two 2nd hand, practical bikes. With crate. For their French bull terrier Baby.

The rain, oh the rain. The summer of 2011 went down as the wettest on record since 1906. Harsher winters, spring turns out to be our summer (yet again) and summers turn to fall. Nothing to see, moving on.

‘Never A Bike Bridge Too Far’.

Two friends making things tidy for the ride.

Putting my GoPro camera to good use while testing the Brik Brut bicycle (more on that in October), for the obligatory ride down the bicycle parking garage at Central Station.

‘Strolling In The Red Light District’ & ‘Mr Fr8 Got A Brand New Crate’

‘Canal View’

‘A Bike Is A Terrible Thing To Waste‘

‘A View From The Cycle Path’. “Sorry I’m late…the bridge was open.” A very valid excuse in Amsterdam.

On Nieuwmarkt. Tom of Workcycles polishing my Fr8 (first time since I’d bought it) for a special photo shoot. Roos of ‘Ride With Me NYC‘ fame assisting.

Friends joining us for drinks.

Pannier action: ‘Unloading’ & ‘Loaded Up’.

‘Parting Ways’

‘Stack’

‘Bird’

Fire Department Ordinance: ‘Don’t Park Your Bike Here. Parked Bikes Will Be Removed.’

‘Meeting Point’ & “Who’s Going Side Saddle, You Or Me?”

Stay tuned for August posts with a more themed approach.

Humid, warm. Buzzy, dusk. People gathering. Men in frogs and high heels. Limelight, glory. Performance and just play. A jury & drinks. Laughs.

Yes, a gay evening. Joyful & carefree. Also car-free. Naturally. Just ask Jeroen…I mean Julie.

It has cleared up a bit in Amsterdam and the rest of the country, two weeks of what seemed like never-ending downpour was clearly enough for most. People moaned, sighed and bitched like there was no tomorrow. But whaddayagonnado? Shit happens. At the same time we completely and conveniently forget about the absolutely gorgeous months of April and May (record droughts). Alright, alright, it’s supposed to be summer in July, not feel like the end of November.

Anyhoo, tomorrow I’ll be getting on a plane (gasp) to Copenhagen, on business. Last time I paid the Danish Blues a visit it was for leisure and I took the (slow) train, as I had to bring my bike along. It was cool. I serenaded ladies in red, competed in a slow bicycle race (and let my opponent, who was coming of age, win, of course) and drank way too many expensive beers. Emphasis on ‘expensive’, not ‘too many beers’.

Referred to by the aforementioned, herring-eating individual I was invited by Wonderful Copenhagen to cover the UCI BMX World Championships in my role as an inquisitive journalist, who expect me to insightfully peel off the layers of one of the sportiest of ’street bicycle cultures’. Naturally, I’ll try not to disappoint them.

Accredited by the UCI, yes m’am, there’s a first for everything. You see, there will be all sorts of street events going on all over town, all evolving around our two-wheeled (if not more) friend, the arts, the urban life, etc. I’ll be all over it, trust me. Lauren is joining me, so she can see for herself how cheap Amsterdam really is for shopping. ;)

My lack of BMX-cred doesn’t mean I won’t attempt to sneakily attach my GoPro camera to the BMX of one of the Dutch contestants, because I will. Or whoever will indulge me. Either that, or they’ll most likely rip off my press card and toss me in the Søerne to go look for bikes there.

As you might know or have been able to assess, I have NO knowledge whatsoever of who’s what in the BMX universe. Doesn’t mean I don’t admire these rascals. It will be intriguing to dive back into this semi-sub-bike-culture which I left behind at the age of 10. Oh, the memories.

I leave you with photos..I mean postcards, as many often tell me I live in one. From a, as you by now have guessed, VERY wet Sunday in July.

I’m charging 3 cameras as I type this, cross your fingers it will be a dry weekend in Copenhagen.

That, or I just might convert and ask this fine craftsman and fellow Dutchie if I can join him on his maiden voyage…when the moment is right. And only if I can bring Lauren, of course.

