My Dutch Dream

Amsterdam tram

Wherever you are in Amsterdam, you always see crazy things. I mean, when you’re on holiday and you see crazy stuff happen in the tourist zones, it’s pretty normal. I smoke often near centrum and all the time you see tons of weirdos – and the coffeeshops especially seem to attract them!

But even elsewhere you see your fair share of weird things happening.

Yesterday I was taking the tram home and a Spanish couple got on and swiped their OV-chipkaarts on the reader.

Although you can get a weekly pass or a stored value pass, many tourists who enter only with money end up getting a one hour or four hour type pass that you can throw away after.

Anyway, her card works but his does not (the light goes red instead of green). The conductor explains that his card is not valid.

There then ensues a stupid argument which frankly was not helped by the typical Dutch customer service the guy received (no empathy, stone face, matter of fact, raised aggressive voice by the Dutchman despite not feeling personally insulted).

The Spanish guy eventually realised that he could not travel with this card and even his wife started to hand over 5 Euro but he prevented her from doing so.

Eventually, they got off at the next stop.

* * *

Now the conductor and a passenger he had been chatting with (40ish old Dutch guy in a wheelchair, looked homeless to me) had a good laugh and discussion about this. Even the driver was laughing as the conductor talked to him via the intercom.

The tram then stops in Leidseplein and the wheelchair guy needs to get off. Some similarly aged Dutch guy decides to offer his help. So gracious is he that he turns down the offer of assistance from the conductor, even when the conductor has jumped out of his seat and is ready to press a button that lowers the wheelchair with some kind of mechanised ramp or step.

The wheelchair guy doesn’t exactly refuse his help but he keeps telling him to be very careful while lowering. The way down to the ground is much more than anticipated and there comes a point where the chair is dropped about half a foot or so. No real harm done.

But the wheelchair guy goes absolutely nuts and starts shouting at the guy continuously for 30 seconds until the tram departs. I feel sorry for the guy who offered his help and got abuse but he did go a bit too far.

And afterwards the driver is laughing his tits off when the conductor tells him!

A typical night in Amsterdam, no doubt!

picture credit