Bicycling Infrastructure
From Amsterdam Wiki
Colin Ip
Biochemistry
University of Washington Phuket property
Ben Johnson
Chemical Merchant Services Protection Plan Engineering
University of Washington
Nathaniel Cook
Physiology with Mathematics minor
University of Washington
Contents |
Abstract
Seattle is a bankers life and casualty company progressive city, embracing many sustainable types of transportation. However, bicycling as a means of transportation is continuing to loan modification encounter friction in Seattle. Poor bicycle infrastructure, a small (but growing) bicycle culture, and generally unsafe cycling condition deter many Seattleites from using a bicycle. Amsterdam is well known as the bicycling capitol san ramon condos of the world, and will serve as an “urban lab” to investigate what Rhino Deck successes and failures a city like Seattle can encounter with bicycle infrastructure and bicycle culture. From this a research question was formulated: What are the most important conditions that encourage bicycling to be a sustainable form of transportation in Amsterdam? This question will be answered through primary research including direct observations and interviews, as well as secondary research of relevant literature and the Internet. Lastly, the determined important conditions will be evaluated to see if top weight loss pills they can be applied Dr Susan Lim to Seattle as well.
Preliminary Research and Background
These two videos really got us thinking about Merchant Services Protection Plan how we would approach our project. They summarize biking in Amsterdam how important it is in Dutch society.
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Development of the Bicycle
To help provide a context for our study of bicycles, bicycle infrastructure, and bicycle culture in Amsterdam, we delved into the development of the bicycle. Through secondary research on the Internet and examining relevant literature, three main areas of background information were Dr. Robert Schwartz Greenville established: the early development of the bicycle, the development of the bicycle in the Netherlands, and the bicycle’s role currently in Amsterdam.
The bicycle began life as an invention known as the “Running Machine.” It was patented in 1817, and consisted of two wooden wheels of equal size, a frame, and a saddle. The rudimentary vehicle was foot driven and did not have pedals. This early rendition of the bicycle was mainly seen as a sports craze for the wealthy and well-to-do and a nuisance for the general public, as they were difficult to control.
A revision to the “Running Machine” of pedal attached to the front wheels by Pierre Michaux in 1865 solved the problem of foot propulsion and created the Velocipede. Eventually, brake blocks, a Agora Gallery steering handle, and a more comfortable saddle were added.
However, since the pedals were fixed to the front wheel, the only way to increase the speed of the bicycle while maintaining a reasonable pedaling cadence was to increase the diameter of the front wheel. This also solved problems with excessive vibration, which resulted in the design of the “Ordinary” bicycle, a high-wheeled with the front wheel strangely out of proportion with the back wheel. It was this imbalance that made the Ordinary difficult and dangerous to ride, and it developed as more of an athletic pastime for young athletic member of the upper-class. Too expensive and too difficult to learn to ride, it was impractical as means of transportation for the working class.
One competing solution to the Ordinary’s safety and cost issues included the tricycle. In many countries, it was advertised as east to ride for women and the elderly; however, with derelict roads still littering much of Europe, it was almost impossible to avoid stones and holes with the tricycle’s wide frame.
Finally, when the air tire was introduced a low-wheeled, an economical, safe bicycle design emerged, which solved the problems with vibration and speed. The working and lower classes used the “Safety” bicycle, as it was called. Unlike the Ordinary, it was inexpensive, mass produced, and safe and easy to ride. People used it for many other purposes than sport (a conveyance to social and business engagements and a method to deliver mail for example).
Early Bicycle History in Netherlands
The bicycle developed much differently in Amsterdam and the Netherlands than in other parts of the world. In the 1870’s, bicycling was still as in many parts of the world an expensive and time-consuming leisure activity. This changed rapidly in the Netherlands with the introduction of the Safety bicycle, which spurred the founding of the General Dutch Cyclists Union (ANWB) in 1883. Other than being one of the first mass organizations in the Netherlands, the ANWB played a large role in situating the bicycle in the heritage of the Netherlands. During this time, the country was experiencing a schism between church management software many of the different social groups (socialists, Catholics, Protestants) and between the working and upper classes (due to industrialization).
