A quick overview of the most important signs and rules of the road in the Netherlands that regulate cycling. More info: bicycledutch.wordpress.com/201...
Just one addition to these regulations: you are allowed to cycle two abreast if there is space, but you have to return to single file to give way arnd when people want to pass you. If you hear a bell ringing behind you, that often means that someone wants to pass you and you have to cycle single file for a while. Look behind you when you hear a ringing bell and again to check if you can cycle two abreast again.
Meanwhile, in Iceland, anarchy rules bicycles. Bicycles can be ridden on roads or on sidewalks, but nowhere do you get the priority: Cars have priority on the roads, and pedestrians on the sidewalks. Very few bicycle lanes exist and road signs for bicycles are unheard of.
Maybe it is a good idea to hire a group of Danish and Dutch experts to solve the problem... ;-) I think that there is no real problem in Iceland about cyclists, there are not that many cyclists there (as far as I know..) and it is said the Icelandic people are relaxed drivers. I believe the latter without any problem!! I hope to visit your country in the nearby future! And start learning some Icelandic as well... Ég ekki tala Íslensku svo vel... Áfram Ísland!! Bestu kveðjur!
bicycles are actually probably the best way to travel from an overall standpoint - it's much much faster than walking and takes about the same energy. it can go almost as far as cars going medium speed in many cases, so combined with the fact that most car trips are less than 7km, bicycles would be a great option. especially if you care about global warming or simply noise pollution. yet bicycles are given the least priority when it should be accommodating and encouraged the most
(Dutchman speaking) In practical sence it's the easiest thing to do (easier then walking). Stick to the red carpet and only stop till you hit a red light. Every car driver is also a cyclist and therefor very considered of cyclists.
I have seen several related videos and it's almost impossible to see any mountain bike in the Netherlands, why? Just tradition? In Spain you can only see three kinds of bycicles, in this order of frequency: mountain, road-race and folding. Of course living in a country full of hills in the cities and mountains everywhere cycling is not very easy, unless you want to arrive to a meeting or job tired and swearing.
We don't really need mountain bikes or off-road bikes. We also don't really care what kind of bike it is, as long as it's functional as transportation. But other than that our "omafietsen" ("grandma bikes") are just way more comfortable to ride. Sitting upright is also safer, because you can (and need) to anticipate a lot and people tend to move slower - opposed to being in a racing position. It's better to be able to look over the cars than to go in head first. It's also a bike type that is multipurpose for any situation - well maybe not optimal for actual mountains, but we certainly have steep slopes and bridges to climb that can be tough. Folding bikes are common for people that also take the train or other public transport. But yeah again it's all about practicality and efficiency. And you will be training to get used to cycling, just by doing it and then you won't be as sweaty (but probably wet from rain) :)
Extra consideration for what bikes we use: If you take the bike to work, you might want to bring a bag of stuff, just like when you go by car. For this purpose, a lot of Dutch bikes which allow you to sit upright are also installed with 'bike bags': Bags attached to the bike frame in which you can put your school supplies or groceries. Some are even designed to be taken off then used as backpack inside! Mountain bikes are rare because they specialize (afaik) in rough terrain and hills, but most cyclists will only bike through the city where the terrain is nice and flat and asphalted. If you go to the dunes or into a forest you might encounter more people on a mountainbike. A road-race bike is also rare because of the danger that Robin mentioned and because of reduced practicality in city situations: It is hard to carry stuff anywhere on it but inside your pockets, they usually don't come with installed locks and your speed is often limited due to the speed of other cyclists anyway.
Walter van beek: "Every car driver is also a cyclist and therefor very considered of cyclists" Besides the great infrastructure, I think this is a key reason why cycling works so well in the Netherlands. In Ireland, most car drivers have not cycled since childhood. They are often themselves physically unhealthy, and instantly full of anger and aggression when they see a cyclist. It's a very neanderthal attitude.
Thank you for this informative video. Your combination of road rules with footage and personal experience is very reassuring for a visiting Brit. I hope to avoid the newspapers.
Best gecompliceerd als je alles achter elkaar zo ziet. ‘We’ maken het ingewikkeld met al onze regels. Je uitleg is helder! En volgens mij nagenoeg compleet. Knap gedaan
Thanks for this helpful and useful video. I am taking my first cycle tour of the Netherlands next week and this has been very useful in my preparations.
4.99 to 5.08. The blue sign with text 'Rechtsaf voor fietsers vrij' means right turn allowed without waiting for the traffic light. You have to watch the other traffic from the left, and if there is no traffic you can turn right no matter whether the traffic light is red or green.
Awesome information. I have been wanting to learn about the road marking/signs. In the US road signs are often far to the side and/or above normal view. Also, most signs are white and blend in with the sky easily. As a cyclist I have learned to love road markings. Every state I have lived in has laws that road users must read all road signs. Any speed over 25mph is to fast to read most or all signs. Stupid with high speed limits. Many Americans do not know most road sign meanings either.
Sorry for the late response but i am just amased at your comment... How on earth does someone pass their theoretical drivers test if they don't know their road signs? Il live in belgium and you need to take a test with 50 questions and you have to get AT LEAST 41/50 correct. We have traffic violations of 4 different categories. Fines increase with the category, category 1&2 being light traffic violations and 3&4 heavy traffic violations. If you make a mistake involving a category 3 or 4 violation you instantly lose 5 points. So on your theorectical test, making 2 mistakes involving two heavy violations means you instantly fail, don't even get your learning permit, and can't even start your practical learning. Are rules for getting a drivers licence really THAT loose in the US?
