Amsterdam and Culture

As an amateur cultural anthropologist, I am curious about cultural practices and what led to those through history. Spending a few days in Amsterdam, I enjoyed the culture, the pride, and mostly social environment. Admittedly there are a few things that I am not completely sure about and a few practices that on the surface seem problematic but somehow work in this marvelous city. One thing to remember is that what may work in one place, may not necessarily work in another.

Most familiar with American culture and especially Texas, I am also familiar with British culture and particularly London. Lifestyle differences between Texas, London, and Amsterdam are striking and imposing one culture on another would likely be a dismal failure. In Texas we drive. We drive everywhere and walk very little. Not that we don't walk at all, for you can find people walking around neighborhoods or walking in malls or walking from the parking space to the store, but, in general, we drive and we drive big vehicles with many exceptions of course. Danger occurs on highways and occasionally in the city from poor driving. In London, the public transportation system is advanced with buses and tubes going all through the city. But you will not escape walking in London. Large footpaths designed for walking. Danger points are mainly intersections where buses, motorcycles, and taxis move quickly without regard for the masses of people waiting to get across. Londoners move quickly across streets while tourists, wisely, wait for the green light (figure of a person) before crossing.

In Amsterdam, the people ride bicycles. Some walking and quite a few motorcycles also adorn the paths but most transport is with a bicycle. There are trams and buses but not everywhere and only used if you don't have a bicycle. There are some cars, mostly small, but they are careful around bicycles and walkers. There are very few accidents in Amsterdam. There are not many accidents in London although the potential is always there. One only hears 6 or 7 sirens per day in London!

The bike riding in Amsterdam contributes to a quiet environment without many cars and very few sirens ever. The culture provides riding paths and roads that tend to give way to bicycles when needed. My time in Amsterdam was rewarding and makes me long for a different approach to our lives and our culture where we could safely ride bikes. Doing so would promote exercise, outdoor activities, a quieter environment, and, mostly, safety from road accidents.