The ANWB used cycling as a way to unit the nation. With a heavy advertising campaign, they promoted cycling as a way to regain the traditional Dutch values of independence, self-control, and consistency, which needed to be preserved in a changing world:
"In this uncertain situation, members of the ANWB began to promote cycling not only as an answer to the perils of modernity but more specifically as a way out of the national turmoil. The ANWB claimed that cycling helped to form manly, self-controlled, balanced and self-reliant individuals and that the bicycle was the 'tool of the grown-up, manly citizen'" (Ebert 355).
Touring the nation was suggested as a way to reconnect with one’s national identity. Being outside, and experiencing the Netherlands were also important ideas:
“On the streets, in the country, cycling was not supposed to be about speeding, it was supposed to be about getting in touch with your own national landscape and heritage” (Ebert 356).
The bicycle also played a large role in the Dutch working class’ struggle. As a symbol to educate the working class to vote wisely and become reliable citizens, the ANWB proclaimed the bicycle as the “Horse of Democracy.”
Finally, the bicycle developed in the minds of the Dutch completely different from the car. As noted by the ANWB, the purpose of the car was for getting around quickly without effort, while the bicycle was for someone who wanted to achieve something So, even in its early years, the bicycle became closely associated with Dutch nation identity, national pride, and heritage.
Current Amsterdam
Laws & Signage
White, rectangular sign with bike/scooter symbol and "uitgezonderd" ("except") means that bicycles are the exception to the otherwise posted traffic rule.
"Hier geen fietsen plaatsen" - "Do not place bicycles here" (otherwise they may get confiscated)
Biking Laws are similar to the U.S. Notable differences include:
- Bike Lanes: If it has one lane, ride in the one on the right side of the road, if it has two lanes, stay in the right lane.
- Traffic Signals: These show up from time to time at intersections where bike lanes must cross automobile traffic. Obey red, yellow, and green lights as you would in a car.
- Passing and Signaling: Just as if you were driving a car on the highway, stay to the right unless you are passing another bike. Also, some bike lanes have complicated intersections, so be sure to signal if you intend to turn and keep to the side of the lane that corresponds to the direction you want to turn.
Bicycle Taxonomy
Dutch Bicycles
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Seattle Bicycles
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The bike taxonomy depicts a comparison of Dutch bikes to bikes in Seattle. There is an apparent difference between the two groups of bikes and it says something about their culture. The Oma bike is the most popular type of bicycle in the Netherlands but it doesn’t appear flashy or seem sophisticated in gears and other things. Instead it is sturdy, practical, has wider steering, and a low top tube. Amsterdam people don’t need that many gears because the terrain is relatively flat. The wider steering and low top tube helps them travel in traffic and get on and off more easily. On the other hand, Seattle bicycles are mainly mountain bikes and hybrids of mountain bikes. These bikes have many gears and may be a necessity because Seattle has many hills. Also, there are many more types of Dutch bikes such as vendor bikes, bike taxis, and wheelbarrow bikes. It shows how integrated bicycles are in Dutch society and how they think practically when riding bikes.
Terrain and Utility
From preliminary research and observations, it is clear that the Netherlands and Amsterdam have two major advantages in terms of developing bicycling as a viable mode of transportation. First, the terrain is uniquely flat, allowing cyclists to easily travel long distances without much effort. Second, Amsterdam is a dense urban environment, which makes the bicycle automatically a reasonable choice for utilitarian and practical transportation.
Miscellaneous Cultural Notes
From what I've heard from several sources (including the video by John Hatcher), tourists are not so much integrated into the bicycling culture of the city as they are tolerated by Amsterdam's native bicyclists.
Introduction
Bicycling is one of the main modes of transportation in Amsterdam, which is very unique for any city. Bicycle riders here have their own roadways, signs, traffic signals, and have the right of way in many situations. Around twenty-seven percent of trips made in Amsterdam are by bike and there are more bikes than cars. There are required bicycling etiquette classes and in order to travel through the city, a basic knowledge of bicycling rules is needed. Near central station there is a very busy multistory bike-parking garage that can hold over ten thousand bikes and plans for an even larger underground bicycling garage is in store. Bicycling is not limited to one age group or social class and everyone including men riding in suits to work, elderly with Albert Heijn shopping bags, to mothers with their children can be seen riding bikes.
Bicycles have been around since the eighteen hundreds and still plays an important role in society today. The prevalence of bicycles ranges from region to region but is culturally dominant in Dutch society. The Netherlands is adjacent to Belgium and Germany but those neighboring countries have a vending machines significantly lower bicycling population and Amsterdam is worlds apart when comparing it to American cities like Seattle. So why does Amsterdam have such a high bicycling population? Is it because of the flat terrain, the density of the city, or something hiding in the depths of Dutch culture and heritage?
