Special manoeuvres
Special manoeuvres may be necessary from time to time. These include:
- Driving away
This refers to pulling away after waiting on the side of the road or parking, e.g. in a parking space. - Reversing
Moving the vehicle backwards. - Driving over an entrance or exit construction
An entrance or exit construction can be recognised by a continuous pavement with lowered kerbs or exit blocks. You have to drive over the pavement, as it were. Drivers leaving the exit should preferably have right of way over those entering. - (U)-Turning
Turning the vehicle to drive in the opposite direction. - Getting in lane
Entering the main carriageway from the acceleration lane. - Exiting
Entering the deceleration lane from the main carriageway. - Changing lanes
A sideways manoeuvre where you move from one lane to the adjacent lane.
Giving way
When performing a special manoeuvre, you must give way to all other traffic. For example, if you want to enter an entrance construction, you should not hinder pedestrians. It does not matter if they are walking on the pavement or on the carriageway at the time.
Also when driving away, reversing, (U-)turning, getting in lane, exiting, and changing lanes, you must give way to all other traffic.
If the lesson car wants to reverse, it must give right of way to the pedestrian.
The lesson car has the obstacle on its side and must deviate from its lane to pass it. That is why the cyclist has priority over the lesson car.
Sometimes you have to deviate from your line (important lateral movement). For example because you have to go around something or go through a road narrowing. In that case, you must give way to oncoming traffic. If you both need to deviate from your line, you can mutually decide who is allowed first. In many of these cases there are signs that regulate who is allowed first.
F-5
When you approach this sign, oncoming traffic (including
pedestrians) may go first. This sign only applies to drivers.
F-6
When you approach this sign, oncoming drivers must let
you go first, even if you are a pedestrian.
If you have to drive past each other on a narrow road, someone may have to go into the verge. Please note that heavier vehicles such as lorries and passenger cars with trailers cannot enter the verge. They then run too much risk of the vehicles sinking or even falling over. In that case, the other driver must make extra space so that you can drive past each other.
With combined insertion and exit lanes (weaving lanes) it is best that the exiting driver takes precedence over the inserting driver. This often has more speed.
The lorry cannot go into the verge to deviate. The lesson car can do this and must give the lorry space.
Both cars want to change lanes. They must decide among themselves who has right of way, but it is preferable that the driver leaving the motorway goes first.
Indicating
In order for the other traffic to know what you are planning, it is mandatory to indicate when:
- driving away;
- overtaking other motor vehicles;
- getting in lane;
- exiting;
- changing lanes;
- making important lateral movements.
- Important lateral movements
Moving so far to the left or right that it is safer to indicate such to other traffic in advance.
Indicating when overtaking a cyclist or moped rider is not mandatory in itself, because these are not motor vehicles. But if you have to do an important lateral movement for this, indicating is mandatory nonetheless.
Indicating is intended to make clear what you are going to do. Do not use it to force others to give way to you!
Important points to note
A number of things are important when performing a special manoeuvre:
- The manoeuvre must be as short as possible.
- The manoeuvre must cause as little hindrance as possible to other traffic.
- Road safety must not be endangered.
- This must be permitted at the place where you perform the special manoeuvre.
Special manoeuvres are only allowed in places where this is permitted. For example, you may not turn, stop or reverse on the motorway and autoweg. Reversing and turning in a one-way street is also prohibited. In addition, U-turning may also be prohibited by a sign (F-7, U-turning ban).
C-3
One-way street, you are not allowed to make
a U-turn or reverse here
F-7
U-turning ban
Bus leaving a bus stop
Drivers should normally give way to all other traffic when driving away. There is one exception to this rule:
- Drivers must give way to bus drivers indicating an intention to leave a bus stop within built-up areas.
This applies to all buses, but only when using the indicator. Outside built-up areas, this does not apply.
The lesson car must give priority to the coach because it indicates that it wants to leave a bus stop in a built-up area.
The lesson car does not have to give priority to the bus because it wants to leave a bus stop outside a built-up area. This is only mandatory within built-up areas.
Passengers getting on or off the bus or tram
There are tram or bus stops where passengers have to get on or off the bus or tram in the middle of the road. Pay attention in these cases to whether there is a traffic island (refuge) or central reservation on which passengers can wait. If this is not the case, you must give way to passengers crossing the road. If there is a refuge or central reservation for passengers to wait on, giving way is not mandatory.
Tram passengers have no option to wait on a traffic island. The driver of the lesson car must therefore let them go first.
In this situation there is a traffic island for the passengers to wait. Therefore the driver of the lesson car is allowed to continue driving.
When you get in or out of the car yourself, you must keep in mind that, at that moment, you are a pedestrian. In that case, you must give way to drivers.
When entering the car, make sure you can see these drivers coming, by walking towards the door against traffic. For example, if you are parked parallelly on the right-hand side of the road, you walk in front of the car. Only walk to the car door when you can immediately get into the car quickly. Avoid standing between your car and passing traffic.
When getting out, open the door only after you have checked and are sure no one is coming. Again, walk back to the pavement against traffic.