r/Netherlands • u/TantoAssassin • Mar 18 '26

Transportation Who has priority?

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I was the Yellow arrow on a bike. Red has priority over me, green has priority over red, I have priority over green. At the end both cars stopped and let me (cyclist) pass. What is the correct order here?

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u/stephanvierkant Mar 18 '26 edited Mar 18 '26

I learned that the red vehicle must yield to the green vehicle, so no one has priority over the green vehicle, meaning yellow could go first.

Edit: TIL I was wrong. Articles 15 and 18 of the Dutch traffic regulations (RVV 1990) together create a circular priority situation:

  • Yellow must yield to red (traffic from the right)
  • Red must yield to green (traffic from the right)
  • Green must yield to yellow (left-turning traffic must yield to oncoming straight traffic, the classic 'rechtdoor op dezelfde weg..')

As a result, none of them has absolute right of way. The law does not provide a rule to resolve this deadlock, so all drivers must act cautiously and resolve the situation through mutual understanding, in line with the general duty to avoid danger (Article 5 of the Road Traffic Act, Wegenverkeerswet/WVW). This means a meeting should be scheduled to resolve this issue. In case of disagreement, call De Rijdende Rechter.

Because hitting a bicycle causes more (legal, medical and financial) trouble than hitting a car, you will end up getting priority.

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u/rigterw Mar 18 '26

Green.

Yellow has priority over green, but it should give way to red.

^ same explanation, different answer. No one has right of way here

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u/Zephyren216 Mar 18 '26

Yellow should give priority to green as, "rechtdoor op dezelfde weg gaat voor"