There is a rule here that bikes always have the right of way. Bikers are at the top of the food chain and they know it!
This is a difficult question to answer! The way I felt navigating the city on my first day is very different from the way I feel now. Everything is very fast-paced. The first time I took the tram, I turned bright red as I struggled to find the right coins to pay the conductor. I worried that I was holding up the tram! Now, I have a personalized OV chipkaart, which I swiftly swipe as I enter and exit a vehicle. Don’t forget to check in or out or you can be fined 50 euros ($58)! I even learned how to load train and bus subscriptions onto my card, which give me discounts on certain routes. I am very proud of my navigation skills now and have started to recognize Dutch words on informational signs. For example, “richting” means “direction” and lets me know that I’m heading the right way. Of course, I still rely heavily on my phone apps, such as Google maps, 9292.nl and ns.nl. The last two are specifically for the Netherlands. Another great thing about having an OV chipkaart is that I have an OV fiets subscription. I can rent a bike at any station for about 3 euro, which is a great deal!
As you might have noticed, the Netherlands has a bike culture. This is especially noticeable where I live in Amsterdam. Bikes and fietsen shops (bike shops) are present on every street. People lock their bikes on racks, poles, buildings, benches… anywhere really!
