Road safety in the Netherlands is among the very best in the world. In ten years’ time, the number of injuries has dropped by over 10% and the number of road fatalities has decreased by 30%. These figures are nothing to shrug at – especially considering the more than 20% increase in mobility during the same period. TTTo theo theo the RRRoad Useroad Useroad User THIS BOOKLET HAS BEEN PREPARED AS A GUIDE FOR DRIVERS. FOR OFFICIAL PURPOSES, PLEASE REFER TO THE HIGHWAY TRAFFIC ACT. AVAILABLE AT WWW.GOV.NL.CA. System, rules of the road, signs and road markings, and what to do in emergency situations.
HomeCulture“Do’s and don’ts” of riding a bicycle in The Netherlands.
Riding a bicycle in The Netherlands is THE main reason why I’m so happy here. I lived 26 years in a big Mexican city with no biking infrastructure. Riding a bicycle to work was basically asking for a shorter life, and being stuck in traffic in my car was as common as breathing. I used to have a 70+ picture collection of funny bumper stickers I saw whilst being stuck in traffic… 2 hours a day stuck in traffic…
But alas! That is behind me, and now I go back and forth everywhere with my trusty bicycle!
I love biking (and having money to eat) so much, that I even deliver food on my bicycle on the weekends. After a year of biking for leisure and work in this country, I have learned firsthand the “do’s and don’ts” of riding a bicycle in The Netherlands. Some surprised me, others made me go “well duh…“. But all of them – without a doubt – I wish I knew from day one.
Here’s a handy guide of things you already know (and some that you probably didn’t), about riding a bicycle in The Netherlands.
What do I need to do by law?
This guide contains things you should do and things you must do. Lets start by discussing what we must do by law.
The law:
Don’t ride under the influence (RUI).
Boy did this surprise me, back when I first started living here. It just made no sense. I mean, if I was drunk in Mexico after copious amounts of tequila, I would either take a taxi, walk home, or try to materialise a bicycle through nonexistent psychic powers and ride it home. One of the first things I erroneously thought when I first got here, is that if you’re drunk, you could always ride your bike back home. Like a walk of shame, but on wheels.
Ad
Don’t get on your bike if you can’t even drunk-call your ex at 03:00AM properly.
But woe me! It is actually illegal to ride your bike drunk or stoned. If caught, you can actually get a hefty fine of up to €140! Riding drunk is dangerous no matter what type of bike you’re on… So, no drinking and biking!
If you’re liking this article on DutchReview, what’s keeping you from joining our Facebook-group? (hop hop!)
Riding a bicycle in The Netherlands: Tring, tring! (8)Get yourself a bell.
You guys familiar with Ivan Pavlov’s experiments on classical conditioning and all that? Well, that’s me with bicycle bells. I turn around and look out for the impending bike when I hear a tring, tring of a bell. Every bike should have one, it’s compulsory. They let you know when someone is behind you and wants to overtake you, or if you’re in the way. It’s very handy, and much more polite than being yelled at with different diseases. If you’re like me and like being annoying but also safe on the road, you can get a bike horn. It’s just as good as a bike bell, but 1000% more hilarious.
Riding a bicycle in The Netherlands: Bright lights! Use them!
Using a properly attached WHITE or YELLOW light on the front of you bicycle, and a RED light on the back, is a requisite if you’re riding at night. Not having a light as specified, can result in a fine. Also, worse than a fine, it can result in a car not seeing you and running you over. Bicycle lights are very easy to find, and you can find some very cheap ones at the Hema or Action. If you get the ones you put on/off, make sure you take them with you when you park. Stealing bike lights is the top Dutch national pastime right after getting cheap groceries.
Maybe get creative with your bicycle lights!
Riding a bicycle in The Netherlands: Signal when you turn <–/–>.
I think the first time somebody yelled ‘lul!‘ at me, was when I did a tight turn with 10 high schoolers behind me. At first I thought it was the Dutch variant of ‘lol’. Naturally, cause I am hilarious. But then, I realised I called an insult, because I did not signal when I turned. After being in the place of those 10 high schoolers a couple of times, I understood how important it is! In fact it’s compulsory, so make sure that you do it.
If you want to go left or right with your bike, stick your left/right hand accordingly! It lets non-psychic people know what direction you’re turning. It makes traffic more fluid, and prevents any name calling that hurts your feelings.
