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Nearly 10,000 cyclists in Netherlands fined after mobile phone ban – in four months

Law came into effect on 1 July this year

Nearly 10,000 cyclists in the Netherlands have been fined for using a handheld mobile phone while riding a bike since a change in the law earlier this year, according to figures released by the country’s justice ministry.

Since the change in the law, 9,200 people riding bikes and using phones without a hands-free kit have been issued with fines, according to the website iamexpat.nl.

The offence is punishable by a fine of €95 plus costs.

We don’t know how many motorists have been fined in the Netherlands during the same period for illegal use of a mobile phone while driving.

However, it is clear to anyone with the slightest interest in road safety that the propensity of someone distracted by their mobile device to cause harm to others is way higher if they are driving a motor vehicle than riding a bike.

But for context, in the whole of 2015, just under 17,000 drivers were fined for using a handheld mobile phone at the wheel in England and Wales – with those two countries having a combined population around three-and-a-half  times larger than that of the Netherlands.

In 2017, the punishment for the offence here was doubled to a £200 fine and the motorist’s driving licence being endorsed with six penalty points.

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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28 comments

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Hirsute | 4 years ago
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Thanks, so it's the left paw hand then.

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hawkinspeter replied to Hirsute | 4 years ago
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hirsute wrote:

Thanks, so it's the left paw hand then.

I think they use the same side paw as the side that they're pulling into, so it'd mostly be the right paw in Denmark. (I didn't see any squirrels over there, but there seemed to be a lot of dogs which might explain why. Can't recall seeing any cats either.)

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fixedwhip replied to hawkinspeter | 4 years ago
1 like
hawkinspeter wrote:

hirsute wrote:

Thanks, so it's the left paw hand then.

I think they use the same side paw as the side that they're pulling into, so it'd mostly be the right paw in Denmark. (I didn't see any squirrels over there, but there seemed to be a lot of dogs which might explain why. Can't recall seeing any cats either.)

You hold up your left hand because you'll be towards the right hand side of the lane (near the pavement) when stopping. Not everyone does it though, especially when you're going from one red light to another so more or less coast at walking pace to the stop.

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hawkinspeter replied to fixedwhip | 4 years ago
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fixedwhip wrote:
hawkinspeter wrote:

hirsute wrote:

Thanks, so it's the left paw hand then.

I think they use the same side paw as the side that they're pulling into, so it'd mostly be the right paw in Denmark. (I didn't see any squirrels over there, but there seemed to be a lot of dogs which might explain why. Can't recall seeing any cats either.)

You hold up your left hand because you'll be towards the right hand side of the lane (near the pavement) when stopping. Not everyone does it though, especially when you're going from one red light to another so more or less coast at walking pace to the stop.

Oops - looks like I was doing it wrong then. I also struggled a bit with the reverse-pedal rear brakes on those bikes.

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Rich_cb | 4 years ago
2 likes

I spend a reasonable amount of time in Amsterdam, in my experience distracted cyclists are a significant safety issue.

I've seen two crashes caused by the cyclist being on their phone and had a few near misses myself.

Fining those who put others in danger seems perfectly reasonable to me.

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alansmurphy replied to Rich_cb | 4 years ago
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Rich_cb wrote:

I spend a reasonable amount of time in Amsterdam.

 

Is this where you extensively research helmets? Stay safe!

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EddyBerckx | 4 years ago
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I think it's fair enough. I don't think it's acceptable on the cycle paths (superhighways especially) over here either...and I don't see how you can possibly justify it?

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Bmblbzzz | 4 years ago
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The figure of 17,000 drivers fined for phone-driving in England and Wales is not a good comparison, due to the different styles of policing and levels of enforcement. 

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Sriracha | 4 years ago
4 likes

Reading the comments on road.cc in general, you'd easily come to the conclusion that motor vehicle driving murderers and pedestrian zombies are wicked for using their phones, but it's quite OK for sainted cyclists.

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hawkinspeter | 4 years ago
1 like

Haven't been to Amsterdam for a while, but I recently visited Copenhagen. I would esitmate that half of the cyclists were using a phone whilst cycling and they didn't seem to consider it dangerous. Over there, there's almost a continuous line of cyclists going at more or less the same speed, so they probably don't need to be paying lots of attention - they just pootle along to where they want to go.