@@jbird4478 Texas has that sign but it shows a large human stick figure walking two small human stick figures across a crosswalk. The picture is bright white on a school bus yellow triangle sign
It really helps when there are global simple paradigm rules instead of memorizing a bunch of detailed individual rules. In that spirit, here are some better ways to explain things. "sharks teeth pointing toward you" look just like the international yield sign at 3:56. So explicitly stating this connection by calling it "multiple white yield signs" instead of "shark's teeth pointing toward you" makes the connection and the bigger picture logic of the system clearer. Likewise, you can point out that the upside down yield sign triangle means the opposite of the downward pointing yield sign - you have priority.
I guess it's mostly for non europeans as if you live in Europe, you should know most of these signs already but it's always good to repeat what you already know. :D The ones with words are a bit confusing at first if you don't speak dutch.. :D good thing we like to roll in my village so i have a few years experience on the bike..
cycling exercise makes the body fresh increase immunity in the body, bright mind, body, healthy, looks like the body will restore new stamina, happy thoughts
I would love to see signs that are TRULY international for motorized and non-motorized vehicles as I believe that could stop a lot of confusion all the way around, but I'm just an 'old fool' so what would I know. Thanks for the quick lesson on cycling/traffic signs in the Netherlands.
There were a few with some dutch words on it. But most of those are just like, for example, germany - or so similar that you get it immediately anyway.
I wish eye-level cycle traffic signals were standard in the US. My city has annoying signals that restrict the angle that you can view them at-like a phone privacy screen.
See, this is why international standards and conventions exist, such as the Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals. Of course, the US (and a few other countries which follow it) has to be different in this as well and develop its own signs which are text-heavy and less universal than the symbols used most everywhere else in the world, all for basically no benefit at all.
Great video. Its about time someone explained this to non- dutchies. They should really show this to not just tourists but immigrants as well. They tend to get into trouble and cause dangerous situations. A group of immigrants was found cycling against traffic on a freeway.... are you nuts, its a suicide mission! Their argument was that the road was flatter... yeah cause its for cars. Also I saw one on the roundabout going in the wrong direction swerving past upcoming cyclists (which should have been his first clue he was doing it wrong), than without signaling he got off the roundabout IN THE CAR LINE against traffic and crossed the street (were you're not allowed to cross and cars won't expect you coming) only to cycle into a street where cycling was not allowed and going against traffic as well. I was in shock when I saw it. Are you trying to get yourself or others killed?! Its anarchy. Are you f-ing kidding me. Cycling in the Netherlands is safe when people obey the rules, if they don't the whole system falls apart. Either the guy was suicidal or nuts, or they gave him a bike but didn't explain to him how to cycle... or he just thought ' fuck it'.
@@ohhi5237 no that is driving a car. Most people that die by an accident, where driving a car or where a passenger in a car. Same with head injuries. A car is the most dangerous way of transportation, especially in countries that have a terrible infrastructure like the USA has. More Americans die in a car accident than that there are soldiers killed in war! Just say Notting, because you say only dumb things!
I once cycled on a motorway by accident. One of the most scary experiences in my life. I surely did a big mistake. But it didn‘t help that I came from a three lane road that I had to (!) cycle on and there were no signs for bikes or bike lanes anywhere that would have let me to the correct route. (That was not in the netherlands but in the country I live.)
Wat ik mis is een uitleg over de voorrangregels als er geen borden of strepen zijn, maar uitwegconstructies. Wegen die uitkomen op de fietsstraat waar ik aan woon hebben geen borden of merktekens op de grond dat voorrang moet worden verleend, maar het is aangegeven door uitwegconstructies. De uitwegconstructies bestaan uit een visuele doortrekking van de trottoirs langs de fietsstraat door middel van de aanleg van een drempel met trottoirtegels.
Indien het een uitritconstructie is dient alle verkeer dat komt uit de straat waar die uitritconstructie zich bevindt voorrang te verlenen aan het verkeer in de straat waar de uitritconstructie op uitkomt. Of het een gewone straat is of een fietsstraat, dat maakt in deze niets uit. In the English: When a sidestreet has a junction with a through street and there is a sort of drivewaycontruction, the traffic that passes over the drivewayconstruction has to give priortity to the traffic in the through street whereto the sidestreet connects. It is the same whether the through street is a 'regular' street or a bicyclestreet.
Two interesting differences here in Germany: * we place the cycling light behind the intersection, just like the pedestrian lights. * signing the path for pedestrians is optional in both countries, but much more common in Germany.
The Netherlands is slowly beginning to move pedestrian signals to the near side, so every light is near sided. Which makes sense, because of what a light represents: permission to enter an intersection. No more, no less.
I was about to reply that most of the time here, it actually doesn't rain, but then I remembered that it's been consistently raining for hours every day for weeks on end now. :P
Most of the presented signs are European Standard signs - the only difference I can see compared to Germany: We also have fietsstraats, but most of the car drivers ignore them and it is allowed to pass bikes. BTW: I would never ever park my bike in one of these huge parking garages - looks like an invitation to thieves? Or are there any security mechanism - beside bike locks?
Yes, the general mechanism is called safety by numbers. Concerning theft I rather park my bike between many bikes than parking it lonely against a tree.
There are camera's down there and often there is a system where you have to show your number matches your bike number. They are way safer compared to the ones above the ground. I guess safety is in numbers too, since they have many bikes to chose from, it is unlikely to be your bike. Above the ground-short time, under the ground=safer is for a longer time.
Also the huge parking garages have bike racks that allow you to fasten your bike to it. So if you have a good lock, a thief needs big metal cutters or electrical equipment to cut your bike loose. I'm pretty sure someone will notice that, even in a huge parking garage. ;) And there quite often are security personell present in the larger parking facilities or camera's.
