Uncertainty around scooter ban in Amsterdam
Bad news for the people who were hopeful that scooters will be banned from the cycle lanes in Amsterdam. It’s still unclear whether this will be going ahead at all. There were talks about introducing this ban in early 2019, however with mere weeks to go until we’re into 2019, it’s just not possible it seems.
DutchReview wrote this back in 2017, when many people were hopeful that mopeds will be moved to the roads and off the cycle paths. We then wrote this back in June of this year, where finally the ball was rolling and it was looking like the ban was going to take place at the start of 2019. Yet again, it looks like there is going to be a delay. Nothing has been said and so far no one has any idea what’s going on or if it really will happen at all (considering nothing has even been seriously put into place yet).
If we let our fellow doggo drive, this certainly would make it worse…
The moped issue
Amsterdam is hugely populated, mainly because so many tourists flock to the city. Bicycles and mopeds just don’t mix in this kind of situation, as mopeds travel much faster and accidents happen. Personally, I’d like to see this ruled out in every major city as not only have I seen this happen, but it’s almost happened to me on numerous occasions. Mopeds try and overtake the person in front, regardless of where the incoming person is, so it causes one or both of the cyclists to be knocked off as there isn’t enough room.
So what are the problems keeping back the moped-ban-from-cycle-lanes dream in Amsterdam?
One of the ideas put forward is that mopeds should only cycle in certain zones in certain lanes. There has been heavy criticism about the proposed idea of just allowing mopeds to go on certain lanes in certain places outside of the center. People do not wear helmets anyway, if they are restricted to certain zones, then it doesn’t completely eradicate the issue as the issue is within the center of the city. So that’s a policy problem.
4,500 people responded to these plans and allegedly Amsterdam’s municipality will come up with a final decision later on this month, in answer to all of the submissions. Whether that happens or when it happens is yet to be seen. But 4,500 people is a lot to respond to and the city of Amsterdam is clearly having troubles with all of it.
What do you think about this? Let us know in the comments!
So other bikes overtaking bikers who are on their phone is not dangerous? It’s less dangerous to mix scooters with heavy truck, buses and taxi’s than with bikes? I don’t think so… Just because RDW and police are not strict enough to enforce 25km/h rule and bikers hate when scooters make loose their focus from the message they where typing…
Most mopeds cause issues. Lack of patience and respect is practiced towards fellow cyclists. Its always a pity there is the majority who spoils it for the minority. But safety first and wave goodbye to the mopeds on cycle lanes.
Mopeds are a menace; young drivers, no crash helmet, headphones on, stoned, Instagramming their way around – roads, pavements, wrong way down one way streets, always wanting to ‘squeeze’ thru, regardless of how little room or who’s doing what. Beeep! I’m coming thru. Horrible and dangerous, they should be on the roads and have their accidents there.
actually cyclists more often behave like stoned unless they wear sporty equip 😀
mb they would feel easier on the road if won’t be so cocky and not installing mirrors
the most often dangerous situation which happens between moped drivers and cyclists — is what moped driver is coming from the back of cyclist, which have no clue from there it coming (because don’t know traffic law and from which side vehicles are overtaking each other) and was generally busy commenting on twitch, and so cyclist starting to jump into all directions chaotically trying to escape from sound (still even without turning head around to look)
^^ seeing such story almost every week performed by different actors
just to add up to my comment above:
i think currently proposed solution not really contributing so much to solving the problems (especially keeping in mind what bicycle lanes often intersect with normal roads)
from my point of view two good solutions could be either removing totally blue license plate vehicles and paying their owners compensation based on vehicle insurance cost, so they could buy yellow plate vehicle of the same worthness
or obligating all the traffic participants (including bicycles, electro-wheelchairs, mopeds) to have at least one mirror at the left side, and all roller-riders and runners who are for some accident using bicycle lane for their activity — to wear light-reflecting stickers (but they are usually smart enough to do so without any obligation)
however after there is one serious problem — electro bicycles, they are the same fast as mopeds (or even faster if the person is cycling hard with their legs) and at the same time it produces no sound at all when moving, it’s a really big danger for pedestrians where walking road is intersecting bicycle lane.
and i really have no clue how the latter could be addressed — mb installing some “beepers” on electrobicycles, so they always will produce kinda “microwave is done” sound when their electroengine is active