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Mb747 replied to hawkinspeter | 4 years ago
4 likes

hawkinspeter wrote:

... Over there, there's almost a continuous line of cyclists going at more or less the same speed, so they probably don't need to be paying lots of attention - they just pootle along to where they want to go.

Just like my drive to work, especially on the motorway

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fixedwhip replied to hawkinspeter | 4 years ago
3 likes
hawkinspeter wrote:

Haven't been to Amsterdam for a while, but I recently visited Copenhagen. I would esitmate that half of the cyclists were using a phone whilst cycling and they didn't seem to consider it dangerous. Over there, there's almost a continuous line of cyclists going at more or less the same speed, so they probably don't need to be paying lots of attention - they just pootle along to where they want to go.

I live in Copenhagen and cycle here every day, and can tell you that it certainly is dangerous. People pay far too little attention to what they're doing, which is particularly irresponsible in larger crowds.
Also the assumption that, because they're all going at the same speed, it is safe to not pay attention to what they're doing, is beyond stupid. Obviously you're going to be biased and think that people on bikes can do no wrong, but think for a second if that logic is applicable to any other vehicle...

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hawkinspeter replied to fixedwhip | 4 years ago
1 like

fixedwhip wrote:
hawkinspeter wrote:

Haven't been to Amsterdam for a while, but I recently visited Copenhagen. I would esitmate that half of the cyclists were using a phone whilst cycling and they didn't seem to consider it dangerous. Over there, there's almost a continuous line of cyclists going at more or less the same speed, so they probably don't need to be paying lots of attention - they just pootle along to where they want to go.

I live in Copenhagen and cycle here every day, and can tell you that it certainly is dangerous. People pay far too little attention to what they're doing, which is particularly irresponsible in larger crowds. Also the assumption that, because they're all going at the same speed, it is safe to not pay attention to what they're doing, is beyond stupid. Obviously you're going to be biased and think that people on bikes can do no wrong, but think for a second if that logic is applicable to any other vehicle...

My initial thought was that it looked dangerous, but I assumed that the natives knew what they were doing. I didn't see any crashes or close-calls, but I was only there for a week (lovely city by the way) so it'd be interesting to see the actual KSIs.

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fixedwhip replied to hawkinspeter | 4 years ago
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hawkinspeter wrote:

My initial thought was that it looked dangerous, but I assumed that the natives knew what they were doing. I didn't see any crashes or close-calls

First time I saw someone using their phone while driving it looked dangerous, but I assumed that someone with a driving licence knew what they were doing. I've genuinely never seen a car crash.

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hawkinspeter replied to fixedwhip | 4 years ago
1 like

fixedwhip wrote:
hawkinspeter wrote:

My initial thought was that it looked dangerous, but I assumed that the natives knew what they were doing. I didn't see any crashes or close-calls

First time I saw someone using their phone while driving it looked dangerous, but I assumed that someone with a driving licence knew what they were doing. I've genuinely never seen a car crash.

The motorised traffic in Copenhagen was greatly diminished (compared to e.g. Bristol) and seemed quite calm and relaxed, though when my wife and I hired some bikes, I did get a van turning right across me without indicating (luckily we predicted it and hung back a bit).

Personally, I don't think people are capable of using a mobile phone and paying sufficient attention to their surroundings, so it very much depends on what they are doing as to whether they are dangerous. e.g. people walking along and using phones may possibly bump into other people, cyclists using phones might crash or cause other cyclists to crash and motorists are likely to injure/kill someone if they're using their phones.

In your opinion, do you get the "aggressive" drivers over there? The ones that burn rubber overtaking someone that's going too slow, or speed up in order to get across junctions as lights turn red?

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fixedwhip replied to hawkinspeter | 4 years ago
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hawkinspeter wrote:

In your opinion, do you get the "aggressive" drivers over there? The ones that burn rubber overtaking someone that's going too slow, or speed up in order to get across junctions as lights turn red?

There are definitely some bad drivers, but it doesn't matter too much since I'm completely separate from them in the bike lane. You can tell that someone is going to drive like a tool (revving hard, driving way too fast, sometimes even running red lights) based on the fact they're driving a white Mercedes/Audi/BMW with blacked out windows, but everyone else is fine. And you only see that kind of driver in certain parts of the city anyway.

I'd say the main thing that makes it better here is how it's very obvious who has priority, and the rules are generally always followed. Though recently, I'm sure entirely coincidentally with the introduction of the dockless electric scooters, more people have been going through red lights on their bikes or going the wrong direction in the bike lane.