I'm not a fan of the red and blue system until there are some tweaks made. Here are some confusing problems and inconsistencies: White signs below a red or blue sign meaning exception.... but other times, it doesn't mean exception... At 3:04, white signs below a red sign means the white part is an exception to the sign above. So 5:45, the white sign having a right arrow underneath a blue sign with bicycle parking should "bicycles must park, but NOT at the right"... right? NOPE. Inconsistent usage of white sign under blue/red sign above. "White sign underneath red/blue is an exception to the rule" is the unspoken grammar of this sign system. Yet this system breaks its own GRAMMAR rule, being INCONSISTENT. Contradictory visuals. 4:22 blue top sign suggests cars must not overtake bicycles... but the white sign below has bicycles BEHIND the car. this is sending mixed messages. Inconsistent usage of slashes. 4:47 the no parking sign has a slash through it.... so slash means "NO {x}", right? in this case, where x= blue aka no going here. 3:31 But the end of the road has a slash, so so someone might think slash means "no X", road having a slash ruins that understanding. The difference is that the no parking one has a red circle around it, but all in all, it's confusing. No symbol for car: Does the general no parking applies for cars only, or all types of vehicles? How about if it's the no parking symbol with a bicycle - does it mean cars can park there, or ONLY bikes must not park there? Overall, interesting and nice system. red and blue are colorblind-proof, so that's a good thing. But there are lots of inconsistencies and confusing ways they denote things. It could be better. with these issues resolved.
+martinOnTheWeb dude just before summer break I saw somebody move probably half a disassembled bed on a bike. Small boards into the bike bags leaning on each other and his back, the bottom held in his arm while biking one-handed
@@juno5301 technically the sign entering the roundabout is also optional: yield and a right arrow (both are there anyway) should be enough. And that arrow is also very much given by the design ;)
Nope, it means forbidden for everyone, except the ones that are displayed underneath the sign. So technicly yes, forbidden for pedestrians, but also for any other traffic except cyclist or mopeds/scooters. For this instance there is a sidewalk, where pedestrians can walk, however you shouldn't walk into a street with this sign where there's no sidewalk.
No, that sign indicates there's no entry to any traffic except bikes (etc.). Pedestrians are not considered participants of traffic in Dutch traffic laws.
It's easy. Most Dutchies don't even know/pay attention to these signs. The bike lane tells you everything you need to know. Red is good. When the red ends, or you see shark teeth, you stop and take a good look around. I'm Dutch, I've been cycling daily since I was five. Never a problem or an accident. And yet most of these signs in the video were "new" to me. Dutch cyclists don't even look at them. We just look at the road and at traffic lights. That's it.
As explained in the video, in The Netherlands it´s forbidden to cycle on a motorway. This is displayed by a square blue sign with a white car in it. However in The Netherlands we tend to have seperate bicycle lanes, from the normal road, outside the city limits. Beware though, these lanes can also be used by agriculture vehicles.
I guess it‘s still not common though. The people from the headlines seem to be the exception. Drivers driving on the wrong side are probably also quite rare.
im american and will probably never go to the netherlands why the heck did I just watch 6 minutes of a video telling me about road signs in a country I rarely hear about
@Robot404 Because you guys are trying to soften your image and learn about other countries of the world as a counterweight for the large, better-known, arrogant group of Americans that clearly state that it's America First? We appreciate all the attention and praise or interest that we've been getting from many Americans throughout the last 2 years. :) It shows we shouldn't judge the entire country just because a large percentage behaves in a certain way.
One more thing that is probably missing is when fast cyclists overtake slow cyclists. The fast cyclists should overtake from the slow cyclist's left side. In Belgium,I observe that fast cyclists, buggys, ebikes, overtake from the right side. If the slow cyclist is occupying too much space on the path, then the fast cyclist from behind should indicate with a bell to the slow one to make way onto the right side of the path. Then I also see pedestrians, using the bike paths for walking, walk in the opposite direction of th cyclists instead of keeping to the same direction. I wonder why? If there is mixed pedestrian bike traffic on a bike path, then cyclists n pedestrains should be biking and walking in the same direction respectively. Doesn't the highway code of overtake- faster-fast-slow traffic apply to bike paths? Are people not aware?
In the Netherlands cyclists basically need to pass slower traffic on the left side as all other traffic. There is one exception though: as our place on the road is on the most right side of it, cyclists are allowed to pass slower cars on the right side as well. Even trucks and busses, although that's obviously not always the smarty thing to do. Pedestrians van walk on either side of the road when there is no curb. Years ago it was even mandatory to walk on the left side, so you would be able to see oncoming traffic and can react on that. Especially when there are also cars on the road I still prefer to walk on the left, against the traffic.
Walking in the opposite direction of cyclists is actually a deliberate safety measure; it ensures that you are always visually aware of all the cycle traffic on your 'side' of the path, so that you can evade it if eg. a cyclist isn't paying attention and is about to hit you. If you're walking on the 'right' side, it would be possible for a distracted cyclist to come up from behind you and hit you without any warning.
Rules on which direction to walk make no sence in general. It would make most places incredibly difficult to access. Imagine if you‘d have to walk another block it you want to leave a store. That‘s why only bikes have to stick to one direction on a shared path (unless it‘s two way for bikes as well). It is annoying if pedestrians walk on your path (my opinion as a cyclist). But I do understand. I think it‘s normal to not be hyper(!)focused on rules while walking. And walking should be the most easy way for that. You‘re not steering a vehicle at high speed after all. Often the line between bikepath and pavement isn‘t that clear and the pavement is quite small for the capacity of people walking. And sometimes people walking are children who are not used to the rules the same way. And sometimes old. And sometimes people‘s mobility aids work better on the bikepath.
cycling is easier than it looks. you only have to think of 2 things: keep enough speed to keep going forward and not fall over. (a bike wants to stay upright so you won't fall over unless you're almost stationary) keep your steering wheel straight the hardest part is the start of your ride. because you have to get a bit of momentum before your bike wants to stay upright. easiest way to get that bit of (starting) momentum is to use your foot to push of against the ground or curb. (like you would while using a step)
It's not. These isgns are international standard all around the world, so 90% of the world nows what they mean already. This is a video that's only targeted at North America, because they decided not to do the sane thing and require a lot more reading.
