(4th in a series on Walkability and Bikeability)
Judy Adams-Volpe is a retired university library director who started her librarianship career in Linderman Library at Lehigh University. Enjoying every day of retirement in Buffalo, NY, she is an avid sailor (sustainable power by wind) and indulges her adventurous spirit with travels far and wide.
Cheers to you, Gadfly
In Amsterdam there are about 750,000 inhabitants and about 2 million bicycles. Bicycle parking garages are everywhere—saw some several stories high, bikes are parked everywhere, and it seemed for free. While pedestrians are at risk of their lives all the time, bike riders pay no attention at all to any rules of the road. Pedestrians better be sure to keep their butts off the bike paths which line all roads, walking areas, canals, etc. So, cut dependence on oil, cut pollution, be a free spirit, get everywhere on your bike, smoke a joint while commuting (anything goes in Amsterdam), pick up the kids from school and just balance them on the bike with you, and forget about a car—didn’t see a single parking meter anywhere!!
Yup, that’s a bike parking lot near the central train station in Amsterdam. The other photo is an old canal barge repurposed as a bike parking lot. Gotta love it.
Judy