Hell hath no fury like a Dutchie atop a bicycle. Ever seen one zigzag, helmetless, through speeding traffic, do a flip in the air and balance two shopping bags on their shoulders, all while crafting a typo-free email on their phone?
Like us, your mouth was probably agape in horror and awe. Yup, that’s Dutch biking for you!
What is it?
Whether it’s to get somewhere on time or overtake the slowpoke (read: international) biking in front of them, the Dutch seem to love performing BMX stunts — even during their commute to work. 🚴
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How they manage to do these tricks and come out completely unscathed is a mystery to us. The only possible explanation? They possess superhuman abilities when it comes to biking. 💪
Why do they do it?
Is it to show off? Probably not. If anything, it’s as though they don’t even notice they’re doing it — biking recklessly is regular biking to them.
They might even raise their eyebrows at you in confusion, wondering why you’re wearing a helmet and carefully staying within the parameters of the bike lane.
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We’re convinced many of them could bike long before they learned how to walk or even popped out of the womb with tiny training wheels attached. 👶
Why is it quirky?
Go to any other country, and the infrastructure probably won’t lend itself to over-venturesome biking. 😬
You would emerge from the risky bike escapades with at least a broken limb or two, as well as a sense of permanent social embarrassment.
But in the Netherlands, the rules of biking — and the laws of gravity — just work differently.
Should you join in?
If you immediately hop to it and join in on the overzealous biking, there’s no guarantee you’ll be able to keep up with (and remain as unhurt as) the undefeatable Dutch.
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But, perhaps after a few tentative trials in an abandoned parking lot, you’ll be able to whizz around with as much finesse as any Dutch adult 😎— or, realistically, maybe a Dutch toddler.
What do you think of this Dutch quirk? Have you experienced it? Tell us in the comments below!