I wonder if your regulators ever stopped to think that if they have exceptions along with an old system of signage that there is something wrong with a system that isn't automatically intuitive? I applaud the Dutch for taking the initiative for the world to follow but surely your signage could be made self explanatory & less complicated.
I don't see how you can make these signs any simpler. Everyone learns them when getting their drivers license, if you're not even able to earn your license then I wouldn't want you on our roads anyway.
+MeatNinja With your drivers license? That is late! I got 'verkeer'(traffic) in school starting at the age of 6 which told us things like 'Wear bright colours in the dark, make sure your bike lights are always on if the street lights are', 'These are the road signs' and 'Truck drivers can see remarkably little. With us today is Mark and his truck, in which we will one by one try to spot the others from the drivers sear as they walk around'. At age 11 we then got a practical exam too which was basically 'navigate from X to Y to Z then back to X while only having done so once with help and obeying the rules of traffic'
Dutch directness? Would you rather we lie or that we speak the truth? Cycling in the Netherlands is simply from A to B. from home to work from home to the sports club and do some shopping. and not for fun. Cheap fast plain grab a beer in the pub And bike home Best regards Frits
Us singn are just as complicated, and contain loads of text. Most of the time when driving you don't have time to read those signs so they are quite unsafe. The European signs take some getting used to, but once you get the system of symbolism it is very easy and recogniseable from afar. Red&white means caution/danger. Round red&white means you are not allowed to do this or this is not allowed. Triangle red&white means caution or give way. Blue means you must do this. The white signs underneath another sign show exeptions. Simple as can be. Summed up in 4 sentences, and as i said super recogniseable from far away.
You *are* allowed to overtake cyclists in the bicycle street (fietsstraat) in The Netherlands, unless it is restricted via additional signs. On the other hand, overtaking is not allowed in Belgium in Belgian fietsstraten. nl.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fietsstraat
Correct. Fietsstraten are not enforceable, because they're informational signs. So you have to find other ways to get rid of most of the car traffic, and stimulate desired behaviour. This is also the reason Dutch fietsstraten function much better, because they're much more than just a sign. They take the design of the surrounding area into account.
![Round the clock cycling in the Netherlands [112]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Hb0QjASuuqI/mqdefault.jpg)
![Cycling and Heavy Goods Vehicles in the Netherlands [295]](/img/n.gif)
Just one addition to these regulations: you are allowed to cycle two abreast if there is space, but you have to return to single file to give way arnd when people want to pass you. If you hear a bell ringing behind you, that often means that someone wants to pass you and you have to cycle single file for a while. Look behind you when you hear a ringing bell and again to check if you can cycle two abreast again.
Thanks for opening my eyes on a lot of signs that was confusing me. Awsome work
Meanwhile, in Iceland, anarchy rules bicycles. Bicycles can be ridden on roads or on sidewalks, but nowhere do you get the priority: Cars have priority on the roads, and pedestrians on the sidewalks. Very few bicycle lanes exist and road signs for bicycles are unheard of.
Maybe it is a good idea to hire a group of Danish and Dutch experts to solve the problem... ;-) I think that there is no real problem in Iceland about cyclists, there are not that many cyclists there (as far as I know..) and it is said the Icelandic people are relaxed drivers. I believe the latter without any problem!! I hope to visit your country in the nearby future! And start learning some Icelandic as well... Ég ekki tala Íslensku svo vel... Áfram Ísland!! Bestu kveðjur!
Wow, somewhere worse than UK.
has this changed?
@@marcvanderwee you don't even really need experts. an avid watcher of this channel could do a much better job than what exists.
bicycles are actually probably the best way to travel from an overall standpoint - it's much much faster than walking and takes about the same energy.
it can go almost as far as cars going medium speed in many cases, so combined with the fact that most car trips are less than 7km, bicycles would be a great option. especially if you care about global warming or simply noise pollution.
yet bicycles are given the least priority when it should be accommodating and encouraged the most
(Dutchman speaking)
In practical sence it's the easiest thing to do (easier then walking).
Stick to the red carpet and only stop till you hit a red light.
Every car driver is also a cyclist and therefor very considered of cyclists.
I have seen several related videos and it's almost impossible to see any mountain bike in the Netherlands, why? Just tradition? In Spain you can only see three kinds of bycicles, in this order of frequency: mountain, road-race and folding. Of course living in a country full of hills in the cities and mountains everywhere cycling is not very easy, unless you want to arrive to a meeting or job tired and swearing.
We don't really need mountain bikes or off-road bikes. We also don't really care what kind of bike it is, as long as it's functional as transportation. But other than that our "omafietsen" ("grandma bikes") are just way more comfortable to ride. Sitting upright is also safer, because you can (and need) to anticipate a lot and people tend to move slower - opposed to being in a racing position. It's better to be able to look over the cars than to go in head first. It's also a bike type that is multipurpose for any situation - well maybe not optimal for actual mountains, but we certainly have steep slopes and bridges to climb that can be tough. Folding bikes are common for people that also take the train or other public transport. But yeah again it's all about practicality and efficiency. And you will be training to get used to cycling, just by doing it and then you won't be as sweaty (but probably wet from rain) :)
Extra consideration for what bikes we use: If you take the bike to work, you might want to bring a bag of stuff, just like when you go by car. For this purpose, a lot of Dutch bikes which allow you to sit upright are also installed with 'bike bags': Bags attached to the bike frame in which you can put your school supplies or groceries. Some are even designed to be taken off then used as backpack inside!
