What I Saw in Amsterdam
My trip to Amsterdam was, in many ways, both a vindicating and infuriating experience. It suffers from some of the same problems we have in our cities. But it also doesn’t suffer at all from some of the problems we are besieged by.
For years, I have complained that we don’t build better mass transit. And for years I have been told by friends and acquaintances that a mature adult must have a car, and he must designate a good portion of his disposable income and incur debt for this machine and its fuel.
There are 16,000,000 Dutch. And there are 16,000,000 bikes. I can’t help but suspect that Critical Mass was started in part by those who had been to Amsterdam. While certainly not every chapter or participant is riding for the same reason, or even any reason at all, I believe for many, this is a protest of sorts against the preference for and assumed supremacy of the automobile.
The wait for the tram during the day is nominal. The wait even in the middle of the night is not so bad. And Amsterdam is hardly a massive city,
I hope one day we will change our stupid ways, though I have my doubts. But people can only claim that they don’t want to do so. I know now – first hand – that it absolutely can be done.
And it is a beautiful thing.
5 comments
You’re absolutely right. I’ve been complaining about this for years. At least in New York, you have halfway decent mass transit. Up here in Boston, we have the oldest public transportation system in the country - and it shows. One of the reasons I want to move to New York is so that I can give up my car. Here, unless you’re living downtown, you have to have a car to have any real mobility.
But you’re right, DK - it won’t change. We let urban sprawl get the better of us, and now we’re too fat and lazy to do anything about it. And, of course, we’re short of cash, having allowed this simpleton in the White House to mortgage our future to the tune of billions of dollars.
cipher,
We’re too fat, lazy and poor even without cars.
Yea, public transportation is really a great thing.
Yep, it is a beautiful thing.
But, as long as Americans are taught as children to want more stuff and consume more objects in ever growing houses in constantly spreading suburbs, we will continue to depend on the car.
I just relocated from the inner part of an outer borough to a midwestern suburb and while looking for an apartment, I was told about the ample free parking, covered garage spots available and even on-site car wash. The rental agent stared at me blindly when I asked if there were bike racks.
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