If you have read the blog post from last Monday, then you would know that I went to a bloggers meeting in Amsterdam. We hired a bicycle and discovered Amsterdam this way. I didn’t know it is pretty dangerous to bicycle in Amsterdam. These are the ten life lessons I’ve learned by cycling through Amsterdam.

All Amsterdammers are in a hurry

Everyone is in a hurry. Cycling slow? No! You need to cycle super fast to not get rid over. People in Amsterdam don’t know about passing someone. They just cycle really close to you, until you drive against a lamppost.

Ring!

People in Amsterdam have invented the bell. I don’t understand how Amsterdammers can’t hurt their fingers by pressing that bell all the time. It is really necessary to bell super hard when you just can pass that person.

Don’t be afraid to drive through the red light

Actually, you get forced to just drive through the red light. Bycyclers cycle when the light is still red. You get pushed forward, without you can look left or right.

You don’t exist

Amsterdammers just cycle right through you. Really.

Brake early

I almost bumped against some other blogger, because I braked too late. I thought they would cycle harder when I didn’t stop…

Scooters drive through you

“Beep Beep!” I heard behind me. I looked behind and I see a scooter with 50 km/h next to me and I almost fell off my bike. Luckily there was a sidewalk next to me.

Then we didn’t talk about cars

A car thought it was nice to drive on the bike path, to drive me off my bike.

Also, use your bell

Last Wednesday I was in Amsterdam as well and as a pedestrian, you don’t pay attention to bicycles. As bicycler, you really need to use your bell to warn other pedestrians, instead of just bumping against the pedestrian.

Don’t stop if you want to take a look at something

Sometimes we just wanted to stop to see which way we needed to go, but even if you stand on the sidewalk, where nobody walks, other bicycles ring aggressively like you stand in the way.

The freeway is your bike path

I thought I was cycling on the freeway, but this was the bike pad and freeway as well. Pretty dangerous for people who don’t pay attention.

Have you ever cycled through Amsterdam?