Mountain bikes are rare because they specialize (afaik) in rough terrain and hills, but most cyclists will only bike through the city where the terrain is nice and flat and asphalted. If you go to the dunes or into a forest you might encounter more people on a mountainbike. A road-race bike is also rare because of the danger that Robin mentioned and because of reduced practicality in city situations: It is hard to carry stuff anywhere on it but inside your pockets, they usually don't come with installed locks and your speed is often limited due to the speed of other cyclists anyway.
Walter van beek:
"Every car driver is also a cyclist and therefor very considered of cyclists"
Besides the great infrastructure, I think this is a key reason why cycling works so well in the Netherlands.
In Ireland, most car drivers have not cycled since childhood. They are often themselves physically unhealthy, and instantly full of anger and aggression when they see a cyclist. It's a very neanderthal attitude.
@@newhuskytwenty
You are asking why you don't see mountain bikes in a country without mountains, really?
Thank you for this informative video. Your combination of road rules with footage and personal experience is very reassuring for a visiting Brit. I hope to avoid the newspapers.
you gotta be rather dim, to not understand them in the first place. . .
Best gecompliceerd als je alles achter elkaar zo ziet. ‘We’ maken het ingewikkeld met al onze regels.
Je uitleg is helder! En volgens mij nagenoeg compleet. Knap gedaan
Thanks for this helpful and useful video. I am taking my first cycle tour of the Netherlands next week and this has been very useful in my preparations.
Same.
Just stumbled accross this video. How was your trip 9years ago?
4.99 to 5.08. The blue sign with text 'Rechtsaf voor fietsers vrij' means right turn allowed without waiting for the traffic light. You have to watch the other traffic from the left, and if there is no traffic you can turn right no matter whether the traffic light is red or green.
This is for cyclists only, not for motorised traffic! 'Fietsers' is Dutch for cyclists...
Interesting - in Germany we use a sign for that ;)
Awesome information.
I have been wanting to learn about the road marking/signs.
In the US road signs are often far to the side and/or above normal view. Also, most signs are white and blend in with the sky easily.
As a cyclist I have learned to love road markings.
Every state I have lived in has laws that road users must read all road signs. Any speed over 25mph is to fast to read most or all signs. Stupid with high speed limits.
Many Americans do not know most road sign meanings either.
Sorry for the late response but i am just amased at your comment...
How on earth does someone pass their theoretical drivers test if they don't know their road signs? Il live in belgium and you need to take a test with 50 questions and you have to get AT LEAST 41/50 correct. We have traffic violations of 4 different categories. Fines increase with the category, category 1&2 being light traffic violations and 3&4 heavy traffic violations. If you make a mistake involving a category 3 or 4 violation you instantly lose 5 points. So on your theorectical test, making 2 mistakes involving two heavy violations means you instantly fail, don't even get your learning permit, and can't even start your practical learning.
Are rules for getting a drivers licence really THAT loose in the US?
"Are rules for getting a drivers licence really THAT loose in the US?"
YES IT IS! @@johanwittens7712
@@jbird4478 Texas has that sign but it shows a large human stick figure walking two small human stick figures across a crosswalk. The picture is bright white on a school bus yellow triangle sign
Very informative. I wasn't aware of more than half of the information you just detailed.
It really helps when there are global simple paradigm rules instead of memorizing a bunch of detailed individual rules. In that spirit, here are some better ways to explain things.
"sharks teeth pointing toward you" look just like the international yield sign at 3:56.
So explicitly stating this connection by calling it "multiple white yield signs" instead of "shark's teeth pointing toward you" makes the connection and the bigger picture logic of the system clearer.
Likewise, you can point out that the upside down yield sign triangle means the opposite of the downward pointing yield sign - you have priority.
Very well presented and informative. Heel erg bedankt Mark.
Excellent. Thanks, Mark.
Why am I watching this, I have a Dutch drivers license...
Exact dat :P
There are many drivers that should now the rules, but drive around like they got their license as something they got out of their cereal box..
Mischien ben je diep in je hart liever een fietser
Meanwhile America is still trying to learn what a kilometer is
Sorta like a mile, but like everything else in Europe, it's adorably small.
0.62 miles
@@jordanrodrigues8265 or everything in Asia, South America, Africa, Antartica, & Oceania :) Everyone uses S.I system officialy except for 3 countries.
And the UK still isn't bothering to try. Unfortunately.
@@jordanrodrigues8265 I'm Dutch, we're the tallest around ;)
Though our country itself is adorably small indeed xd
Very useful video. Thank you!
Thank you so much for this.
Thank you, did not know this! I drove in Canada I was confused.
I guess it's mostly for non europeans as if you live in Europe, you should know most of these signs already but it's always good to repeat what you already know. :D The ones with words are a bit confusing at first if you don't speak dutch.. :D good thing we like to roll in my village so i have a few years experience on the bike..
cycling exercise makes the body fresh increase immunity in the body, bright mind, body, healthy, looks like the body will restore new stamina, happy thoughts
when cycling home from school in the rain for 45m i have the exact opposite things as mentioned by you
why does this explain netherlands signs better than the book for my drivers test here in america?
I would love to see signs that are TRULY international for motorized and non-motorized vehicles as I believe that could stop a lot of confusion all the way around, but I'm just an 'old fool' so what would I know.
Thanks for the quick lesson on cycling/traffic signs in the Netherlands.
There were a few with some dutch words on it. But most of those are just like, for example, germany - or so similar that you get it immediately anyway.
4:30 it is a huge difference between have priority and to expect priority
You get priority, you don't take it.