Bicycling has some advantages over cars and other forms of transportation. Bicycles take up less space and therefore require narrower roads. They are relatively affordable and can be easily replaced if stolen or broken. They do not emit any greenhouse gases and are safe. The disadvantages include not being able to get to the destination as quickly, cannot carry as much, and the range in which one can travel is not as far as cars or public transit. When we conducted our research, we used these preliminary ideas to help us understand what we were looking for. In other words, we wanted to find how Amsterdam integrated the advantages and disadvantages of bicycling into their community.
Our project has gone through many transformations since we first came up with a topic and a research question. We eventually narrowed down our focus to bicycles and its relationship to the city of Amsterdam. In order to make the project feasible, we categorize this relationship into two parts, bicycling infrastructure and bicycling culture. This will help us gather and analyze data because our research field is very large.
Research Question
What are the most important conditions that encourage bicycling to be a sustainable form of transportation in Amsterdam?
Why is this topic relevant?
Amsterdam is the bicycling capitol of the world and we are investigating what makes Amsterdam unique to other cities. This is an important topic because Seattle is pushing for a more prevalent bicycling culture and by studying how Amsterdam has become so successful in developing their bicycling community, it may shed light into ways on how Seattle can achieve their goal. As a result, we have the opportunity to explore how the bicycling culture molds and shapes the city around and how the city influences the bicycling culture.
We were initially interested in this project because all three of us ride bikes around the University of Washington campus. We feel that bicycling is an easier and faster mode of transportation when you either live in the dorms or have an apartment near campus. We wondered why Seattle does not have a large bicycling population compared to cities like Amsterdam. Therefore we decided to do a project on how Amsterdam can maintain such an extensive bicycling community and infrastructure and see if it is possible to apply those conditions in Seattle.
We learned a great deal about bicycling history, infrastructure, and culture in Amsterdam. By riding bicycles around the city, we learned about the rules and ways of the bike lanes and how bicyclists interact with one another. We learned that there is more to it than just creating bicycling lanes in order to promote bicycling and that creating such an integrated bicycling community in Seattle would be very difficult.
Conceptual Framework
We divided our research into bicycling infrastructure and bicycling culture in Amsterdam. We decided to do this because it makes it easier to categorize, separate, and analyze our data. Infrastructure tends to involve more material data such as visual observations and physical experience while culture is more abstract and requires interaction with people. Since the two aspects involve different methods of research, it will be simpler to categorize our data as either infrastructure data or cultural data.
After describing how infrastructure and culture are distinct from each other, it is important to note how they are related. Bicycling infrastructure represents what the cyclists bike on and interact with such as the bicycling lanes, bicycle signals, and bicycling parking lot. These things are usually physical objects that are made to make bicycling easier and safer in the city. Even so, there has to be a reason that people opt to bike instead of driving cars or taking public transit. Even with best bicycling infrastructure where every road has bicycling lanes, ample parking spots, and very little traffic; driving cars is still faster, public transit is still easier, and walking is still cheaper. There exist another motivation to ride bikes and it lies in Dutch culture. Part of our research goal is to find the drive in Dutch people that encourage them to ride bikes. Although culture may be a source of inspiration to ride bikes, infrastructure is just as important. Without a supportive bicycling infrastructure, it would be almost impossible to ride bikes throughout the city. Therefore culture and infrastructure lie hand in hand and have positive feedback on one another. For example if the cultural motivation to ride bikes increases and thus raises the number of bikers, bicycling infrastructure responds by building more lanes and other bicycling related structures. If the bicycling infrastructure is insufficient, there will be a cultural uproar to change it.
Material (Infrastructure)
•Access to bicycles
•Separate bicycling lanes
•Bicycle traffic lights and signs
•Bicycle parking
•Bicycle integration with public transit
•Traffic Laws
Cultural
•Feelings and emotions invoked by bicycling
•Different models of bicycles and the culture surrounding each model
•How the Dutch identify with the bicycle
•Bicycle theft and its impact on cyclists
Research Methods
In order to answer our question, we decided to divide our investigation into two parts focusing on Infrastructural conditions that affect the sustainability of the biking culture in Amsterdam and Cultural conditions that affect the sustainability of the biking culture in Amsterdam. The methods we decided on for the infrastructural part of the investigation were primarily based around a Google map framework which we used to log the locations of the data we collected relating to Amsterdam's bicycling infrastructure in the form of pictures of important and unique infrastructural innovations that facilitate bicycle use by Amsterdamers, as well as data related to different bike routes that we rode around the city in order to understand the dynamics of bicycle traffic in the city. In addition, we also conducted an interview with two representatives of the Amsterdam branch of the Dutch Cyclists Union, much of which was directed at the goals, achievements, and development of Amsterdam's bicycling infrastructure.
