Dutch tv recently aired a fascinating documentary on the «smart city» phenomenon. Companies like Google are teaming up with local governments to further expand their already huge datasets on human behaviour, raising the spectre of total control and absence of privacy (someone used the word panoptical). »»
Cyclists’ organisation Fietsersbond has a website where you can report dangerous bollards, traffic lights that take ages to turn green, a shortage of bicycle racks, etcetera. A group of volunteers frequently check the status quo. For the good news click here: across the entire city, there are locations where the situation for cyclists appears to have improved. »»
The new OEK (the members’ magazine of the Amsterdam chapter of cyclists’ organisation Fietsersbond) features another cool investigation by Pete Jordan. This time, he looked into the plastic supermarket bags Amsterdammers use to keep their bicycle saddles dry. He counted them around the railway stations Sloterdijk, CS and Muiderpoort. »»
Minister Schultz wants to allow Amsterdam to ban scooters from cycle paths and make them use the road, wearing a helmet. This should make cycle paths safer for cyclists and reduce their exposure to air pollution. However, car and scooter lobbyists argue that the speed difference between scooters and cars is too large for scooters to ride safely on the road, with motorists driving 50 kmph. »»
Some crossings make you wonder: isn’t it weird that cyclists don’t have priority here. This occurs in Amsterdam, but more often in the country. There are different variants, but often there’s a bend in the cycle path just before a crossing. The cycle path is no longer part of the main road and cyclists are confronted with give way road markings. You have to give way to everybody: motorists coming from behind who turn right, oncoming traffic turning left and traffic from the right. »»