What’s good to know?
That’s enough on law, let’s discuss some helpful tips on things like not getting your bike stolen. ?
Riding a bicycle in The Netherlands: Put a lock on it..! Properly!
If you like it than you should’ve put a lock on it (8) That’s part of a song that’s about someone that got his/her bike stolen cause he/she didn’t know how to properly put a bike lock on. Now you might say ‘c’mon that’s easy! Besides, nobody steals anything in this country’. Well that’s where you’re wrong. Stealing bicycles in this country is like eating tacos in Mexico. It happens every. Single. Day.
Although there are many types of locks out there, U-locks and/or sturdy chain locks are the best. The more expensive the better most of the time. I you want to cheap-out on something while living here, better not be your bike lock! Bike thieves in this country are also like taco stands in Mexico. They’re everywhere. (I’m from Mexico. I can make that joke *dabs in Mexican*).
Also, most people ignore it, but there is a proper way to lock your bike. You should lock your bike on a pole or biking rack, and your lock should surround your frame and your tire. To explain it better, here’s a handy picture.
If you’re liking this article on DutchReview, what’s keeping you from joining our Facebook-group? (hop hop!)
Riding a bicycle in The Netherlands: Don’t buy €10 bikes from shady guys in alleyways.
Well, that one is pretty straightforward, right? I mean, who doesn’t dream of buying a cheap bike days after moving to a place where a lot of cities are very expensive. But, it should be obvious that any bicycles you buy from shady guys in the inner city are probably stolen.
“Not my problem!”, exclaimed a person reading this while heading to the inner city, probably.
Well good sir/madam, it actually is! If you’re buying a stolen bike, you’re supporting the offer of stolen bikes. Which is a way of supporting the stolen bike market. Which perpetuates the cycle, and might even get your newfound bike stolen… So, don’t do it! The Netherlands is filled with second hand bicycle shops. While a secondhand bike shop will not sell bicycles for €10 euros, I’m sure you can find something that fits your budget.
Riding a bicycle in The Netherlands: Get your head in a helmet!… Or not.
Wearing a helmet while biking is important because it protects your brain in case of an accident. And brains are important because – in my case – they hold a lot of 90s references, and the lyrics to R. Kelly’s ‘I believe I can fly’.
Although not compulsory, and although there’s this big helmet/no helmet debate, I recommend wearing a helmet if you’re like me and bike really fast. In three years living here, nothing grave has happened to me. But hey, odds are something might. I remember I had this conversation with a colleague who also works in the bike-delivery business. He is pro-helmet, and told me something that made me laugh and also stuck with me:
“Helmets are just like condoms man, it’s better to have one and don’t need it, than to need one and don’t have one.”
That’s a good argument indeed. However, The Netherlands – right after Denmark – is the European country with least the least amount of accidents per square km that result in cyclists dying. So why wear a helmet then if it’s so safe, right? It would appear that the traffic infrastructure and a superb biking culture are better than enforcing helmet laws. Maybe that’s why not a lot of Dutchies wear helmets.
So wear a helmet! Or not! It’s your choice.
In the future no-one will get hurt riding a bicycle in the Netherlands:
Riding a bicycle in The Netherlands: No headphones!
There’s two things I LOVE doing but I know I SHOULDN’T DO. One of them is having Ben & Jerry’s ‘cookie dough ice-cream’ for breakfast every damn morning; and the other is riding my bicycle while listening to music. There’s something spiritual about listening to Queen’s ‘Bicycle Race’ while your riding your trusty steed down Scheveningen’s pier. Or blasting meneer Hendrix’s ‘VoodooChild‘ on your headphones when coming back from having a good “coffee”.
While not illegal to your ride your bike while listening some Iron Maiden on your headphones, it can be detrimental to your health. By detrimental to your health, I mean not hearing a tram and getting run over by it. I stopped listening to music while biking after I got a close call with a ‘bakfiets’ full of adorable children. I still remember the exact part of Britney Spear’s ‘Toxic’ I was listening to when I almost crashed into that bundle of adorableness. God knows what would have happened, probably gotten deported or something.
So, like the helmet thing, it’s not illegal… But it is highly recommended to not listen to music while riding your bike.
Riding a bicycle in The Netherlands: Respect signs, pedestrians and watch out for tram lines!