Infrastructural Data
Google Map Collaboration (Geo-tagging)
This framework was initially conceived as a way for us to spatially organize all of the pictures we took of various elements of Amsterdam's bicycling infrastructure and the population's interaction with these elements. However, as the project evolved, it's most central function became an organizational tool for the routes that we collected primary data on through various parts of the city. The process of this route data collection was that we mapped out 10 different routes through the city using a city map that would presumably have a broad variety in their presence or absence of bicycle infrastructure (most specifically bicycling lanes). Then, one of our group members rode each of these routes, recording as he rode, the time when he commenced riding, the transit time of the route, the number of bicyclists and scooter riders that rode on the same route (and on the same side of the street/path) for at least 1 block and passed within 50m in front and 10m behind him, and the number of common traffic violations (crossing against a red light and riding the wrong way in a one-way bike lane) committed by other cyclists over the length of the route. He would also note the type of bicycling infrastructure in place on each route and its approximate composition of different types of infrastructure (percentages of route with and without bicycle lanes, etc.)
Using this data along with the route lengths provided by mapping the routes on google maps, we hoped to determine measures of relative traffic on each route and average transit speed for each route and then determine if there was any type of correlation between these figures and the compositions of bicycling infrastructure on each route. These routes were not designed to be indicative of the routes generally taken by local Amsterdamers when traveling through the city by bike, but rather were designed as a study of the effect of the presence or absence of dedicated bicycling infrastructure in improving the flow of bicycle traffic through the city.
We attempted to limit our sources of error in performing this experiment by having only one person ride all of the routes so that we would have a relatively constant baseline riding speed in each route that would only be affected by traffic conditions and not simple variability in habits between different riders. However, the data collected in this way is still limited by the fact that even a single individual rider has a somewhat variable baseline riding speed between different bicycle trips taken. This limitation manifested itself in a certain amount of error in the data, but some general trends were still able to be inferred from the data despite this small amount of error. Also, because the lengths of the routes were different, the rider may have experienced a greater degree of fatigue toward the end of the longer routes, thus slowing his average speed on longer routes relative to shorter routes. Our rider claimed that no such fatigue occurred, but it is still a possible source of error, whether he noticed any such fatigue or not.
Direct Observations, pictures, and video
As mentioned previously, the Google map framework was initially intended as a way to spatially orient all of the pictures we took of Amsterdam’s bicycling infrastructure. While this eventually took a back seat to the role of organizing the route data, we still used the Google map for this purpose. Every time we came across a new object that was designed for the express purpose of contributing to the bicycle infrastructure of the city, we would photograph it (and if possible, people using it) and post it on the Google map at the location at which it was photographed. In this way, we were able to record our observations of unique elements of Amsterdam’s bicycle infrastructure such as their extensive off-road bike lanes, parking structures, and bike traffic signals/signs, as well as how the population interacts with them.
We also recorded observations of certain interactions with the bicycle infrastructure on video as it is better at portraying interactions than are photos. These, however, were not associated with the Google maps framework, and instead were used as standalone observations of phenomena that occurred all over the city.
In our non-research-specific travels through the city over the time we were here, we made note of the habits of native bicycle riders as well, such as what laws were ignored, how cyclists interacted with one another, and the like. These contributed to our body of data as well when analyzing the information we had gathered in our time here.
Dutch Cycling Union Interview
The Dutch Cycling Union is a group that works with local municipal governments to improve conditions for cyclists in the Netherlands. We conducted an interview with Govert de With and Gerrit Faber, the only two paid employees of the Dutch Cycling Union's Amsterdam Branch, with the intent of determining the purpose and function of the many pieces of bicycle infrastructure that we had observed in our time in Amsterdam. We asked questions aimed specifically at infrastructure and government policy toward bicycling such as "what are your major projects at the moment?," "what measures are taken to prevent bicycle theft?," and "what is the primary purpose of the bicycle lanes?", but we also found ourselves asking a lot of question delved into cultural issues, such as "is disobedience of traffic laws a problem?" and "do you experience resistance to expansion of bicycle lanes?" We obtained more cultural information than we had expected from this interview, so it was informative both of Amsterdam's bicycling infrastructure and of its bicycling culture.