Croix De Beaucaillou.

Wanna GAGA?

Tourists will ride their rental bikes, no matter what. In style.

‘Double Dutch’ – summer contradictions.

On occasion I get asked to explain the side saddle hop, because to quite a few people it looks complicated & the Dutch make it look so easy. Or my guests want to try riding along on the back of my bike & but they’ll settle for getting on while stationary. So here it is, an instructional video, the anatomy, if you will, of the genuine Dutch side saddle hop. A three-act. Perfection in motion.

No pressure, of course. Practice makes perfect, that’s all :).

UPDATE: Ricardo Javier sent me the following video of him and his girlfriend cycling around Amsterdam (it starts in the same area as where I shot my video), it includes some very nice side saddle action too. Thanks, Ricardo!

PS: riding side saddle is illegal in many countries, including Germany and Denmark. That’s also the case in Australia (unsurprisingly), but little birds told me that some Ozzies continue to break this law and that they call it ‘dinking’. Winners.

Work is done. It’s a warm & sunny evening. Taking it easy. Grab a bag with picnic goodies and flick it in a basket. Stop along the way to pick up some tasty burgers & find that sweet spot in the sun. That’s what Lauren and I did not too long ago.

* It’s been pouring this last week, so it’s only fitting that I’d edit and post this today, to keep our spirits up :).

My friend Suze paid me a visit this afternoon to catch up on things. As is usually the case, we sat at my window and watched the world go by, which is always interesting in the Red Light District. No exception today. Among other things, we witnessed a parked bicycle getting blown into the canal by the wind.

A few hours earlier one of the renovators next door, who’s been our temporary neighbor for some time now, had been hoisting materials up to the 3rd floor (video) (as it’s often done in Amsterdam, known for its steep stairs), so I figured I could use the hook at the end of that rope to get the bicycle out.

Suze said we should so do it, which was the last nudge I needed (on a rainy day), but in the end it didn’t work out exactly that way…but either way, just watch what happened.

I recently stated that bicycles are the most social means of transportation. Some would say I’m merely preaching to the choir, others might quip “Yeah, sure, maybe in your world, over here it’s war/we’re not even allowed to ride two-abreast/we don’t have time for that sort of thing”.

I understand all that, but putting that aside for a second, I’ll go out on a limb and say it’s really the case. I witness it every day, the socialization factor is X. Yes, Social Factor X marks this mode. This social mobility is vertical, horizontal and diagonal. It enhances city life, personal experiences & generally puts the observer in a very good mood. A win-win.

Using a bike for practical purposes is no different than, aka part of, just going about life, really, so just this fact alone allows every aspect of life to continue, albeit on two wheels (or more).

Amsterdamize was established to not talk the talk so much, but show it, so here we go. First up, a man moving his painting by bike. Again, Dutch people carrying stuff on their bike is as ordinary as…well, name anything.

Then he slows down and gets off his bike. At first I thought he had arrived at his destination. But no, he dismounted because he saw a friend and decided to catch up with him, walking along.

Others bumping into a friend and catching up…

Which brings us to the classic ’sharing the ride with your offspring’…

Equal to walking, it also allows you to catch up with the state of affairs on the fly…

And it helps speed up the shopping together process…despite a few inclines here and there…

You’re also more likely to have some heartwarming interaction with street photographers…

Finishing lunch while making the handicapped more able…

Strengthening the father-daughter relationship…

Checking up on your daughter and friends, swimming in the Amstel River…

Finally, when you’re a kid, there’s no reason not to continue fooling around with your best buddy…

Well, the following ain’t half bad, either :)…

It’s clearly red. Yet so many bicycle campaigns try to convince me otherwise it’s disturbing.

What it really is, is the best way to get from A to B. It is so for many reasons, not least because Amsterdam has made a big effort in making it convenient. Using a bike for getting around also happens to be green, economical, chic, fun, healthy, practical… you name it. Yet, as Marco quite brilliantly says over at Münchenierung, it can never be only marketing.