Lastly, there are 3 things I always keep in mind when riding my bicycle: signs, pedestrians and tram lines. There’s a wide range of road signs that you need to keep an eye out. Four of the most important ones to recognise are: uitgezondered fiets; rechtsaf voor fietsers vrij; let op! uitrit bouwverkeer; and ‘pedestrian zebras’
‘Uitgezonderd fietsers’
I used to get intimidated when I saw these signs, because they are usually on ‘no entrance’ signs. But uitgezondered fietsers actually means ‘except people on bicycles’. So if you see a red sign with a white line in the middle (no entrance), but it is followed by uitgezondered fietsers, you may follow that road. If you’re on a bike, of course.
‘Rechtsaf fieters vrij’
You’ll see this signs in white letters and on blue signs. These mean ‘right turn free for bikers’. So even if they’re next to a red traffic light, if you’re on a bike you can turn to right freely… Just remember to signal it!
‘Let op! uitrit bouwverkeer’
Back in the day when I didn’t speak any Dutch, I used to hate these. When they are on signs with tiny construction man cartoons it’s fine. But sometimes it’s just the words, and those I didn’t understand! It means ‘watch out for construction traffic’. Ride carefully if you see one of these, because they are usually followed by mid-constructed bicycle lanes!
‘Zebras’: Pedestrians first!
It’s normal to feel super important when you’re on a bike all the time. Cars stop for you and pedestrians fear your might bicycle bell. But, in the traffic hierarchy, pedestrians crossing on zebras go first. So if you’re biking, and you see a zebra in front of your, make sure you stop if you see any people trying to cross!
‘Tram lines’: Criss cross!!!
There are three things I have a deep and crippling fear towards: spiders; the one scene in Lord of The Rings: The Fellowship of The Ring; and crossing a tram line while I’m on my bicycle. No matter how many times I’ve done it, my pulse skyrockets when I have to cross a tram line. If you fall in one it’s almost a guarantee you will fall embarrassingly. Best way to cross a tram line while riding a bicycle in The Netherlands, is to cross one as perpendicularly as possible. Here’s a handy picture to save your life in the future.
Did we miss something?
Well, that’s about it for the “do’s and don’ts” of riding a bicycle in The Netherlands. Hopefully you’ll find this list useful if you’re new in this country. Riding a bicycle here is easy and incredibly safe. But of course if you keep these handy tips in mind, I’m pretty sure your biking experience will be considerably better.
Did we miss any important do’s and/or don’ts? If we did, let us know in the comment section below!
If you liked this article on DutchReview, what’s keeping you from joining our Facebook-group? (hop hop!)
The Netherlands has one of the best road safety records in Europe.
The number of road deaths is decreasing every year. In 2014 there were 570 road deaths, 11% fewer than in 2009. The Government is aiming to reduce the number of road deaths even further to less than 500 in 2020.
This will be done by clamping down on traffic offenders, providing extra protection for the most vulnerable including the elderly, children, pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists, and allowing 17-year olds to drive, with the requirement that they are accompanied by an experienced licensed driver.
Cooperation on road safety
In order to successfully implement the road safety policy, the Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment works closely with the provinces, urban regions, water boards and municipalities. These authorities are responsible for traffic safety on the roads under their jurisdiction.
The Ministry also works in close cooperation with various partners:
- Veilig Verkeer Nederland (VVN) operates at local, regional and national level on road safety neighbourhoods and streets and to prevent speeding, driving under the influence of alcohol, and road aggression.
- Regionaal Orgaan Verkeersveiligheid (ROV). Each province has a ROV which provides information and education, and also advice on design and layout of infrastructure for safer traffic flows.
- Scientific Research on Road Safety (SWOV) carries out research directed to improving road safety. SWOV is an independent organisation and makes knowledge available to professionals involved with road traffic and road safety.
- Landelijk Parket Team Verkeer (LPTV) and the police monitor that drivers observe the road traffic rules, fine offenders and prosecute serious offences in a court of law.
- Team Alert is the road safety organisation run by young people for young people to make them aware of and to encourage responsible road use.
Road traffic signs and rules
Road traffic signs and rules are essential to ensure road safety and safe and efficient traffic movement.
The Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment incooperation with the Regionaal Organen Verkeersveiligheid has published abrochure which sets out all road signs and traffic rules in the Netherlands.