Cultural Data
Most of the cultural data will come from interviews with various people. For a more detailed write up of methods for gathering such data, look at the #Human Subjects section.
Besides data from interviews, cultural data consisted of direct observations, pictures, video, and a graphic representation of bicycle taxonomy. Observing how bicyclists interact with one another gave us a better understanding about Dutch bicycling culture. Also by observing how they interact with the infrastructure gave a similar sense as well. For example, do bicyclist run red lights? Do they stay on the bike lanes? Besides interviews, observing was a large source of information for cultural data. In order to record all of this, pictures and videos were taken. A bicycle taxonomy can also reveal something about bicycling culture. By studying the differences in the types of bikes in Amsterdam and in Seattle could distinguish what types of bicycles the Dutch prefer and what types of bikes the Americans prefer. This speaks to culture because bikes range from practical and affordable to expensive and advance. Looking at the types of bikes, one can infer whether they are more for recreation or a necessity. Interviews with the Dutch Cyclist Union and with regular bicyclist will be very interesting and the best source of information for cultural data. This gives us the opportunity to ask what their concerns are when biking, how they behave on a bicycle, and what drives them to bike.
Human Subjects
We interviewed people ranging from employees of the Dutch Cyclist Union to random people we met on the street. The way we approached them was different for almost every case. For the Dutch Cyclist Union, the session was more formal and we contacted them via email before hand to set up a time and date. For bicycle shop owners and employees, we stopped by and asked permission to interview them. Most of the time they were agreeable. For the less formal meetings in public, we walked up to them and asked permission to ask a few questions. In these situations, we were turned down most of the time.
Before the interviews, we asked if we could record them and all except three said no. We also asked if they would like to give us their name and told them that the only people who would learn about the interview would be students and professors of the University of Amsterdam. Those who refused to give their name are kept anonymous. All agreements were verbal and most of the subjects were welcoming.
In our videos and write up, we did not link what they said with their names without permission. The name of the bicycle shops were not given and neither the location of the Dutch Cyclist Union office. We found that the more formal interviews such as the Dutch Cyclist Union were very successful. The bicycle shop owners were not so willing to talk when they were busy with customers so we had to wait until they were free. The interview at the bike exhibit was also helpful although they kept referring us until we met the Public Relations Personnel. Interviews on the street with regular people were very difficult. Many refused and others did not know or want to answer and looked confused. It is really hard to stop cyclist who are already on their bike cycling so we targeted those that were milling around their bikes. Almost all refused to give their names.
Types of Interview Questions
What kind of bicycle do you ride?
What are the most popular types of bicycles?
Have you ever had a cycling accident?
Has your bike ever been stolen? How did you react?
How often do you get a new bike?
What is your most memorable experience tied to bicycling?
What are the most expensive/inexpensive bicycles sold in Amsterdam? (to shop owner)
Who is the cliental of this bicycle shop? (to shop owner)
Currently, what is the biggest problem facing cyclists in Amsterdam?
What improvements would you like to see for bicycles in Amsterdam?
What do you think of wearing helmets?
Results and Observations
Human Subjects
Summary of Recorded Interviews
(Click to View Video)
Here are selected video clips from interviews that we recorded. When you watch this, you will notice a general theme of concern for safety and the desire for freedom when riding bikes.
We were only able to record three interviews but almost all the interviews had the same theme of safety and freedom. We noticed this and decided to focus our research on these aspects, determine why they were so important, and find out how they were related to the city of Amsterdam.
The Dutch Cyclist Federation works for the cyclist and present the concerns of the people to the government. They talk about how almost all bicycling infrastructure is built for the safety of the bicycle rider and most complaints and advice that they receive are about unsafe conditions like speeding mopeds or about roads without any bike lanes. Not seen on the video is an interview of a mother with two children who has two extra seats on her bike for them. She is definitely afraid of traffic when riding with her children and her number one priority is safety.
