For most of us Americans (with the exception of residents of Portland, Oregon; my friend Sarah - a Masters cycling champion - and my son Ben who rides hilly distances I would be tired from driving), riding a bike is something we mostly did as kids. I remember cruising down Abernethy Drive in Trenton, N.J. on my pink Schwinn bike, sitting pretty on my flowered "banana seat", feeling like a boss. Now that I use a bike as my primary form of transportation, I get to feel that carefree/wind-in-your-hair feeling almost every day. In other words, I get to feel like a kid. If you have spent nearly your entire life using a bike to commute, do your errands, and ferry your kids around - like the Dutch - do you still get that "kid" feeling when you hop on? I'm guessing the answer is no, and that may be the reason we expats tend to bike so differently from our Dutch neighbors. So while I may amble along, almost everyone - from a grey-haired lady of a certain age to toddlers and everyone in between- is going as fast as their legs will carry them. It seems to be in their DNA. I think they are hearing something like this when they maneuver their bikes ahead of mine at every stoplight.

Whereas I'm hearing something more along the lines of this next song by Chicago as I pedal. I never knew that the full version included this piano intro. If you are in a hurry - like the bikers passing me on the road - you can skip ahead to 1:15 where the horns blast in, but I recommend listening to the whole shebang.

I think this was what my seat and handlebars looked like. I was born in an era when we didn't snap photos to memorialize each and every passing moment. I rely on my memory, and Google. — I think this was what my seat and handlebars looked like. I was born in an era when we didn't snap photos to memorialize each and every passing moment. I rely on my memory, and Google.

From the perspective of this Jersey girl who has spent a good deal of her life stuck in traffic, riding a bike certainly beats being jammed in a car on a highway. Imagine the difference between being cooped up in a car with a screaming child, versus being on a bike. When you are on a bike, the tantrum spills out into the air, not directly from the back seat into your ears. Also, the whole world shares in your misery because they hear the screaming, too, which must help you feel less alone. Actually, you hear surprisingly few tantrums pass you by when you are on your bike, but I've certainly heard a few. I wonder if Dutch parents say absurd things about leaving their kids on the side of the road, the way American parents do. I did once hear a mom tell her howling kid, "Doe normaal!" which roughly translates into, "Act normal." Had she yelled that out in a car, I never would have heard it. So biking has also helped my Dutch. I've also heard my share of "Stomme vrouw"s (stupid woman) shouted at me either while I am trying to cross the street on foot, or while I commit some mysterious infraction while riding my bike. It often feels like a pedestrian is at the bottom of the transportation hierarchy pole here. The biker is at the top.

Most expats are struck - maybe not the best word to use when talking about riding a bike - by the fact that the Dutch do not wear bike helmets except when they are on road bikes for longer/faster rides. We were told when we arrived that wearing a helmet would brand us as expats, and make our rides that much more treacherous than they would be with helmets. We took that advice to heart. There are amazingly few accidents involving cyclists here. That is due not just to the fact that drivers have more experience sharing the road with cyclists, and not just because of the extensive network of bike lanes, although those are certainly factors. The big difference between cycling in the U.S. and the Netherlands is the way traffic laws have influenced behavior. Most people subscribe to the not-quite-true legend that if a car and a bike are in an accident in the Netherlands, the car always has to pay the damages, even if the accident was completely the fault of the bike. That is not exactly the case. In 1997, a strict liability law was introduced (but ultimately withdrawn) making the driver responsible no matter what the circumstances. That led to this parody showing the biking shenanigans that would ensue if the bill became law.

So what can cyclists get away with and why? Dutch law recognizes that a hefty metal object weighing several thousand pounds can inflict far more damage than a slender bicycle can. The law treats both cyclists and pedestrians as "zwakkere verkeersdeelnemers" (weaker participants in traffic). If there is an accident, the car driver pays for the damage unless he can show that the accident was caused by circumstances beyond his control and none of the blame for the accident falls on him. Apparently, this standard is extremely hard to prove. Even if the bike rider is at fault, the car is still responsible for 50% of the damage. That, my friends, is why it's safer to ride here than in the U.S., even without a helmet. During the recent election, almost all the political parties mentioned their positions on bike-friendly policies. Can you imagine cycling being discussed during elections in the U.S.?