I wish eye-level cycle traffic signals were standard in the US. My city has annoying signals that restrict the angle that you can view them at-like a phone privacy screen.
See, this is why international standards and conventions exist, such as the Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals. Of course, the US (and a few other countries which follow it) has to be different in this as well and develop its own signs which are text-heavy and less universal than the symbols used most everywhere else in the world, all for basically no benefit at all.
Great video. Its about time someone explained this to non- dutchies. They should really show this to not just tourists but immigrants as well. They tend to get into trouble and cause dangerous situations. A group of immigrants was found cycling against traffic on a freeway.... are you nuts, its a suicide mission! Their argument was that the road was flatter... yeah cause its for cars. Also I saw one on the roundabout going in the wrong direction swerving past upcoming cyclists (which should have been his first clue he was doing it wrong), than without signaling he got off the roundabout IN THE CAR LINE against traffic and crossed the street (were you're not allowed to cross and cars won't expect you coming) only to cycle into a street where cycling was not allowed and going against traffic as well. I was in shock when I saw it. Are you trying to get yourself or others killed?! Its anarchy. Are you f-ing kidding me. Cycling in the Netherlands is safe when people obey the rules, if they don't the whole system falls apart. Either the guy was suicidal or nuts, or they gave him a bike but didn't explain to him how to cycle... or he just thought ' fuck it'.
cycling is suicidal all over the world already
@@ohhi5237 no that is driving a car. Most people that die by an accident, where driving a car or where a passenger in a car. Same with head injuries. A car is the most dangerous way of transportation, especially in countries that have a terrible infrastructure like the USA has.
More Americans die in a car accident than that there are soldiers killed in war!
Just say Notting, because you say only dumb things!
@@ohhi5237 no it isn't unless you don't know the rules :)
I always thought, cycling in the Netherlands is self-explaining - but maybe because the rules and signs in Germany are 99% the same.
I once cycled on a motorway by accident. One of the most scary experiences in my life. I surely did a big mistake. But it didn‘t help that I came from a three lane road that I had to (!) cycle on and there were no signs for bikes or bike lanes anywhere that would have let me to the correct route.
(That was not in the netherlands but in the country I live.)
Thank you for the great video!
At 1:38 - are you really saying that that sign means to go LEFT around in a roundabout???
I don't feel 'left' or 'right' are clear directions on a roundabout. Anticlockwise (NL) or clockwise (UK) make rore sense.
You go right to enter the roundabout, but once you are on it you go left, until you want to exit again.
@@hendman4083 When you are on it, you go straight
3:33 will you get a ticket if you ride your bike next to where the cars are parked, or no?
I'll keep coming back to this video until I master cycling in the Netherlands
1:28 do you think i get fined when i park my horse there?
Yes.
@@ohhi5237 what if it's a 3-legged horse?
@@Antonio_611 The horse needs to display his valid permit. If so, no tickets will be issued.
Nope: at 2:04 Means Bad road quality
A single dump means road bumps.
A single bump means "speedbump ahead" (drempel). Atleast it does in Belgium
Wat ik mis is een uitleg over de voorrangregels als er geen borden of strepen zijn, maar uitwegconstructies. Wegen die uitkomen op de fietsstraat waar ik aan woon hebben geen borden of merktekens op de grond dat voorrang moet worden verleend, maar het is aangegeven door uitwegconstructies. De uitwegconstructies bestaan uit een visuele doortrekking van de trottoirs langs de fietsstraat door middel van de aanleg van een drempel met trottoirtegels.
Sorry, Uitwegconstructies moet zijn uitritconstructies
Indien het een uitritconstructie is dient alle verkeer dat komt uit de straat waar die uitritconstructie zich bevindt voorrang te verlenen aan het verkeer in de straat waar de uitritconstructie op uitkomt. Of het een gewone straat is of een fietsstraat, dat maakt in deze niets uit.
In the English: When a sidestreet has a junction with a through street and there is a sort of drivewaycontruction, the traffic that passes over the drivewayconstruction has to give priortity to the traffic in the through street whereto the sidestreet connects. It is the same whether the through street is a 'regular' street or a bicyclestreet.
Two interesting differences here in Germany:
* we place the cycling light behind the intersection, just like the pedestrian lights.
* signing the path for pedestrians is optional in both countries, but much more common in Germany.
The Netherlands is slowly beginning to move pedestrian signals to the near side, so every light is near sided. Which makes sense, because of what a light represents: permission to enter an intersection. No more, no less.
I was about to reply that most of the time here, it actually doesn't rain, but then I remembered that it's been consistently raining for hours every day for weeks on end now. :P
Well, this summer you have a point :D
well "most fo the time" your commute isnt dry either... 1% rain will still get you SOAKED
Ładnie,mądre informacje,pozdrawiam
Good system
Come visit Ireland where we use both sign systems together
Most of the presented signs are European Standard signs - the only difference I can see compared to Germany: We also have fietsstraats, but most of the car drivers ignore them and it is allowed to pass bikes.
BTW: I would never ever park my bike in one of these huge parking garages - looks like an invitation to thieves? Or are there any security mechanism - beside bike locks?
Yes, the general mechanism is called safety by numbers. Concerning theft I rather park my bike between many bikes than parking it lonely against a tree.
There are camera's down there and often there is a system where you have to show your number matches your bike number. They are way safer compared to the ones above the ground. I guess safety is in numbers too, since they have many bikes to chose from, it is unlikely to be your bike. Above the ground-short time, under the ground=safer is for a longer time.
Also the huge parking garages have bike racks that allow you to fasten your bike to it. So if you have a good lock, a thief needs big metal cutters or electrical equipment to cut your bike loose. I'm pretty sure someone will notice that, even in a huge parking garage. ;)
And there quite often are security personell present in the larger parking facilities or camera's.
