CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Commuting

Embrace the Slow

(8 posts)
  • Started 13 years ago by Wilmington's Cow
  • Latest reply from LaidBack

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  1. Wilmington's Cow
    Member

    Last week I was whingeing on Twitter about having a cold, and it making me slow on the bike. @amsterdamize ('Mark' I think, the chap behind the Amsterdamize site/homage to Copenhagenize - trusting bloke, he's offered to take me round Amsterdam whenever I finally make it over) told me to 'embrace the slowness'.

    Well today I did. Still ill, plus looking for ice, plus keeping a keen eye out to try and spot the early Waxwing arrivals, meant I 'pootled' as much as is possible for me on the commute (pootling is all relative), and what a glorious morning to slow down and take stock.

    Need to leave earlier for work when doing this, though, as I found myself wanting to pootle to the point of stationary and take it in even further.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  2. LaidBack
    Member

    he's offered to take me round Amsterdam whenever I finally make it over) told me to 'embrace the slowness'.

    Would be fun going over as a delegation... Amsterdam's floating Botel is cheap.

    Ferry from Newcastle and a nice 2hr cycle into town from Ijmuiden. Or you can take Connex's Fast Ferry (although Ligfietsen, tandems & bakfiets are banned). This fast ferry hydrofoil has managed to hit a few things on the Ij - including a police launch! - so maybe safer cycling.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  3. recombodna
    Member

    Having a bike in Amsterdam is the only way to go.I have a lovely single speed gents bike with a coaster brake that I keep there........ god i love riding that bike ;-)

    Posted 13 years ago #

  4. ruggtomcat
    Member

    great idea!

    Posted 13 years ago #

  5. LaidBack
    Member

    recombodna Having a bike in Amsterdam is the only way to go.I have a lovely single speed gents bike with a coaster brake that I keep there

    So was my Snapshot of the Netherlands anything like it really is in your view?

    Posted 13 years ago #

  6. Stepdoh
    Member

    So do you live with one foot in both camps recombodna?

    Posted 13 years ago #

  7. recombodna
    Member

    Nice piece. Looks like you had a ball. Dutch traffic jams ARE terrible as is trying to drive anywhere in Amsterdam. If I have the van there I stick it in the P + R and pull my bike off the back. I have seen quite a few couriers that use recumbant bikes with boxes on the back (kind of like a bike/van). As for the wee brommers using the fietspad I find them pretty annoying. Did you happen to see any of the wee two seater cars that are also allowed to use the paths? Strange things. I love cycling in the Netherlands and if you have a bike it really opens up the city especially at night when the public transport shuts down and you can ride the whisky course home. The best thing is that everyone has bikes and not many people have fancy ones. You can quite easily get away with one gear and one brake.

    @stepdoh Sort of My wife is dutch and we visit family and have the use of an apartment there for the last 16years. after hiring bikes we decided to buy some a few years back. Best thing we ever did.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  8. LaidBack
    Member

    Looks like you had a ball. Dutch traffic jams ARE terrible as is trying to drive anywhere in Amsterdam.

    Thanks... would have gone in City Cycling mag but we've run out of issues(!). Car ownership is higher in Amsterdam than here (Edinburgh) I think.

    I had cycled a bit before in Amsterdam but wanted to head up into Netherlands from Zeebugge while the Rosyth ferry was still on. Around 100 miles. I got a real cross section of rural and city riding.
    Yes - I saw (and tried to tail) a few of the micro cars and mini 3 wheel trucks on the fietspads. Noticed them on the ferry to NDSM Pier in Amsterdam too.
    I confirmed directions a few times ringing bell and then sliding alongside Dutch Omafiets riders. Talk about not conforming ... helmet, SPDs and odd bike! The Dutch were all very helpful despite me mangling names like Ijmuiden (i-mudda) I rode far too fast but seemed to still take longer than I would have hoped. Once it was dark I had to stop and check out the red Fietspad signs. Nordzee LF1b Route wasn't as obvious as I would have hoped but you do get used to pattern after a day. Dutch don't repeat wayside markers as some other places but you will always come to a sign at some point.

    The Delta works and dunes north of Den Haag were my favourite - followed by cycling across Amsterdam and back one evening from Sloten across to Nassaukade.

    Posted 13 years ago #

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