This is a stroller, not a bike, but I've been waiting for the right moment to share the photo. I'll put it in the category of things I see Dutch people take on walks with their wheels.

One favorite topic amongst expats is the things you have seen Dutch people tote while riding a bike. We have all seen - and certainly heard - them drag a wheelie suitcase along the street. Here are a few of my favorite things I've also seen: a full-size ladder, an armchair (on his head), a large plant, a car battery, and a cake. I wish I had photos to prove those sightings to you, but it all happens so quickly, so you'll just have to trust me.

Heading to the pool or the beach with inner tube, kid, and stuffed bear.

I did manage to capture this woman biking with her cello in tow. Since we live so close to the Concertgebouw, the main concert hall, we see a lot of musicians out for a stroll with their instruments.

Although not technically objects, children are also carried around on bikes. They are sometimes strapped into a front-loaded wagon known as a Bakfiets, but are also found standing up on the back of the bike, or if they are babies, riding in a baby carrier on the chest of the rider. I can't imagine having the confidence in myself or the drivers around me to risk that kind of a ride.

For a family with three kids. Mom (or Dad) divides and conquers by having one ride behind her and two in front.

In addition to talking about what we see Dutch people carry on their bikes, we expats also like to compare notes on the things we have seen Dutch people do while biking. Here are a few of my personal sightings: hold hands, fight - complete with swats from bike to bike - smoke, drink, and (far too often) talk and text. Miraculously - and also dangerously - these last two are often done with both hands on the device, zero hands on the bike, and and zero eyes on the road. It's more than a minor miracle that there aren't more accidents. Although you might not know it if you cycle here regularly, there are some rules of the road. You have to have a bell and lights, you can't run red lights, and you also can't ride while under the influence. Whether those laws are ever followed is another matter entirely. On our corner, I watch the cyclists zoom through the red lights, treating it like a suggestion rather than a command. This, by the way, is what popular wisdom says about the Dutch attitude towards laws in general: they are all merely "suggestions". Sometimes the bike symbols are downright confusing to me. For example, there are "shark's teeth" - white triangles - painted on many bike paths. I have never been sure of the rule. Who has the right of way? The person the point is facing? The person with the longer side of the triangle on their side? It turns out that the rule is the shark will bite you if you are supposed to stop. In other words, the point points towards the vehicle or bike which is supposed to stop. Where is the sign explaining the symbols to tourists and expats?

If you happen to forget what the shark's tooth is telling you, the stakes are often pretty high. There is a train track next to this path.

Apparently, in Utrecht, they are testing out a new "smart bike" route that allows bikers to time their speed so as to cycle without having to wait for any red lights. Along the route, you will see digital signposts of animals, telling you whether you have to slow down to reach a green light (you'll see a turtle), or speed up (a rabbit). It seems a bit rude, but if you have no chance of making a green light, you'll see the image of a cow. I'm afraid to check out this system in Utrecht.

Another clever technology fix I just learned about helps pedestrians, not bikers, but since I do a lot of walking here, I was instantly intrigued. It's an app being tested in the city of Tilburg to help elderly pedestrians cross the street. Ever feel like you don't have enough time to get across the street before the light turns an angry red? With this app, you somehow signal to the traffic lights that you need extra time, and voilà, you have all the time you need. Of course, the problem is you need both a smartphone, and the ability to learn how to use the app. Maybe they need some teenage grandkids hanging out on the street corners of Tilburg to help their omas and opas (grandmas and grandpas) figure out how to use this new-fangled invention.

