3 ms·

Yes exactly. Schools are everywhere. Primary schools in particular, and for secondary the kids will know how to ride a bike

jacquesm 5y ago
Even for primary school age kids cycling is pretty normal. Mine have been doing it since they were about 6, and before then the bakfiets. When the weather is really evil we'll break out the carkey, but that only happens a couple of times per year, and since it isn't possible to reach all the way to the school that still isn't a real solution. But it saves them from being soaked and that's worth it. But 97% of the days it's bikes.
- GekkePrutser 5y ago
  I know, when I was young we didn't even have a car so bike was the way to go (or bus but bleh) But I lived in a quiet area, I could imagine kids in central Amsterdam wouldn't be trusted to cycle to school at that age. Though there schools are everywhere too.
  - jacquesm 5y ago
    I cycled Jan Haringstraat to Frederiks plein where my school was at age 10, and at 11 we had moved to North but the school stayed the same so that was the ferry every morning (from the far end of Nieuwendammerdijk). It was quite doable. One vivid memory from those days: the fire in Hotel Polen, all the ambulances and firetrucks and having to detour because of that, huge column of smoke and then later reading about it in the newspaper. Pretty heavy day. I think I had just turned 12, that was one of the last trips through the center to go to school.
- erwincoumans 5y ago
  That's much nicer than having to drive the kids to school by car. We don't dare to let our kids cycle to school, even in Foster City, since the traffic/cars are not prepared for cyclists.
  - jacquesm 5y ago
    That sucks. The boys here are now fine to return by themselves but on most days we still take them there in the morning because of traffic density, there are three critical points, a roundabout and two major crossings. But in the afternoon when they return it is so quiet they can easily do it by themselves. I spent a ton of time getting them to be safe and predictable in traffic, and that certainly paid off.

jacquesm 5y ago

Even for primary school age kids cycling is pretty normal. Mine have been doing it since they were about 6, and before then the bakfiets. When the weather is really evil we'll break out the carkey, but that only happens a couple of times per year, and since it isn't possible to reach all the way to the school that still isn't a real solution. But it saves them from being soaked and that's worth it. But 97% of the days it's bikes.

GekkePrutser 5y ago
I know, when I was young we didn't even have a car so bike was the way to go (or bus but bleh) But I lived in a quiet area, I could imagine kids in central Amsterdam wouldn't be trusted to cycle to school at that age. Though there schools are everywhere too.
- jacquesm 5y ago
  I cycled Jan Haringstraat to Frederiks plein where my school was at age 10, and at 11 we had moved to North but the school stayed the same so that was the ferry every morning (from the far end of Nieuwendammerdijk). It was quite doable. One vivid memory from those days: the fire in Hotel Polen, all the ambulances and firetrucks and having to detour because of that, huge column of smoke and then later reading about it in the newspaper. Pretty heavy day. I think I had just turned 12, that was one of the last trips through the center to go to school.
erwincoumans 5y ago
That's much nicer than having to drive the kids to school by car. We don't dare to let our kids cycle to school, even in Foster City, since the traffic/cars are not prepared for cyclists.
- jacquesm 5y ago
  That sucks. The boys here are now fine to return by themselves but on most days we still take them there in the morning because of traffic density, there are three critical points, a roundabout and two major crossings. But in the afternoon when they return it is so quiet they can easily do it by themselves. I spent a ton of time getting them to be safe and predictable in traffic, and that certainly paid off.