"No Mercy!"

My thirteen-year-old nephew accompanied us to Holland on this trip. After having been in the Old Country a couple of days, I asked M, So far, what has impressed you most about Amsterdam? Without a blink, he replied, The action on the streets – there’s no mercy!

When we visit over there, we stay smack-dab in the center of Amsterdam. H’s brother and family live in a 17th-century canal house that faces one of the busiest canals in the area. Our nearby hotel is made up of ten of these canal-side houses and faces another major canal. When you step out of the front door of either, you are immediately immersed into the life of the city.

To get around one walks, rides a bike, or takes a tram. Motor scooters are becoming more popular. And cars? Well, some Amsterdammers do own cars, but they are used very sparingly. Roads are quite narrow and usually one-way. Parking is extremely limited and residents pay a steep fee for the privilege of searching endlessly for a parking spot within a particular radius of their homes. It’s not uncommon to have to park blocks away from your front door. Traveling on foot or by bike is the way to go. As far as shopping goes, the general rule of thumb is that you only buy what you can carry.

There is an understood hierarchy within the modes of mobility, but it can take a little getting used to if you’re new. Here are some helpful hints. Even if you can’t remember these at first glance, you’ll pick up on them quickly:

1. On streets and the many, many bike paths, bicycles have the right-of-way over pedestrians. As a pedestrian, you have to look in every directions before you step off a curb, and if you hear the “brriing, brriing” of a bike bell nearby, move over or step back immediately. (As M would say: No mercy!)
   
   
2. Bikes still have an edge over cars (even though cars are bigger) – both battle it out, but bikes usually win. I don’t think I’ve ever heard a car honking at a bike. Motor scooters are a bit of a nuisance. They seem to yield to bikers when necessary, but not to pedestrians. Their buzz is an ever-present background noise.
   


3. Trams are obvious – no matter how you’re traveling, don’t mess with them (they ALWAYS rule). If you’re going by bike, keep your tires out of the tram tracks or you’ll topple within seconds.

Remember: As you proceed to your destination, keep your eyes and ears on alert. Let anything bigger than you (including horses) go first. As H likes to say: Walking the streets of Amsterdam is like playing a video game. You’ve got to avoid the invaders who are coming at you from all directions.