The Bike exhibit representative talks about how bikes can be an extension of oneself and an expression of freedom. The two employees of the Union mention how “its really free” and gives an example and says “I can go to the left now if I want.” The bicycle shop owner says “bikes come and bikes go” which indicates that the bike itself is not important but instead the bicycling experience is. Below is a list of important quotes from various interviews. For a in depth analysis look at the #Human Subjects and Bicycling Culture section.
Interviews Conducted
Dutch Cyclists Union: Govert de With and Gerrit Faber
"more cyclist there are the safer it is"
"my parents and my grandparents never wore a helmet"
"it even gives you energy to travel"
"the bike is one of the aspects but it takes a big part of it"
"it's a kind of freedom"
Mediamatic Exhibit: Bas van den Broeke
"an extension of themselves to show who they are"
"it's fast, it's light, and also for fun"
"everybody in Amsterdam use bicycles"
Bicycle Shop Owner: Robin Fechter
"bikes come and bikes go"
"there are things more important in life than bicycles"
Short clips from this interview.
(Click to View Video)
Work Cycles Employee: Richard
A native cyclist: Kristen
Person riding a Foldable Wheelbarrow bicycle: Anonymous
Person riding a selfmade Wheelbarrow bicycle: Anonymous
Professor at University of Amsterdam: Renee Sterk
Photographs
A gallery of bicycle infrastructure around Amsterdam:
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Google Maps Data Organization Infrastructure
(Click to go to Google Map)
Analysis
Infrastructure and Material Data Analysis
As explained in the Research Methods section we had one group member ride 10 routes around the city of Amsterdam with varying amounts of bicycle specific infrastructure, specifically bike lanes, in place in order to determine if there was a relationship between the type of infrastructure present on a route and the average speed one could ride on that route. Our expectation was that on roads where there were dedicated bike lanes, one would be able to travel much more quickly by bike than on roads where there were no bike lanes whatsoever and thus bike routes comprised mostly of these bike lanes would be able to be navigated much more quickly by bikers than routes without them. However, after determining the average speed of each route in meters per second and comparing it to the infrastructural composition of each route, it turned out that there was little if any correlation between at what speed one could travel a route and the relative presence of bicycle infrastructure on that route.
However, it turned out that there was one relationship present that we had not anticipated. While riding these routes, our group member noticed that there was enough bicycle traffic on certain routes, specifically during “rush hour,” that it often seemed to impede his progress through the city. In order to determine if this truly was the case, we first determined the amount of traffic per kilometer of each route as determined by dividing the number of bicycles and motorized scooters counted on each route (according to the previously described qualifications) by the total distance (in kilometers) of the route. This gave us a normalized measure of the amount of traffic on each route. By plotting this data against the corresponding average speed traveled on each route, we came up with the plot that appears below on the left. Even despite two data points that are clearly outliers, the data shows a clear trend: as the amount of traffic on a route increases, the average speed on that route decreases linearly. If we remove the two outliers, the topmost of which was caused by a sudden rain shower that caused our rider to ride the route more quickly than he normally would have to escape the rain and the bottommost of which was the result of an odd construction detour that sent the rider through pedestrian traffic at Amsterdam Centraal Station that severely impeded his progress along the route, we are left with the plot that appears below on the left. This adjusted plot shows the same trend even more clearly.
This trend suggests two important features of Amsterdam’s bicycling infrastructure. The first is that the bicycle lanes themselves have no positive effect in allowing bicycles to travel more quickly through the city. If they have any effect at all on travel speed, it is only to allow bicycles traveling in bicycle lanes to move as quickly as if they were on a street with no car traffic. This finding is corroborated by the testimonial of the Dutch Cycling Union employees that the bicycle lanes were originally put in place as a means of increasing safety for bicycles on busy streets, not to improve their ability to travel through Amsterdam. The second feature of Amsterdam’s bicycling infrastructure suggested by this data is slightly more surprising coming from the perspective of a Seattleite. Because bicycles are so prevalent on the bike lanes and roads of Amsterdam, they generate their own traffic independent of automobile traffic significant enough to affect transit speed in the city. This means that bicycle riding, far from being an “alternative” form of transportation in Amsterdam, is in fact a paradigm of transportation on the same order as automobiles to the point where bicycles even have an independent “rush hour” on the bike lanes of the inner city parallel to but independent of the “rush hour” of automobiles on the roads.
