Are you coming to the Steemfest in Amsterdam? Planning to stay days after the Steemfest to check the city out? You may want to take biking in consideration.
The Netherlands is a bike country. Bikes rule the road more than cars do here. This is a common scene here, specially on a city as bustling as Amsterdam.
Almost everyone rides a bike here. During my first year here, my hubby sent me to biking class. At 12, I would often sneak out on my father's racer bike and go as far as I could and told him I was just along the neighborhood, so hearing about going on a biking class was pretty weird for me. I needed to do that to learn the rules there are in biking around here for safety purposes.
Biking rules?
Yes, they have that here. The Netherlands traffic rules is well thought of and even biking has rules.
Bike on the right hand side of the road all the time unless you are taking over another biker, stroller or any traffic on the cycle path.
Overtake another cyclist only on the left side.
Biking side by side? Yes, you may as long as you don't hinder other traffics. You have to give way to oncoming traffics and bike back to the right hand side of the cycle path. If you don't - you might get fined and you must know big brothers are everywhere in Amsterdam. How do you think do we keep this city safe?
Taking a turn?Signal with your hands. Extend you right hand out horizontally to signal other traffics that you're making a turn. If you are taking a turn to the right, stretch your hand out at least 5 meters before the corner you are going to take a turn in so if you're turning to the left then stretch your left hand out. It looks as easy as you think but if you are a righty - it would be tough balancing on your bike while keeping your right hand stretched out and your left hand managing the bike to take a turn. You still have weeks to practice doing it ;) - and if you're a lefty, then work on stretching your left hand out while biking to and making a turn to the left.
"Hand less" biking is not allowed nor not keeping your feet on the pedals Have at least one of your hands on the handle bar of your bike when biking.
Headsets on while biking? Yes, it's allowed but these days there are electric bikes, electric scooters and they are pretty quiet and swift you barely hear them coming so you might want to be extra careful on that.
Calling or texting while on bike? Yes, it still is allowed but it's not safe specially in a bustling city like Amsterdam.
Cycling with passengers? Yes, it's allowed to bike with others both in front and behind you. If your passenger is a child and is younger than 8 years old, they will have to be seated on a bike seat that meets the requirements for a proper bike seat here.
Biking under influence? That's a no no in The Netherlands. If the alcohol content in your blood is found to be higher than 0.5 profile you'd better not hump on that bike. Take the tram. If you are under the influence of drugs or you're taking a medicine with a yellow sticker on it - then you'd better commute or go on foot. Biking under the influence of drugs, medications with yellow stickers on the container or alcohol would be fined.
Officer in uniform signals you to halt? You'd better! The signal of a traffic officer and a police agent goes above any of those traffic rules. If they signalled you need to halt, keep calm, stop on the safe side of the road, say hello and ask politely why you are being pulled over.
Biking at night? Yes, you may but your bike must have a working light both in front and at the back of the your bikes. Blinking lights aren't allowed. Biking with working lights and reflectors at night is a must so the other traffic could see you.
Park only where it is allowed. You would see signs like this and a row of bicycles in a bike parking. Make sure to lock your bike properly when parking. Parking on places where people walk and are actually not allowed would risk you of having your bike removed by traffic authorities and could make you pay a fine.
Follow the red lights. No, I am not talking about the red light district. There are traffic lights for biking in the Netherlands. That part is discussed in part two.