Take for instance the bicycle parking at train station in Amsterdam Zuid (WTC). You go, get a ticket, lock your bike, and off you go. Your bike will be there when you get back, safe and dry. It’s even free for the first 24 hours! After that it’s only 50 cents a day, so I tend to leave my bike there when I go to the airport.

You will have a hard time convincing people to ride a bike because it’s green -or economical, or chic, or fun or healthy, if they don’t find it convenient and safe. At the end of the day, most people will simply do what it’s easier for them to do. Nothing wrong with that, life’s hard enough as it is.

Amsterdam loves it’s bikes, no matter what colour they are.

A new day, a new video camera, new opportunities. The early evening light was exquisite, so I just headed out, doodling about. 25 minutes of footage brought back to a little under 13. It was a beautiful maiden voyage for my little HD friend & it passed the test…no, it aced it. For those interested: I shot it at 720p & 60 frames/sec*.

Here you go, ‘Veraneando En Amsterdam’, or: enjoying summer in Amsterdam. Enjoy the ride*.

* I wanted to export it to HD 1080p, but it turned out to big. The same applied to the 720p version, too big for Vimeo. I had to choose between cutting it up yet again or leaving it at a lower resolution. I chose the latter.

** Over the years I’ve noticed (to put it lightly) that when people watch a video like this, they often comment: “But what about when it’s raining or snowing? Surely, people won’t cycle that much then?” Sure they do, because it’s convenient. Here’s an old video of mine shot in December 2008, ‘Sinfonia Cyclissimo‘. Or watch Mark Wagenbuur’s videos, winter & http://amsterdamize.com/?p=2432

Statistics don’t sell cycling, cycling does. People have to see and feel it for themselves to really understand the significance of putting cycling at the forefront of rethinking our urban mobility. The most powerful means second to that are the visual arts: photos and videos. My modus operandi.

I have more than plenty of photos to show, the video part has been falling behind this year. That’s going to change. I ordered a GoPro camera. I recognized the power of this camera when I saw Paul Martin, part of the Australian Cycling Dutch Style group which I joined a few times on their study tour around the Netherlands a little while ago, put that camera to good use. It’s awesome.

Many visitors I host, have either followed Amsterdamize or have read up on cycling in the Netherlands otherwise, also going through tons of pictures and videos. Either they still couldn’t believe it, or were expecting the ultimate cycling Walhalla. Yet, all of them, really all of them realized upon arrival that nothing beats experiencing the reality on the ground. Steven Vance from Chicago, for instance, was only half-joking when he uttered I was cherry-picking the best cycling moments with my camera…until he rode here himself.

Alas, enough of the babbling. I positioned myself on the bridge over the Prinsengracht, leading towards one of the arterial bike routes in downtown Amsterdam, Nieuwe Spiegelstraat.

That street is a one-way street for cars (not a through-way, but mostly used by people who live there or delivery vans), which can rarely (and won’t) overtake people on bicycles (as it’s a Bicycle Street) and a two-way street for people on bikes (and mopeds unfortunately) & a narrow sidewalk on each side. At that time on that Saturday it was not particularly busy, not like during the week when on average 25.000 people travel up and down this stretch on a daily basis. It’s a fast, thus popular connection between the Museum quarter in the south and the downtown area, en route to Central Station.

The video already received a first comment on Vimeo:

That is what the motor vehicle to bike ratio should be in every city…ideally.

I know, that’s why I’m still living here :). Enjoy. If you have any questions, write it in the comment section.

Just a few summer images from the Bicycle Capital. A stack of postcards, if you will.

I have to admit, I have it easy. I live in Amsterdam. Whether I stick my head out of the window or step outside, ANYwhere I go and look (aka, point my camera) there are bikes. Either stationary or with people on them. There’s not a single angle you can view this city without them draping the mis-en-scene. The same, and often more of it applies to the rest of the country.

