Blog

I have to dedicate a post to the many bicycles here is Goes.  They are everywhere in the Netherlands, but this is the area I am most familiar with.  Bikes are just as prevalent as cars, if not more so. Some people even ride them from town to town as a means of getting to work or to appointments.  The bike paths don’t stay in the towns.  They stretch to the country side.  You can feel like you are riding in a car in the middle of no where, and guess what, there are people on bikes also in the middle of no where.  Because, you guessed it, there are bike paths out there too.

And whether in town or out in the country, the bike riders aren’t necessarily out professional helmet wearing sport enthusiasts.  They are dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, no helmet, on a granny bike, just running an errand or on their way to somewhere intentional.  They actually use their hand signals to tell people behind them which way they are turning.  It is a lifestyle, one that this society understands and people like me have to figure out.  Sometimes the hard way.  

When walking down the narrow streets, I have learned not to make move without looking on all sides of me.  I look around the corner of the building before actually turning.  I look over my shoulder before crossing the street, even though I know cars aren’t coming.  Because the bikers are everywhere.  They don’t necessarily move cautiously because they know they can take out a pedestrian.  Sometimes if I am not aware they are behind me, they ring their loud bells (they honk at me) and I jump a mile.  And do they smirk or smile at my jumpy disposition?  Nope.  They speed past as soon as I am out of the way.  

It is amazing what people will carry on bikes.  They hold umbrellas over their heads if it is raining, while riding.  Because they usually have baskets on the front and backs of their bikes, it isn’t usual to see just about anything sticking out of the baskets – plants, french bread, dogs, tools, building supplies, you name it.  It is very clear that bikes are their way getting around, and they take whatever they can with them.  

Of course the young families need to take kids with them.  They have toddler seats on the bikes like we do in the U.S.  Sometimes two toddler seats on one bike.  But they also have bikes with huge boxes on the front to carry their kids, dogs, or whatever they need to haul.  These front boxes remind me of either the vegetable or bakery cart in the Pella Tulip Time parade.  This is just a modern version of it.  

And then there are the restaurant delivery guys on bikes.  These guys know no boundaries.  They pedal at high speeds and will seemingly take out anyone in their way.  I am shocked there aren’t more collisions right there in the public eye.  I haven’t seen one yet anyway.  Most people on a bike are really good at navigating around the walkers and shoppers.  

The restaurant called “Geeta’s” parks their bikes right outside their doors.  The Dominos people park their bikes across the street.  I can’t help but think how brave they are to keep their bikes at such a distance.  But really, who would want a Domino’s bike?

  Because bikes are plentiful and are parked anywhere and everywhere, it doesn’t seem like anyone would need to steal them. One might assume that everyone has a bike of his or her own.  But when I asked a local person if bike theft is an issue, she assured me it was.  She gave me strict instructions to lock up my bike if I ever get one.  People love to steal bikes, especially if the bike is new and expensive.  

I do hope to get a bike soon. I don’t mind walking everywhere as I get my 10,000 steps in pretty quickly in a day.  But my days are starting to fill a little more, and I could use the 20 minutes it takes to walk to some places for other activities.  I plan to get an old reliable, the bike that doesn’t look so great but will get me across town without question.  It will be cheaper to purchase and less likely to get snatched.  But I will still lock it up. 🙂