On the first quiet streets of my neighborhood, all I hear is the squeaking of my bike. Sometimes, it is a little foggy, and I can still see my breath. I slowly work my legs into the morning rhythm, and I am off to school. This is the start to my day.
At
about 7:45, Monday through Friday, I join the biking population of
the Netherlands. This is no small cult. Among its sixteen million
people, biking is one of the most common means of transportation. For
some, it means biking to work every day; others need bikes to get to
school. For drivers, it means a little extra time waiting at the
intersection. For everyone, it is a part of life.
Shortly after my arrival, I found out how much biking is done the Netherlands. Not only did my family tell me, but proof was all over the place. Outside any building, a cluster of parked bikes could be seen. Everywhere, I saw bike signs, paths, and plenty of bike stoplights. I could not go anywhere without seeing bikes and their mounted riders.
I was interested to see that nobody was excluded from biking. Men with briefcases, kids with backpacks, and women with flowers could all be seen on bike paths. That was something I liked to see because it seemed to be a unifying factor among the Dutch people.
After seeing the many and sundry bikers of the Netherlands, I learned a few things about the Dutch bicycle itself. Most bicycles have extra features for safety and convenience which I had never encountered on a bike before.
First, every nighttime biker will be sure to have a light in front and a red tail light. If a biker is caught after dark missing one or the other, a small fine is likely.
For convenience, lots of bikes have space above the back tire for fastening packages and sometimes a saddlebag style compartment. This is very handy for groceries, extra school books, or a life-saving raincoat. For more precious cargo, Dutch moms and dads employ baby seats. These can be in front, back, or sometimes both, sandwiching the parent.
Finally, the lock, one of the most important elements of the Dutch bicycle. Sometimes more expensive than the bike itself, it is always necessary to have a good lock. No fussing with chains either; all the locks require is a turn of a key and the push of a knob.
After I had learned all I needed to know about the bike, I had my first ride. The first few yards were a little shaky, but I tried my best to appear expert. I had biked during the summer when I was younger, but that was all before the introduction of my driver’s license. It had been a while since my last bike ride. That put me a little behind my peers in maneuvering skills, but I will soon correct that by learning to bike without hands.
For the moment, I am learning to enjoy my small daily trips. It is certainly healthy exercise, as well as relaxing. In addition, my time spent pedal-pushing is the perfect opportunity to think. There is a lot going on in my life right now. I have a whole foreign exchange to experience, and while I am biking I can think over it. Actually, my experience is not too different from my bike. I hope that both will take me places I never imagined.