Anyway, as Amsterdamize’s faithful readers know, it doesn’t mean I take that for granted, unlike many of my fellow Dutchies. They just ride. They put cycling on the same conscious level as walking. You just move, from A to B. “Cycling is just a faster way of walking” & “Bikes are like shoes” are popular memes. We’ve come a long way since the destructive decline between 1950 – 1975. Newcomers: that’s geek speak for ‘this bicycle culture was man-made‘.

Sundays aren’t any different from other days of the week. So similarly, I had my camera with me and on my A to B to C to D route I first stopped for 15 minutes at Meester Visserplein near Waterloo square I started clicking away, aka I put my hand in the proverbial cookie jar.

It’s always nice to get a kiss for your efforts ;).

Next up, I positioned myself in front of Cafe Americain of the American Hotel on Leidseplein, again for about 15 min. Plenty to see.

And often enough, somebody notices me too ;).

Last week I was on my way to Foam, the photography museum on Keizersgracht, to go on a guided tour of the exhibition ‘Set Amsterdam‘ by Dana Lixenberg.

I had 10 minutes to spare, so figured I could shoot a few pics of people on bikes & how they were dealing with the rain and heavy winds that had come upon us.

The tour was supposed to be led by Paul Marbus, location scout for the popular Dutch tv series ‘A’dam & E.V.A’ (Adam & Eva / Amsterdam & And Many Others), but he called in sick and the tour topic changed to ‘Antiphotojournalism‘. I had been looking forward to hearing more about the visual backgrounds of this show, as its main character is the city of Amsterdam, so this was quite a bummer.

Here’s the trailer for ‘A’dam & E.V.A.’:

Every day our lives cross that of dozens, maybe hundreds of others, other people we don’t know: incidently passing by, people from the same neighborhood, shop keepers, complete strangers, a voice at the other end of the line, young, old, closeby or at a distance. Our existence continuously touches that of others. Often there’s nothing particular that happens; we just happen to be close, at the same time and at the same place, to then disappear from each other’s lives forever.

The series’ season ended a month ago, I had never watched it on tv, so I resorted to the internet archives. I was blown away. So clever, so nice, so compelling and so true to form. The reason I got to this show was that Marco (the author of Muenchenierung) and I did a presentation about marketing (cycling) at the Agora Symposium, and he’d picked this video as a prime example of co-promotion. (Marco was also the one who tipped me about the photography tour).

Back to Foam: ‘Antiphotojournalism’ was very impressive, moving and interesting as a viewing excercise (being the news buff that I am), but it was not what I came for. Dana’s photos of humanless interiors in Amsterdam were beautiful and I was able to put them in the right context, but Paul’s presence was needed. All in all, I was glad I went.

Before exiting the building I bought the spring issue of Foam magazine, themed ‘Happy’.

Its feature article starts with:

What is the fundamental nature of happiness? Is it a mood, an emotion, or simply a series of agreeable events? Are there different kinds of happiness and what characterizes a pleasant and satisfying life? And, of course, how can we achieve a state of supreme happiness? Perplexing questions indeed.

It explores the cultural and economical aspects that so popularly define ‘hapiness’, states different surveys and looks at the question through the prisms of different photographers, sprinkled with famous quotes on the subject:

To be truly happy and contented, you must let go of what it means to be happy or content. – Confucius.

Happiness is nothing more than good health and a bad memory. – Albert Schweitzer.

But what is happiness except the simple harmony between a man and the life he leads? – Albert Camus.

For me it is easy. My two-wheeled friend lifts more obstacles between myself & happiness than I can count. I just have to remind myself of it occasionally.

Then I read this…

I had some time to kill, walked around the neighborhood, moved closer to the edge and finally positioned myself along the arterial bi-directional bicycle path in front of Central Station and clicked away for about 20 minutes.

As always, I wasn’t just an outsider (on foot) or a perceived tourist, but I quickly became part of that stream of consciousness. Interactions usually occur when you create pleasant circumstances where people can see eye to eye.

