City officials have implemented an unprecedented ban on “fatbikes” in Amsterdam’s iconic Vondelpark to protect the crowds of locals and tourists who visit daily on foot, traditional hire bicycles, or roller skates.
The restriction follows growing public frustration over youths tearing through the city on the robust electric vehicles. Reports of “fatbike gangs” causing havoc recently culminated in a petition against aggressive riders that gathered 2,400 signatures, with organisers arguing
Pavements are racetracks. Public space no longer feels safe.
Named for their ultra-thick tyres, fatbikes are capable of hitting speeds up to 60km/h. Sharing space on Amsterdam’s famously crowded cycle paths, they have increasingly become a source of friction with traditional cyclists who view the heavy, fast vehicles as a menace.
Last year saw a rise in public concern about the number of asylum seekers in the Netherlands who appear to be using these typically expensive items as their main mode of transportation.
