Amsterdam bicyclists seem to take their furry pooch canine dog friends along on bicycle rides

.  Remember, I was only standing at one street corner in Nieuw Markt, Amsterdam, and I only stood there for 73 minutes, yet I saw these riders with dogs (and more I just wasn't fast enough on the camera or taking another photo at the time).  Below is a pooch on the bicycle freight rack - bicycling through Amsterdam.

The dog in the picture below is going for a bicycle ride through Amsterdam in the basket on the front of the bicycle.

The unfortunate dog in the picture below has to motor along under his own power, but his owner holds the leash - while bicycling through Amsterdam.

The dog in the picture below is riding in style in his own outdoor roving kennel - pulled behind a bicycle in Amsterdam.

parent has decided to help protect the child a little with a windshield

In the picture below the child is in the normal suicide position, but this , very considerate!  But also notice the parent is riding on cobblestones without holding the handlebars - while riding a bicycle through Amsterdam.

The picture below shows a variation on the standard "three people on a bicycle built for one".  In this version, no child is in the suicide seat, instead both the children are behind the adult.

 

In the picture below, we go back to the standard setup for a "three person bicycle rig", where there is a child in front in the suicide position, and a child behind on the bicycle freight rack.  Look closely -> the ride isn't interesting enough to keep the child in the suicide position entertained, so she is provided with a basket of toys to play with as they hurtle down the cobblestone road through this intersection - on a bicycle in Amsterdam.

The Amsterdam bicycle taxi in the picture below is another variation on the "many people, one bicycle" concept, but in this case there really are enough seats for everybody to be comfortable.

The picture below is also a good example of several Amsterdam Bicycle Trends

: a woman in a tight dress skirt and dress shoes riding a bicycle, with 3 people loaded onto the bicycle somehow, plus another industrial work basket mounted on the front (this work basket would draw TONS of attention in San Francisco, we have never seen anything like this).

Below is a picture of three Amsterdam natives on a bicycle built for one. So relaxed, the girl on the back isn't holding anything with her hands, and rests her feet naturally in a bag meant to carry groceries, I think she has spent her life growing up in this position - on a bicycle in Amsterdam.

In the picture below the child is in the normal suicide position, but this parent has decided to help protect the child a little with a windshield, very considerate!  But also notice the parent is riding on cobblestones without holding the handlebars - while riding a bicycle through Amsterdam

I added some red annotations to the picture below

, because it showed so many Amsterdam Bicycle Trends in one picture.  First of all, the lady is wearing a nice dress.  Second, there are two people riding on this bicycle.  Next, she is talking on a cell phone while swerving and navigating through this busy intersection and it doesn't bother her at all.  (See below for another 20 pictures of Amsterdam natives chatting on cell phones while riding bicycles.)  Next, she is sporting a generator bicycle headlight (dynamo human powered bicycle light, see below for more examples).  There is an enormous "work basket" configured on the FRONT of the bicycle, and she has one of the circular rear wheel slide security locks for when the bicycle is parked.  Spectacular!  If she had a dog along it would be a perfect clean sweep of Amsterdam Bicycle Trends.

I watched this cheerful girl hop onto the bicycle freight rack a moment before I took this picture, so I saw how "The Launch" is done. They made it look smooth and easy, but I have a feeling it takes a little practice.

Here the guy is peddling the bicycle

, and the woman is hitching a side-saddle ride on the luggage rack.  The thing that is hard to capture here is how relaxed and well balanced these passengers are without anything to place their feet on -> this is *NOT* the first time they have done this, most look slightly bored as the bicycle driver swerves through this crazy intersection in Amsterdam - riding a bicycle.

I really like the picture below showing that this bike has an approved child safety seat

, but the child is standing vertically up in it to get a better view.  No child helmet, just a child (and mother) who isn't afraid of a little adventure.  Remember, this is a busy complicated 3 way intersection with cars whizzing through it and as far as I could tell no clear signs or any clear pattern of traffic, just quick witted and dexterous Amsterdam natives - on bicycles.

Another friend providing a passenger a ride

.  Notice how in the previous picture and in the one below the WOMAN is doing all the work, and the guy is getting the free ride?  I don't know what that means.  :-)  In the picture below, the guy is riding side saddle on the bicycle's luggage rack.  The back tire looks a little flat for this load.  Also of note, the woman is wearing dressy white SPIKE HIGH HEEL SHOES - on a bicycle through downtown Amsterdam.