Fietsforce.nl is a project initiated by Fietsforce Foundation Amsterdam, founded and run by a group of Amsterdam students, who “believe strongly in the combination of business and social commitment.” The foundation is supported by Pantar Amsterdam, one of the biggest employment re-integration companies in Amsterdam, which helps putting disenfranchised people to work. Finally, Fietsforce wouldn’t have been possible without the help of the Start Foundation.

Fietsforce: Fiets=Bicycle, + Force. You get the drift. Two-wheeled power. Social power. Because it provides a two-fold service: first, its mobile repair team services people with a broken down bike, on the spot. Second, Fietsforce provides youths the opportunity to learn skills, gain confidence & set off on a career path. There’s a third plus: Amsterdam & the Netherlands in general suffer from a lack of bike mechanics. Hopefully this pilot project will keep enough of them in this realm, maybe even start up their own shop. There are never enough specialty bike shops!

Below you can watch their enjoyable promotional video. I was asked by Fietsforce to wait a few weeks before posting this, as the service had quickly become a success, more demand than supply in this pilot period. Amsterdammers, take note: Fietsforce offers a 50% discount if you review their service!

Well, I’ll be sure to call ‘m when that pesky moment comes…I’ll wait a few minutes longer if I have to :).

Last Thursday Lauren and I met up after work at Cafe Oranjerie on the Binnen Oranjestraat (‘B’ on the map) on the edge of the Haarlemmerbuurt. It’s narrow, one-way (like many streets in the center of Amsterdam) and quaint. Residential, shops, galleries, cafes, etc. This street connects the Jordaan neighborhood (via de Oranjebrug [Orange Bridge], ‘A’ on the map) with the popular, aka busy shopping street Haarlemmerdijk (‘C’ on the map), which also functions as an important arterial cycle road towards Central Station (one-way for cars, bi-directional for bikes). Not surprisingly, Haarlemmerdijk is one of the busiest cycle streets in Amsterdam.

View Larger Map

Below: the streetview of Binnen Oranjestraat, in the direction of Oranjebrug, Jordaan. One view step ahead you’ll see the cafe by panning left.

View Larger Map

So that’s the backdrop. Lauren and I got our tasty beers, sat down in front of the cafe and talked about our day while rush hour picked up a little steam:

Mum & daughter…

He was helping his mum taking a box of wine home, saying hi to the neighbors.

Gender equality when it comes to picking up the kids…

Dad with front load…picking up a second load.

A smile & some laundry to do…

Suddenly, a traffic cone appeared. It turned out to belong to a group of kids. They probably found it somewhere and decided to have a little fun with it. More than that, it was their actual intent to stop car traffic.

“Car traffic?”, you say? Yes, as quaint as the street is, the few cars that drive by have about the same impact on this urban environment as a whole lot more cars would have on a bigger road. Noise on this narrow street gets amplified in a way that you can quickly speak of pollution. The acoustics will drown out many conversations (like ours) and generally annoy. No matter how slow they drive. However, far worse are the scooters, which pass by at high speeds (think souped up, 2-stroke engines), higher than cars ever will and add real danger to people walking and cycling. All combined, rush hour isn’t that nice in a bicycle city when a few ruin it for the rest of us, including kids who just want to play in the streets.

Victory! The driver accepted her (temporary) defeat gracefully by smiling with the kids. Knowing very well this blockage could not be sustained…

The answer? Simple. This street doesn’t actually need to serve as a connection with/through way for Haarlemmerdijk. It only has car traffic because it’s allowed and still convenient. Just like in many other areas of the city (and proven traffic grids elsewhere in the Netherlands) you can make it bicycle/walking only (no scooters either), forcing cars to make a…wait for it…250 meter detour along Brouwersgracht. So direct routes for bikes/peds, longer routes for cars. Neighbors with cars (and parking) on streets in between could get access by automated systems, as used for commercial traffic at certain hours of the day.

Amsterdam is very much a livable city for all. Let’s keep working at it. If not for us, do it for the children. At least they spot the bull. And do it quickly, before they grow up and forget.