This pedestrian crossing is on a hill. I’ve noticed that everyone who uses it does the same thing. Car coming? We step into the road so the driver must stop. Bike coming? We step back from the kerb, showing the cyclist that we’ll wait until they’ve passed. Like an instinctive social contract. Cars block public space, bikes share it. Cyclists are either whizzing down or puffing up that hill so it’s a tiny courtesy to let them pass. Often with a mutual smile or wave. Urban in-this-togetherness.
@CiaraNi there's a pelican crossing on the hill near my flat - I always wait for cyclists to pass before pressing the button! :)
@patrickhadfield @CiaraNi as someone who lives in the Netherlands, I'm confused by these hills you speak of. As a cyclist who lives in Amsterdam, I'm really confused by this idea of cyclists stopping for red lights... :p
@CiaraNi @patrickhadfield Amsterdam has a very specific cycle culture. When I had newly moved here. I stopped for a red light, 5 cyclists crashed into the back of me...
@quixoticgeek @CiaraNi @patrickhadfield
That's really weird. I live in #utrecht and I would say 90% of cyclists stop for red lights except in exceptional situations. I have developed the habit of always waiting for the light, because as a foreigner I am not skilled enough at anticipating what could go wrong to safely decide when to run the light. I've never been rear-ended by another cyclist.
@abhayakara @quixoticgeek @patrickhadfield I have been learning from this thread that Amsterdam seems to have its own Big City ways when it comes to obeying, or not, bike rules :-)
@CiaraNi @quixoticgeek @patrickhadfield
I have yet to attempt to cycle there. :)
@CiaraNi @quixoticgeek @patrickhadfield
I do want to bike up the Vecht at some point, and that will necessarily involve a trip to Centraal so I don't have to bike back, but haven't found the time yet on an appropriately cloudy day. :)
@abhayakara @CiaraNi @patrickhadfield and a day with a southerly wind...
Ciara
Patrick Hadfield
Quixoticgeek
Ted Lemon