Organized chaos or an unscripted symphony? The bike, scooter, car and foot traffic in this Amsterdam shopping district flows around obstacles like leaves on a stream. We drank our coffee and watched in amazement. Despite some close crossings, no one collided and we never heard honking or yelling. Pretty amazing since there are no stop signs or traffic signals, and there’s road construction to the left of the camera.
When I get back home and want to remember Amsterdam, I’ll grab a cup of coffee or glass of red wine, watch this video and be transported back to a rainy day with the traffic ballet. [see notes below to skip to the highlights]
Do you think this level of smooth interaction is possible in the US? Perhaps on a college campus?
Timecodes for interesting passersby
0:14 Two blondes on Dutch bikes; 0:18 Dad with kid in front seat; 0:37 Guy riding with cell phone; 0:57 Cyclists set up for full touring; 1:30-2:03 Fashionable women with boots, scarfs, mini-skirts; 2:52 Mom with toddlers in cargo bike; 2:50 Clueless male tourists; 5:48 Girl on bike walking dog; 5:50 Blonde with a cell phone; 6:26 Kid sitting on back rack
What we didn’t catch on video, but wish we had
Girls sitting sidesaddle on back racks of Dutch Bikes; Guy with cello on his back, resting it on his back rack; Guy with pink rollaboard suitcase on his front rack; Family on a triple tandem; Two moms with full cargo bikes stopping in the street to say hello; Guy helping his girlfriend fight the wind by pushing her back; Dad coaching 3-year-old on how to cross busy street.
velogirl
September 19, 2011 at 8:09 am
simply amazing. what’s most notable to me is that not a single person honked or yelled. I did hear a couple of bike bells. wouldn’t it be nice to be able to ride (or drive) and not feel tense and angry and defensive? no one’s in a hurry. no one’s rushed. no one’s going too fast for the flow of traffic. sigh.
Brian
September 19, 2011 at 1:11 pm
Not a single road or mountain bike?
Malaysia is sort of like that, but at high speed and closer spacing. It works because drivers treat the bikes and motorcycles and pedestrians as human beings and not obstacles in their way, and everybody gets a lot of practice dealing with congestion and crossings of various kinds.