Graphs of Route Data
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Human Subjects and Bicycling Culture Analysis
Our key interview was with the Dutch Cyclist Union. We learned a lot about the bicycling culture in Amsterdam and the current issues surrounding cyclist. Mentioned earlier was their concern for safety and this brought up the question, why does no one wear helmets if they care so much about safety? They said that they were against the obligation for wearing helmets for multiple reasons. One reason is that if people were required to wear helmets, then they would have to spend more money on helmets, which will decrease the amount of riders since one of the advantages of riding bikes was that they were affordable. By adding this element, it may make it not as attractive to ride bikes anymore. This will results in more people driving cars or more pedestrians. With more cars and pedestrians, it will raise the amount of biking accidents and thus lower the element of safety. So in the end, helmets do not protect the bicycle rider but instead indirectly creates a more dangerous environment for them. A direct quote from them simplifies this, “the more cyclist there are, the safer it is.” Another reason that the Dutch Cyclist Union used to demonstrate their desire for not wearing helmets is from a study that measured the amount of room that cars and other motorist give to cyclist who wear helmets and cyclist who do not. They found that cars gave more room to cyclist who do not wear helmets and less room to those that do, which makes helmet wearers more prone to danger. Along with this example they state that by making cyclist wear helmets, it is taking a step away from leaving the responsibility to the motorist and putting more on the cyclist. They would like to leave almost all the responsibility of safety on the motorist. Similarly in the US, drivers are always at fault when in an accident with pedestrians.
We asked another question about safety regarding scooters and motorcycles. Right away they said that they wanted all types of motorcycles, scooters, or “bikes with motors” to not be allowed on bike lanes. This is because they present a danger to casual bicycle riders. They can go much faster than bikes and take more of the lane because they are wider. They said that the current law involves two types of license plates on scooters. There is the yellow license plate and the blue license plate depending on the size of the engine. If the engine is smaller than 50cc, then it has a blue license plate and can go on bicycling lanes. If the engine is larger than 50cc, then it has a yellow license plate and cannot go on bicycling lanes. To them, it does not matter what the size of the engine and that anything with an engine defeats the purpose of the bicycling lane, lowers the safety of the casual rider, and should not be allowed on those lanes.
Safety is very important to the Dutch cyclist. Almost every interviewee mentioned a concern for safety. The Dutch Cyclist Union said that almost all the infrastructure was designed for the safety of the bicycle rider. We also interviewed a mother that had a bicycle with two extra seats for her children. She said that her number one thing on her mind when she rode her bike was safety. At the Mediamatic Bike Exhibit, there were gruesome pictures of bicycling injuries on the wall pointing out the cultural interest on safety. The bicycle shop owner describes his most memorable moment on bike as a very serious accident he had while riding a bicycle. Others comment on the how great the infrastructure is and say that they do not have to worry about cars or trams hitting them. It may seem obviously apparent why safety is important but in the Dutch mind it is more than important, it is a requirement.
We also found that the sense of freedom is very important to the Dutch cyclist. Along with safety, freedom was also mentioned in almost every interview. This aspect came in many different shapes in forms. For example, freedom can be an easier mode of transportation, opportunity to interact with the environment, affordability, self-expression, health, and environmental friendliness. Freedom is closely related to culture in that freedom is different for every person and in Dutch culture; they gain that sense of freedom from riding bikes.
This physical and emotional freedom that Dutch cyclist get when riding makes bicycling a more attractive option. This is something that is unique to Dutch society and is an important factor when considering how Dutch bicycling culture is so much more prevalent in its society when compared to other countries. Culturally, people saw biking as a type of freedom and then the need for safety came out of that.
Discussion
In our investigation of the conditions that encourage bicycling to be a sustainable form of transportation in Amsterdam, we discovered a very complex space surrounding Amsterdam's bicycling infrastructure and culture. In an attempt to describe this space, we created the concept map above, which describes the context and major factors that go into maintaining Amsterdam’s bicycling community. The outermost circle depicts Amsterdam’s terrain. The fact that Amsterdam, along with most of the rest of the Netherlands, is almost completely flat is the most important contextual factor that allowed bicycling to become popular and sensible as a means of transportation in Amsterdam. The next circle is heritage. Because bicycling has been so popular as a means of transportation in Amsterdam for such a long time, pretty much everyone does it, which both makes bicycles very cheap and obtainable and makes it so that bicycling is very easy to pick up in the first place for any native resident of Amsterdam. The final contextual circle is utility. Several factors make bicycles a very utilitarian and practical way to get around Amsterdam. These include, but are not limited to: the size of the city, which is compact enough that one can ride from one side of the city to the other on a bicycle usually in under an hour; the increasing price of gas, making bicycles a much cheaper way to navigate the city than a car; and the bicycle’s relatively small size, which permits many of them to be parked in close proximity and allows many more bicycles to use a given road or bicycle lane at any given time than cars.