1:37 LEFT around the roundabout?
I'm not a fan of the red and blue system until there are some tweaks made. Here are some confusing problems and inconsistencies:
White signs below a red or blue sign meaning exception.... but other times, it doesn't mean exception...
At 3:04, white signs below a red sign means the white part is an exception to the sign above.
So 5:45, the white sign having a right arrow underneath a blue sign with bicycle parking should "bicycles must park, but NOT at the right"... right? NOPE.
Inconsistent usage of white sign under blue/red sign above.
"White sign underneath red/blue is an exception to the rule" is the unspoken grammar of this sign system.
Yet this system breaks its own GRAMMAR rule, being INCONSISTENT.
Contradictory visuals.
4:22
blue top sign suggests cars must not overtake bicycles...
but the white sign below has bicycles BEHIND the car.
this is sending mixed messages.
Inconsistent usage of slashes.
4:47 the no parking sign has a slash through it.... so slash means "NO {x}", right? in this case, where x= blue aka no going here.
3:31 But the end of the road has a slash, so so someone might think slash means "no X",
road having a slash ruins that understanding.
The difference is that the no parking one has a red circle around it, but all in all, it's confusing.
No symbol for car:
Does the general no parking applies for cars only, or all types of vehicles?
How about if it's the no parking symbol with a bicycle - does it mean cars can park there, or ONLY bikes must not park there?
Overall, interesting and nice system. red and blue are colorblind-proof, so that's a good thing.
But there are lots of inconsistencies and confusing ways they denote things.
It could be better. with these issues resolved.
Flying deer are a serious issue in the netherlands, you really need to be careful of those!
A 25 tonne, 3.5 metre high bicycle. WOW! you Dutch are crazy !!
LOL
Manus_k40 thats just a small bike here
Yo momma
+martinOnTheWeb dude just before summer break I saw somebody move probably half a disassembled bed on a bike. Small boards into the bike bags leaning on each other and his back, the bottom held in his arm while biking one-handed
That's what we call a 'bakfiets', or cargo bike...
No sign for 'End Of Roundabout" ?
when would you use that. Is it not clear that a roundabout ends?
🤣😂
@@juno5301 Where would you place it...its round. There is no end cause there is no beginning to the roundabout.
Such sign can only be described in a Roundabout way :P
@@juno5301 technically the sign entering the roundabout is also optional: yield and a right arrow (both are there anyway) should be enough. And that arrow is also very much given by the design ;)
Heb gelijk mijn kennis weer afkunnen stoffen.
3:14 Doesn't that sign technically mean that pedestrians are forbidden on the bridge??
Nope, it means forbidden for everyone, except the ones that are displayed underneath the sign. So technicly yes, forbidden for pedestrians, but also for any other traffic except cyclist or mopeds/scooters.
For this instance there is a sidewalk, where pedestrians can walk, however you shouldn't walk into a street with this sign where there's no sidewalk.
No, that sign indicates there's no entry to any traffic except bikes (etc.). Pedestrians are not considered participants of traffic in Dutch traffic laws.
@@SimonDeKater Incorrect. Pedestrians are a part of traffic. They simply aren't treated as drivers where as cyclists are.
Do you know how complicated the cycle path in Nederland is?! I’m so confused, so I have a bike but I choose not to use it 😭
@Robda Yes, you have the be a scientist to figure out that you can cycle on the red lanes in the Netherlands. 😉
that's bloody stupid then.
It's easy. Most Dutchies don't even know/pay attention to these signs. The bike lane tells you everything you need to know. Red is good. When the red ends, or you see shark teeth, you stop and take a good look around. I'm Dutch, I've been cycling daily since I was five. Never a problem or an accident. And yet most of these signs in the video were "new" to me. Dutch cyclists don't even look at them. We just look at the road and at traffic lights. That's it.
@@TheJenniferKK And not to forget: We also look at our cellular during cycling... ;-) At least many people do...
@@marcvanderwee Not for long, 1 juli it is forbidden to hold your phone while you are riding your bike.
1:20 has me scratching my head. They want you to park with your wheels on the curb?
Yes. This is used in very narrow streets or other situations without a lot of space to park. Mostly to make room for others.
Yes. Exactly as the sign indicates.
@@robinsommer Making space for cars I‘d add. Parking like this is usually limiting the sidewalk - which is already narrow in such cases. Not a fan.
how do you just cycle on a motorway its a bit dangerous in estonia its illegal do use anything that slower then 40kmh on 2+2 roads outside cities
As explained in the video, in The Netherlands it´s forbidden to cycle on a motorway. This is displayed by a square blue sign with a white car in it. However in The Netherlands we tend to have seperate bicycle lanes, from the normal road, outside the city limits. Beware though, these lanes can also be used by agriculture vehicles.
I guess it‘s still not common though. The people from the headlines seem to be the exception. Drivers driving on the wrong side are probably also quite rare.
im american and will probably never go to the netherlands why the heck did I just watch 6 minutes of a video telling me about road signs in a country I rarely hear about
@Robot404
Because you guys are trying to soften your image and learn about other countries of the world as a counterweight for the large, better-known, arrogant group of Americans that clearly state that it's America First?
We appreciate all the attention and praise or interest that we've been getting from many Americans throughout the last 2 years. :) It shows we shouldn't judge the entire country just because a large percentage behaves in a certain way.
You forgot the most important one. Don’t walk on the bike lane! Red means dead for pedestrians.
very easy he says at the end after a PhD level discourse on the rules of the road
One more thing that is probably missing is when fast cyclists overtake slow cyclists. The fast cyclists should overtake from the slow cyclist's left side. In Belgium,I observe that fast cyclists, buggys, ebikes, overtake from the right side. If the slow cyclist is occupying too much space on the path, then the fast cyclist from behind should indicate with a bell to the slow one to make way onto the right side of the path.
