White Bike of Amsterdam

[David Thoreen]

As I heard the story of the public bicycles in Amsterdam, the city bought
not just one but many.  100?  500?  The idea was that you could grab one,
ride it anywhere, and leave it for someone else to use.  Theory was you'd
be able to find one for your return trip within a few blocks when you'd
completed your errand.  But people being what they are, and unwilling to
put up with the inconvenience of having to walk a block or three or six
before finding a public bike, they started locking them up, bringing them
inside with them.  One by one they all disappeared.  As far as I know, no
other city has tried this scheme, not even with  recovered but unclaimed
stolen bicycles, which city treasurers prefer to auction off.

But as the man in the E.H. story sez, "I've never seen one."  I half
suspect that white bicycles are about as real as white elephants, just
another urban myth.  Any other takers?

        David Thoreen

>Hey!  Apropos of absolutely nothing . . . does anyone remember the
>'White Bike of Amsterdam?'  Back in the sixties there was this
>white painted bicycle in Amsterdam which anyone could use whenever
>they wanted.  It belonged to no one; and the only condition of its
>use was that one had to leave it available for the next guy.  I
>believe this was mentioned in a Beatles' documentary, but I am not
>sure.
>
>I sure would like any information on this white bike; also anything
>on any free bike programs throughout the world. I know that here in
>Portland, Maine, someone is trying to put together a collection of
>yellow painted bicycles for anyone to use.