Behaviour when turning off
If you do not want to continue straight on at an intersection, but want to turn left or right, then you have to deal with several more traffic rules. You must then give way to more road users than when you continue straight on. Also keep in mind the road users in the blind spot.
- Blind spot
The area next to and diagonally behind the vehicle that you cannot observe via the mirrors. This area can only be (and sometimes only partially) observed by turning your head and look closely next to and diagonally behind you. In larger vehicles, the blind spots are also larger and more blind spots are added, such as right behind and right in front of the vehicle.
The coloured section is observable through the mirrors. The left wing mirror (darker area) is always required; the second mirror must be either a rearview mirror or a right wing mirror. All three may also be present. Depending on which mirrors are present, the blind spot changes. Outside the coloured area cannot be observed via the mirrors, you have to look by turning your head.
The coloured area is observable through the mirrors. The left mirror (darker area) is always required, but most mopeds are also fitted with a right mirror. Depending on which mirrors are present, the blind spot changes. Outside the coloured area cannot be observed via the mirrors, you have to look by turning your head.
Giving way
Once at the intersection, the following rules apply:
- You must give way to oncoming traffic on the same road. Including pedestrians!
The driver of the brommobiel must give way to the pedestrian. After all, the pavement also belongs to the road.
The driver of the brommobiel must give way to the cyclist. They are on the same road, even if they are on a separated cycle path.
- You must give way to through traffic that is next to you or behind you. Including pedestrians!
The cyclist next to the brommobiel is continuing straight on and may therefore go before the brommobiel.
The pedestrian is continuing straight on the same road as the moped rider. The pedestrian may therefore go first.
- If oncoming drivers want to enter the same road as you, then the driver that is turning right may go before the driver turning left. This is also described as ‘short bend goes before the long bend’.
The moped rider has the short bend. The driver of the blue car must give way to the moped rider.
The driver of the lorry may go before the moped rider. The lorry has the short bend.
- A tram turning off may go before all other traffic that approaches the tram from the front and back, or that is next to or diagonally behind the tram.
A tram turning off may always go first. In this case, the moped rider must wait.
It does not matter whether the tram approaches you from the front or back. Here, the tram may also go first.
Divergent priority road
Some priority roads do not run straight, but diverge. These divergent priority roads must be seen as the through road. If you leave this road, we speak of turning off. Only then the rules ‘through traffic on the same road goes before traffic turning off’ and ‘the short bend goes before the long bend’ apply.
This can be confusing, because there is a bend in the road. Try to imagine that the priority road is straight, with one (or more) side roads. The drivers on the divergent priority road are, relative to the side road, intersecting drivers. They therefore have priority over the drivers coming from the side road.
If you encounter a divergent priority road, try to ‘straighten’ it in your head and then apply the priority rules. The divergent priority road should be seen as the through carriageway. In these two situations, the priority is the same, the motorist may go before the moped rider because the motorist is driving on the priority road.
The rules for priority are the same in these two situations. In both situations, the cyclist may go first. Here, the cyclist is ‘through traffic’ even though it looks like they are turning off in the first situation. But the cyclist keeps following the priority road, just as in the second situation. The driver of the brommobiel is turning off in both situations.
Within the priority rules, continuing to follow a divergent priority rule does not count as turning off. However, it is expected of you to indicate direction when you keep following the road. Then, it is clear to the other road users that you keep driving on this road.
Divergent priority roads are usually indicated with supplementary plates under the sign ‘priority road’ or ‘priority intersection’. On these signs, the thick line indicates the priority road, and the thin line or lines indicate the side streets that must give way.
B-1 with supplementary plate
Divergent priority road to the left with two side streets.
B-4 with supplementary plate
Divergent priority intersection to the left with one side street.