Back to the subject of bike rules. I'm waiting patiently for the law prohibiting motorbikes from riding in the bike lane. They're giant hulks of metal that go fast, pass too close to the bikes, and make too much noise. Apparently, this law has been endlessly debated and discussed, but so far all the blah-blah-blah hasn't resulted in a change. My fingers are crossed. As far as the rules already in the books being enforced, let's just say it is rare for someone to get "pulled over" for breaking a bike law. I sometimes feel like I must have an American flag tattooed on my forehead, so I'm sure that if I did ride with Dutch abandon, I would be fined. I follow those laws to a T. My way.

And while we are discussing bike subsections (what people carry, what they do), we can add types of bikes. Most bikes on the road are the typical Dutch black bike. You do see bicycles built for two, but more often than not, those are for tourists. I think it takes more coordination to ride a bike together with someone else than it does to wing it on your own. And speaking of tourists who rent bikes, while some of my closest friends are tourists, I try to steer clear of them when they are on bicycles. When you see a big group of twenty-somethings on bikes, fresh from a tour of the coffeeshops, merrily ringing their bells, you, too, can scowl at them just like the Dutch do. It makes you feel like an insider. If you don't feel comfortable biking here, you can always hop on the back of someone else's bike. There's a program called Yellow Backie which allows you to hop on for free onto any yellow back-bike seat (also given out for free to willing participants) by just shouting out, "Backie!" I have never seen anyone using this service, but it's a great idea.

Although many of the bikes you see around town are somewhat rusty and decrepit, on weekends you do see a lot more racing bikes on the road. Then it's my turn to be scowled at. There are also all manner of unusual bikes, like the wooden one pictured below. Not a great material for a bicycle in a country where it rains 300+ days a year. Bikes are also used to deliver your food, and to advertise businesses. You don't see nearly as many billboards here telling you about stuff to buy. Here, the bikes do a lot of the hawking.

Rachel and her friend Kristi proved that it takes a lot of cooperation to ride a tandem bicycle. My married friends Seanette and Richard almost came to blows in the tulip fields on one.

When a bridge went up, the bikers all stopped to check their phones or their blood pressure or something.

Pretty, but just a biker's version of eye-candy.

I loved the green bike at this restaurant (The Avocado Show) which has been all the rage on Instagram and FB. I didn't think it lived up to all that hype, by the way. The bike was the highlight of the visit.

This is a beer bike. If you had your heart set on a bachelor or bachelorette party which included a ride on one of these, you better come quickly. A ban on these bikes in the center of the city is going into effect come November. This takes the idea… — This is a beer bike. If you had your heart set on a bachelor or bachelorette party which included a ride on one of these, you better come quickly. A ban on these bikes in the center of the city is going into effect come November. This takes the idea of drinking and riding to a new level. You are required to keep pedaling along with your pals as you guzzle.

With so many people biking around, there are a lot of bikes left stranded in Amsterdam. The city is trying to deal with the problem of abandoned bikes, which clutter things up for the rest of us who are looking for a place to park. Recently, I got to put the city to the test when I called a newly-created hotline about a rusty old thing that someone had left in the rack outside our apartment. After sending in a photo of the poor old dear, it was eventually removed. I count that as one of my biggest achievements since moving here. Democracy in action. I wish we could somehow link up the folks stealing bikes with the people abandoning theirs. Bike theft continues to be a big problem in the city. Too bad the folks stealing the bikes can't concentrate on the ones that have been left out in the cold.

Although I did just say that biking is safer here primarily because cars know how to share the road, that's not to say the extensive bike paths aren't also a big part of the story. Other than in the center of Amsterdam, where cars and bikes have to share the cobblestoned streets, there are usually separate paths for bikes. I do wish those paths were more clearly marked with giant bike symbols, rather than the very intermittent and subtle ones I see. No wonder pedestrians happily walk down the center until a loud ring of a bell or even a shove from a biker tells them otherwise.

In fact, there are about 35,000 kilometers of bike paths in the Netherlands. A few deserve a special shout-out. The first is a suspended bicycle roundabout called the Hovenring, which looks like it floats above the highway beneath it.

The second standout bike path is the Van Gogh Starry Night path, designed by artist Daan Roosegaarde and lit by solar-powered blue and green LED lights. I need to cross paths with both of these paths someday.

