As you may already know, biking is a pretty big deal in the Netherlands. Every Dutchie has a bike (or maybe even two!) and uses it religiously. Most Dutch kids learn how to ride a bike at the age of three or four. They even complete a traffic exam (verkeersexamen) which consists of both theoretical and practical components that assess their biking knowledge. Most Dutchies don’t have to think twice before hopping on their bike and cycling somewhere. Well, what if you’re an international like me who didn’t learn how to ride a bike at such a young age, or has never taken a verkeersexamen? Here’s a look at the five stages of my biking experience in the Netherlands:
Stage 1: Denial
Also known as the, “I don’t need a bike! I can just take the bus everywhere” stage. I was stuck in this stage for quite a while. My first year in the Netherlands, I did not even consider buying a bike. I relied solely on buses and trains, which did not always prove to be the most reliable modes of transport. They would arrive late or better yet, never arrive at all! All it took for trains to be canceled was one leaf on the tracks (okay, I may be exaggerating a little here, but you get the point!). Apart from delays and cancellations, public transport was (and still is) really expensive. And no, unfortunately, I do not qualify for Student Travel Discount. Even with an NS discount, my monthly transport costs would add up to a hefty amount. My bank account was NOT happy. I needed a solution. I needed a bike.
Stage 2: (Reluctant) Acceptance
It was love at first sight... not quite. My bike, “Freckles” is not the prettiest fish in the sea. She’s your typical, reliable, sturdy, handy, but ugly bike. She doesn’t have a glossy finish, fancy lights or gear controls. Instead, she has two equally bad bike bells and random orange blobs of paint scattered on her frame, hence the name, Freckles. But she gets the job done, and that’s what counts. She’s the type of bike no one would even attempt to steal; and that’s good news for me, because bike theft is quite common in the Netherlands. In fact, approximately 500,000 bikes are stolen each year. In Amsterdam alone, 77 bikes are stolen daily. Freckles does not only not look very appealing, but she doesn’t sound very appealing either. Recently, she’s been making a weird squeaking noise as I pedal; which is something I should probably get checked out! Despite her obvious flaws, she made me fall in love with biking... at least, for a couple of days.
Stage 3: Attachment
It was not so much Freckles that I was attached to, but the feeling I got while I was biking. I felt free and accomplished. I had always dreamed of biking side by side with my friends, chatting on the way to the supermarket or the cinema. Finally, it was happening. My dreams were becoming a reality. I know that this may sound a bit dramatic, but for me, biking was a huge deal. I had finally conquered my fear, and I felt really proud of myself. I couldn’t wait to bike everywhere, rather than take the bus or the train. I started to look at the travel distance between places via the bike icon on Google maps, rather than the bus icon. I could cycle to Lipsius in just 10 minutes and Leiden Centraal was just 9 minutes away. Everything just seemed much nearer, and life felt easier. Then one day, that all changed...
Stage 4: Anxiety
I decided to bike to university alone for the first time ever. I was nervous, but also knew that if I didn’t do it now, I would find it more difficult to do later. Biking to the grocery store and back, and to other places with my friends had built up my confidence. I was now ready to face the scary crossing at Korevarstraat and the sharp turn onto Witte Singel. So, I put one foot in front of the other, and pedaled all the way to Lipsius. After almost crashing twice, I made it there in one piece. I wasn’t able to concentrate in class because all I could think about was the bike ride back home, and how anxious I felt to possibly crash again. Once my class was over, I picked up my bike from outside the UB, and walked with it back home.
Stage 5: (Radical) Acceptance
It took me a couple of days to recover from my experience and to hop back on the bike, but that was okay. I knew that I would get the hang of biking eventually, but it would take some time and patience. There was no need to force or rush anything. I accepted that I would have good experiences and bad experiences, but I shouldn’t let the bad experiences keep me from trying. The most important thing I could do was to trust myself (and my bike; once I got it fixed of course!).
If you’re an international student just like me, don’t worry, we’ll get there together. I know how daunting it is, but honestly, it comforts me knowing that everyone else here is a pro biker, so when I mess up on the road, they’re more than well-equipped to bike around me. Like everything else, this also takes time, trust and perseverance. I know it’s cliché, but if I can do it, so can you. No, really, so can you. :)
On the picture below you can see Vuslats bike: Freckles.
