Biking in Amsterdam vs. Copenhagen

After a stressful travel day and the biggest summer storm in Amsterdam history, I wasn't liking Amsterdam too much and I didn't "get" the cycling and infrastructure here compared to how naturally it came to some other people. But, the other day it finally clicked and I had a great day exploring with purpose and understanding things here, so now I feel like I can reflect and compare Amsterdam to Copenhagen.

But first, Clog Bakfiets!

Before I go into the comparison of the systems, I just wanted to show off that I got to ride a clog bakfiets!!

Me riding with Emma (top) and Sydney (bottom) on the clog bakfiets

Observations about the Dutch System

Alexanderplein, an intersection with no traffic lights or stop signs

My first observations about the Dutch system were about the flow of everything. One of our assignments was to obstruct traffic and in doing this I realized that people on bikes and on foot will just flow around you even if you step out in front of them. This is made possible by the low speed of travel and is pretty cool because nobody will get hurt if someone makes a mistake, so it makes the system welcoming to beginners. It also makes it so that they don't necessarily need stop signs or traffic lights at every intersection here because people can yield when needed and flow around each other.

A red painted cycle track

I also thought it was hard to read and get used to the system at first because you're not sure of where you're allowed or supposed to be, but once you figure out that you can be anywhere with red paint, it helps you feel a lot more comfortable. There are also many other people on bikes you can follow to  make sure you're doing the right thing, and as I mentioned above, if you make a mistake people will just flow around you.      

Cobblestones on a bike street

Another thing I noticed is the presence of cobblestones on cycle tracks in much of the city. Some places are smoother than others but I was surprised at how bumpy some of the cycle tracks were. My only guess on why this might be is because many of the bumpy areas were in the city center where there are many pedestrians, so it is to keep cyclists slow enough so that they can stop to let pedestrians cross the street.

A speed bump

Lastly, the thing I notice the most here is the usage of infrastructure to drive behavior. Instead of signage or lights, infrastructure is used to be sure that people follow the rules. For example, on our biking tour, we were told that whichever road has a speed bump coming into an unmarked (no stop signs, yield triangles, or lights) intersection is the road where people are supposed to yield to others, but if you didn't know that rule, you would still be fine because the bump would slow you down enough to yield, which would not have happened if there was just a sign telling you to yield. 

Comparisons between the systems in Amsterdam and Copenhagen

Woman stopped in the middle of a cycle street talking to us; people just went around her

The main difference between the systems is how strict the "rules" are. Copenhagen has rules about how to make a left turn, hand signals you have to use to stop, etc., but Amsterdam has more of a flow where people use body language to communicate what they're doing and their judgement to determine if it's okay to turn left when they want. You can still follow rules in Amsterdam if you want, and use hand signals to signal stopping, but people won't get mad if you don't.

An intersection with no lights or stop signs

There are also a lot more lights and stops in Copenhagen than in Amsterdam, even in the cycle superhighways. Here, you are kept from going on autopilot as you ride because you have to think through intersections, so you will never find yourself forgetting how you got somewhere or if the light was green, like people do when they drive.

Intersection with no foot rests

One big difference between Amsterdam and Copenhagen is that Amsterdam has none of the little things that make biking a bit easier in Copenhagen, like foot rests, trash cans, and the yellow light before it turns green. While the system is generally better here in Amsterdam, I definitely notice the absence of those add-ons and I think Amsterdam would benefit from including them in their infrastructure, at least at the intersections where people will be waiting and could use them.

Cultural Differences

Someone sitting on the back of someone else's bike

Both places have a bike culture, but the bike culture in Amsterdam is a bit more developed and people here seem to trust cars more. The other main difference is that in Copenhagen the infrastructure use is very rule-oriented, and in Amsterdam it's chaos that flows. I think this probably has to do with how people are raised differently in the two cities, because the Amsterdam system might not make sense to people from Copenhagen and vice versa. This is important to remember in planning, that just because something is intuitive for you, doesn't mean it will work for everyone, and that's why community input is so important.

Convenience and Safety

I feel safer in Copenhagen because there is more separation and less shared roads which feel unsafe to me. Part of me knows that I shouldn't feel unsafe on them because the people driving there probably ride bikes too and will treat me like a human, but I am used to cars being aggressive at home, so it's still a bit scary. 

A car-free street

In terms of convenience, I think Amsterdam is better because the bike network connects you directly to destinations rather than just following the roads. It's also easier to stop and get off of the cycle tracks because there isn't a huge grade difference and you know people won't be angry.

My Preference

A graphic printed on a shared road that says "cars are guests"

Overall, I think I like Amsterdam better but I can understand why the Copenhagen system might make more sense to some people. Amsterdam is more chaotic and a bit overwhelming when you begin, but once you get the hang of it, you can appreciate how beautiful the flow is and have fun participating in it. Amsterdam does protection better with a lot more space between the cycle tracks and they do shared space better by making sure cars know that they are guests on the road, but Copenhagen is better with rule following and order. I think which system you like depends on your preference, but as someone who really appreciates rules and specific directions, I'm surprised that I love Amsterdam so much. 

Things to Transfer Back Home

A street designed so that it's one way for cars and two ways for bikes

The most important thing that I think would be really valuable back in the US is the design of infrastructure to drive behavior. I think a lot of Americans don't really obey signs, and it's hard to do so when the roads aren't designed in alignment with the signs; for example a really wide road that encourages speeding with a low speed limit that contradicts the design. The traffic calming and infrastructure design here that forces people to follow the rules is really interesting and allows for there to be intersections with no lights or stop signs. It is also legible for everyone; no matter what language they speak or how well they can read, the infrastructure will force them to slow down or yield without having to read and obey a sign.

An example of a ramp in Amsterdam

I also like the elevated lanes with a clear cut curb as protection and I think that would be very beneficial in America because it gives the cyclist a sense of protection  and it prevents the driver from easily driving onto the lane, which would allow people to ride more because they feel more safe. As long as there are ramps where people need them, whether asphalt or the more developed ramps here, the elevation is a good way to protect cyclists.

Someone riding in a shared "cars are guests" area between cars and bikes

All in all, I think the clear cut design of Copenhagen would be best to take back to America because it is easily readable for newcomers and we haven't developed a cycling culture as much as any of these cities have. In America, we wouldn't be able to simply put "cars are guests" on the road to have drivers be more respectful because we already have a culture of aggressive driving and car dominance. However, if we added Copenhagen-like infrastructure, I think it would make a lot more people feel safer cycling in the US. 

Random Thoughts

At this point in the study abroad it's hitting me hard how grateful I am to be here and to be surrounded by people that know what I'm talking about when I talk about bike infrastructure or planning because I don't have anyone like that back home. I'm very happy that I'm getting to participate in this wonderful experience with all of the other students and I'm having a lot of fun in Amsterdam. It's super cool to see that the "magic" of Dutch cycling is very real after only watching videos of it and reading about it for so long.