These three major factors of Amsterdam’s flat terrain, its bicycling heritage, and the utility of bicycles in this city in particular, lay the ground work for the close relationship between Amsterdam’s bicycling culture and its bicycling infrastructure, which is characterized by a positive-feedback mechanism whereby an increase in one affects a commensurate increase in the other. In our research, we found that the two most important characteristics of this interaction between culture and infrastructure are safety and freedom. That is to say, bicyclists in Amsterdam associate feelings of freedom and safety with riding bicycles, and thus infrastructure is implemented in the form of bicycling lanes that improve the safety of bicycle ridership and allow bicyclists greater freedom of movement throughout the city, which in turn improves Amsterdam bicyclists’ association of bicycling with these two concepts.
Therefore, in answer to our original question, “what are the most important conditions that encourage bicycling to be a sustainable form of transportation in Amsterdam?,” we have found that while Amsterdam’s flat terrain, its bicycling heritage, and the utility of bicycles in the city are all extremely important in allowing bicycling to be so popular in Amsterdam in the first place, the close relationship between bicycle infrastructure and culture characterized by an association of bicycles in the minds of Amsterdam’s bicyclists with freedom and safety is really what allows bicycling to be a sustainable form of transportation in Amsterdam. phone number lookup
Now that we’ve mapped this space, how can we try to apply it to other cities, like Seattle? Of course, the circumstances that prompted the popularity of bicycles in Amsterdam in the first place, terrain, heritage, and utility, cannot be transplanted to any other city in the world because they are based on intrinsic properties of Amsterdam as well as its history. Similarly, it is incredibly difficult to institutionally transplant culture without a significant degree of social engineering, which, even ignoring ethical implications, is not practical or reliable in its results. Therefore, the only way we could jump start the positive feedback interaction between culture and infrastructure that defines Amsterdam’s bicycling community is by implementing infrastructure. Taking lessons from Amsterdam’s cultural-infrastructural complex, the most logical way to jumpstart this process in a city like Seattle would be to implement infrastructural elements that would improve how safe it is to ride bicycles in the city proper or how easy it is to move freely about the city on a bicycle. This would begin the association in the public mind between bicycles and safety and/or freedom at a cultural level, which would increase support for implementation of greater bicycling infrastructure, and so on, beginning the cultural-infrastructural complex in the new city and causing bicycling to play a greater role in the transportation of the populous of that city.
Were we to continue this vein of research in the future, it would most likely be incredibly beneficial to determine if this same kind of cultural-infrastructural complex exists at the national level in the Netherlands as well, and if so, how it might be transplanted to other cities around the world. If we were to implement this research, it would also be beneficial to obtain much larger data sets, specifically in the area of route-specific data. It would also be beneficial to find other, less human-error-prone methods of investigation, perhaps attaching an electric motor to the rider’s bike in order to more effectively standardize their base riding speed and the like. As for the interview process, obviously interviews with national level policy-makers would be necessary in addition to the types of individuals interviewed for our studies, but the methods used in gathering these interviews would likely be largely the same.
Reference List
Bijker, Wiebe. Of Bicycles, Bakelites, and Bulbs Toward a Theory of Sociotechnical Change. Cambridge, Massachusetts: MIT Press
Broeke, Bas van den. Personal Interview. 13 Aug. 2010.
Eber, Anne-Katrin. “Cycling towards the Nation:The Use of the Bicycle in Germany and the Netherlands, 1880-1940.” European Review of History. 2004. 77:3. 347-364.
Fechter, Robin. Personal Interview. 6 Aug. 2010.
Kristen. Personal Interview. 12 Aug. 2010.
Pucher, John and Buehler, Ralph. “Making Cycling Irresistible: Lessons from The Netherlands, Denmark and Germany.” Transport Reviews. 28:4. 495-528.
Richard. Personal Interview. 6 Aug. 2010.
Sterk, Renee. Personal Interview. 14 Aug. 2010.
With, Govert de and Faber, Gerrit . Personal Interview. 10 Aug. 2010.