Then I also see pedestrians, using the bike paths for walking, walk in the opposite direction of th cyclists instead of keeping to the same direction. I wonder why? If there is mixed pedestrian bike traffic on a bike path, then cyclists n pedestrains should be biking and walking in the same direction respectively. Doesn't the highway code of overtake- faster-fast-slow traffic apply to bike paths? Are people not aware?
In the Netherlands cyclists basically need to pass slower traffic on the left side as all other traffic. There is one exception though: as our place on the road is on the most right side of it, cyclists are allowed to pass slower cars on the right side as well. Even trucks and busses, although that's obviously not always the smarty thing to do.
Pedestrians van walk on either side of the road when there is no curb. Years ago it was even mandatory to walk on the left side, so you would be able to see oncoming traffic and can react on that. Especially when there are also cars on the road I still prefer to walk on the left, against the traffic.
Walking in the opposite direction of cyclists is actually a deliberate safety measure; it ensures that you are always visually aware of all the cycle traffic on your 'side' of the path, so that you can evade it if eg. a cyclist isn't paying attention and is about to hit you. If you're walking on the 'right' side, it would be possible for a distracted cyclist to come up from behind you and hit you without any warning.
Rules on which direction to walk make no sence in general. It would make most places incredibly difficult to access. Imagine if you‘d have to walk another block it you want to leave a store.
That‘s why only bikes have to stick to one direction on a shared path (unless it‘s two way for bikes as well).
It is annoying if pedestrians walk on your path (my opinion as a cyclist). But I do understand. I think it‘s normal to not be hyper(!)focused on rules while walking. And walking should be the most easy way for that. You‘re not steering a vehicle at high speed after all.
Often the line between bikepath and pavement isn‘t that clear and the pavement is quite small for the capacity of people walking. And sometimes people walking are children who are not used to the rules the same way. And sometimes old. And sometimes people‘s mobility aids work better on the bikepath.
Wow! great. I want to be cyclist but I don't know how to balance.
In holland we learn to cycle using "zijwieltjes" first
cycling is easier than it looks.
you only have to think of 2 things:
keep enough speed to keep going forward and not fall over. (a bike wants to stay upright so you won't fall over unless you're almost stationary)
keep your steering wheel straight
the hardest part is the start of your ride. because you have to get a bit of momentum before your bike wants to stay upright.
easiest way to get that bit of (starting) momentum is to use your foot to push of against the ground or curb. (like you would while using a step)
Waarom kijk ik dit?
Mm goeie vraag,zat ik ook net aan te denken
Is toch beetje zelf reflectie,ga ik later nog eens over nadenken...van hoe en waarom,hoe het zo gekomen is
I've never seen a cycle parking spot
haha
Ja ik ben Nederlands
To me that‘s just a bike rack. Or a street sign or anything firm in the ground where it makes sence to park.
Ik mis NL❤️
You know, I think signs might be the one place where the US did it better.
It's not. These isgns are international standard all around the world, so 90% of the world nows what they mean already. This is a video that's only targeted at North America, because they decided not to do the sane thing and require a lot more reading.
Meanwhile in my 3rd world shithole we barely have any signs on the roads! Hardcore urban cycling
I wonder if your regulators ever stopped to think that if they have exceptions along with an old system of signage that there is something wrong with a system that isn't automatically intuitive? I applaud the Dutch for taking the initiative for the world to follow but surely your signage could be made self explanatory & less complicated.
daytriker You must be an American...
I don't see how you can make these signs any simpler. Everyone learns them when getting their drivers license, if you're not even able to earn your license then I wouldn't want you on our roads anyway.
+MeatNinja With your drivers license? That is late! I got 'verkeer'(traffic) in school starting at the age of 6 which told us things like 'Wear bright colours in the dark, make sure your bike lights are always on if the street lights are', 'These are the road signs' and 'Truck drivers can see remarkably little. With us today is Mark and his truck, in which we will one by one try to spot the others from the drivers sear as they walk around'. At age 11 we then got a practical exam too which was basically 'navigate from X to Y to Z then back to X while only having done so once with help and obeying the rules of traffic'
We learn traffic rules and regulations in school, a 12 year old kid knows these signs.
Dutch directness? Would you rather we lie or that we speak the truth?
Cycling in the Netherlands is simply from A to B.
from home to work from home to the sports club
and do some shopping.
and not for fun.
Cheap fast plain grab a beer in the pub And bike home
Best regards
Frits
very complicated for this American.
Chase Sage Well, at the risk of being political, your hat gives a clue that these basic signs might be difficult for you.
Americans are allowed to use guns in complicated situations
Us singn are just as complicated, and contain loads of text. Most of the time when driving you don't have time to read those signs so they are quite unsafe. The European signs take some getting used to, but once you get the system of symbolism it is very easy and recogniseable from afar. Red&white means caution/danger. Round red&white means you are not allowed to do this or this is not allowed. Triangle red&white means caution or give way. Blue means you must do this. The white signs underneath another sign show exeptions. Simple as can be. Summed up in 4 sentences, and as i said super recogniseable from far away.
If kids can understand what they mean, so can you
You *are* allowed to overtake cyclists in the bicycle street (fietsstraat) in The Netherlands, unless it is restricted via additional signs. On the other hand, overtaking is not allowed in Belgium in Belgian fietsstraten.
nl.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fietsstraat
Correct. Fietsstraten are not enforceable, because they're informational signs. So you have to find other ways to get rid of most of the car traffic, and stimulate desired behaviour. This is also the reason Dutch fietsstraten function much better, because they're much more than just a sign. They take the design of the surrounding area into account.