Having just returned from a trip to the U.S., I can tell you that although there are definitely more bikes around town than I remember seeing before, the pickings are still slim. The car is definitely the king of the road. We spent a lot of time in the car during our visit, something I don't miss at all. I don't miss all the traffic, and the aggravation. It would take a sea change for biking to become a part of the culture in the U.S., the way it is in the Netherlands. We would need to call upon the Dutch for their expertise, just as we did after Hurricane Sandy when they came in to advise us on how to deal with lots and lots of water. It turns out that there is now a Bicycle Mayor in Amsterdam. Her job is to act as an ambassador for cycling in Amsterdam and to help other cities become more cycle-friendly. How's that for a job? If you read the fine print, however, you will see that it's a volunteer position for now. I knew it was too good to be true.

The fact that biking plays such an important part in life in the Netherlands explains a lot about the Dutch. Let me preface my explanation of these theories of mine by saying when I told them to a British neighbor, she said "Brilliant!" Then again, the Brits say that about almost everything, so that's not exactly a ringing endorsement. Nevertheless, here are a few Dutch habits I think are explained by all that biking:

Speaking very loud. When you spend a lot of your time on a bike, you have to shout to be heard when you are having a conversation. This becomes a habit. You might do the same even when off-bike.
Not covering your mouth when you cough. When you are biking, you might not be able to take your hands off the handlebars to cover your mouth when coughing (and you are probably also gripping your phone, so you have no hands available for personal care). Also, no one is right next to you, so you don't necessarily need to cover. Instead, you just cough into the open air. You might do the same even when off-bike.
Being independent kids. Since they are able to get around town on their own on a bike, kids here are more independent. Imagine being in middle school and not depending on your folks to squire you around town. This explains why many people say Dutch children are "free range".
Being a good driver? (I'm not sure about this one). You grew up signaling with your hand when turning, yielding, and merging on your bike instead of zoning out in the back seat of a car while your parents chauffeured you around. You might grow up to learn how to be a better car driver and better able to manage driving with calm concentration while cyclists zoom around you on the roads.

Rather than fuss with training wheels, let's take a page from the Dutch book on teaching young riders to cycle. Put the seat low enough so they can push themselves along until they can balance on their low-rider. Then when they are ready, they can p… — Rather than fuss with training wheels, let's take a page from the Dutch book on teaching young riders to cycle. Put the seat low enough so they can push themselves along until they can balance on their low-rider. Then when they are ready, they can pedal. Brilliant!

So has biking made me feel like more of an insider here? The answer is yes...usually. I love the convenience of getting from Point A to Point B more quickly. I love the little-kid feeling I have as I bike (as long as I'm not grappling with traffic and streams of other riders). I also love that I can be out on my bike and "run" into friends who are out on a boat ride. Amsterdam really is a village.

Do I miss having a car? Sometimes, especially when it's pouring or I am venturing outside of the city. On the other hand, I don't miss all of the logistics like parking, looking for parking, or forgetting where I parked. As i mentioned in my post about cars here, there are some really tiny cars that are allowed to drive in the bike lanes, and which you can park anywhere. I sometimes secretly wish I had one.

Here's an aptly named car parked smack in the middle of the square where children play. Photo credit to my friend Laura who appreciates the straightforward truth and a good laugh.

The truth is I'm not nearly as footloose and fancy-free when I'm on my bike as the Dutch cyclists who surround me. When I start to feel like an anxious American, an imposter on the bike path, I am reminded of a line from Furiously Happy, by Jenny Lawson. True, she was describing her total meltdown from anxiety before recording the audio version of her book, and not something as mundane as riding a bike. However, the advice still rings true. When she panicked, feeling she wasn't up to the task of reading her book aloud for millions of readers, a writer friend told her, "Just pretend you're good at it." That's what I do as I pedal along: a lot of pretending. Someday, I hope my dream will come true and I'll really be part of the chain gang.

This was the light at the end of the tunnel after all that driving when we were in the U.S. Congrats, Rachel Drucker! Good luck on the road ahead of you.