Bikes in Amsterdam
Posted in Commentary on May 29th, 2008 by Sacha PeterI dedicate this link to Stephen Rees – Bicycles in Amsterdam.
I particularly find it amusing that they have massive chains and locks to secure bikes that you could clearly get at a second hand auction store for 10 bucks. A few weeks ago I did a social experiment where I parked my (low-valued) bike at a local library and left it there unchained, but sitting in the bike rack. After three hours, it was still there. Although this was a single data point, in the suburbs there is less rampant thievery than one would think by reading the headlines.
I also love how nobody wears a helmet in Amsterdam. There is a law in BC that requires all cyclists to wear helmets, which I think is utterly stupid. While wearing a helmet does save lives if somebody smashes into you, I really like the feeling of having wind go through my hair when I’m on a bike.
Before somebody comments about car seat belts, of course I wear a seatbelt when I get in a car at all times. Driving is significantly different than cycling, and putting on a seat belt is a significantly different activity than putting on a bicycle helmet.
Of course if I was weaving through traffic by cycling in downtown traffic, you’d be insane not to wear a helmet. Likewise if you’re going downhill at 40km/h in some wooded area. But having a law to force people to wear bike helmets if they’re going for a stroll on the Richmond dike is wholly unnecessary. Apparently the people in Amsterdam know more about biking than we do.
Good post. I somehow made it through my entire childhood without a helmet. I hurt my knees, ankles, hands, and elbows lots of time. I ran into stationary cars with my bike, sped around the neighbourhood in bike races, and did all sorts of stunts. Now, when I’m bicycling in a much more sedate fashion, I’m told I am legally obliged to wear a helmet at all times. Huh?
I think the problem with weaving in and out of traffic downtown isn’t a lack of a helmet, it’s weaving in and out of traffic downtown. I’m curious what number of accidents involve bicyclists, and what the conditions usually are …
In Amsterdam, though, the streets are much more friendly for bicycles – they typically have lanes dedicated to bicycles. I found the biggest menace walking around wasn’t the cars but the bikes.
The problem with bike helmet laws is that their greatest meaurable effect is to decrease the number of cyclists.
This is problematic if you are worried about the loss of positive health benefits because you care about people (or live in a country with public health insurance.)
But maybe it is ok because they were just getting in the way as you tried to drive your gas guzzler through bumper to bumper traffic.
Don’t take my word for, look it up in the British Medical Journal.
http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/332/7543/722-a
wah “The problem with bike helmet laws is that their greatest measurable effect is to decrease the number of cyclists.”
lol!!
Thanks for that link, interesting.
Thank you. I do not think you need a helmet on the west dyke as it is not a public highway – but I do see a lot of people have them dangling from their handlebars for when they get back on a road.
Bike theft is a problem – which is why the police have to hold regular bike auctions. In Amsterdam, the thieves simply throw them in the canal.
Urban legend has it that white vans with people armed with bolt cutters regularly lift nice bikes which are then parted out.
Stephen, you are correct. The applicable law is section 184 of the Motor Vehicle Act: “A person commits an offence if that person operates or rides as a passenger on a cycle on a highway and is not properly wearing a bicycle safety helmet that [is an 'approved helmet'].”
For those that don’t know, legally a “highway”, roughly, is considered to be any public street, including highways, roads, lanes, streets, etc.
Having to lug around a bike helmet to get to a non-highway is a pain in the ass.
The irony is that the law forces people to wear a helmet on the road but in mountain biking situations (which arguably could cause injuries in the event of a crash) it is not legally necessary.