For example, if you look at the typical crossroads, rather than having 4 phases or something like in the UK, there are just two. Cars, pedestrians, and bikes all go at the same time in the same direction. Pedestrians have right of way, then bikes, then cars. If you want to turn left (remember we're on the opposite side of the road) you need to go straight, stop at the opposite side of the junction, turn on the spot, wait for the lights that go perpendicular, then go in that direction. At no point do you ever come into contact with other traffic - it's great! From my experience, the source of all of the problems experienced by people on bikes in the UK is not because of other people but just because of the lack of systems. And that will never happen in the UK, unless someone finds a way to magically make roads 5 metres wider. Roads in Copenhagen do not sacrifice room for cars in order to make room for bikes, which is what the UK is trying to do. All that does is make someone else's day harder, and make them unhappy.

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hawkinspeter replied to fixedwhip | 4 years ago
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fixedwhip wrote:

I'd say the main thing that makes it better here is how it's very obvious who has priority, and the rules are generally always followed. Though recently, I'm sure entirely coincidentally with the introduction of the dockless electric scooters, more people have been going through red lights on their bikes or going the wrong direction in the bike lane. For example, if you look at the typical crossroads, rather than having 4 phases or something like in the UK, there are just two. Cars, pedestrians, and bikes all go at the same time in the same direction. Pedestrians have right of way, then bikes, then cars. If you want to turn left (remember we're on the opposite side of the road) you need to go straight, stop at the opposite side of the junction, turn on the spot, wait for the lights that go perpendicular, then go in that direction. At no point do you ever come into contact with other traffic - it's great! From my experience, the source of all of the problems experienced by people on bikes in the UK is not because of other people but just because of the lack of systems. And that will never happen in the UK, unless someone finds a way to magically make roads 5 metres wider. Roads in Copenhagen do not sacrifice room for cars in order to make room for bikes, which is what the UK is trying to do. All that does is make someone else's day harder, and make them unhappy.

Yeah, it took me a while to get my head round the different junction rules. At first it was puzzling why everyone was obeying the red lights, even the pedestrians, but after a couple of days, you realise that a red light means that someone is just about to be crossing your path. It was strange as a pedestrian to be crossing the road and then getting stranded on the middle island if the lights changed whilst crossing.

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Bmblbzzz replied to fixedwhip | 4 years ago
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fixedwhip wrote:

For example, if you look at the typical crossroads, rather than having 4 phases or something like in the UK, there are just two. Cars, pedestrians, and bikes all go at the same time in the same direction. Pedestrians have right of way, then bikes, then cars.

That's typical of various (most?) "mainland"  countries.

Quote:

If you want to turn left (remember we're on the opposite side of the road) you need to go straight, stop at the opposite side of the junction, turn on the spot, wait for the lights that go perpendicular, then go in that direction.

But that's not! This particular maneouvre presumably applies only to bikes? Motor traffic presumably turns left analagously to turning right in the UK (but obviously giving way to the pedestrians and cyclists crossing the road it's turning into) or is there a different system? 

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hawkinspeter replied to Bmblbzzz | 4 years ago
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Bmblbzzz wrote:

fixedwhip wrote:

For example, if you look at the typical crossroads, rather than having 4 phases or something like in the UK, there are just two. Cars, pedestrians, and bikes all go at the same time in the same direction. Pedestrians have right of way, then bikes, then cars.

That's typical of various (most?) "mainland"  countries.

Quote:

If you want to turn left (remember we're on the opposite side of the road) you need to go straight, stop at the opposite side of the junction, turn on the spot, wait for the lights that go perpendicular, then go in that direction.

But that's not! This particular maneouvre presumably applies only to bikes? Motor traffic turns left analagously to turning right in UK (but giving way to pedestrians and bikes crossing the  road it's turning into), or is there a different system?

I think that's just for bikes. There's also a "new" hand-signal - hold your hand up if you're slowing down/stopping.

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Hirsute replied to hawkinspeter | 4 years ago
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hawkinspeter wrote:

I think that's just for bikes. There's also a "new" hand-signal - hold your hand up if you're slowing down/stopping.

I think I need an image to help me with that one.

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hawkinspeter replied to Hirsute | 4 years ago
4 likes

hirsute wrote:

hawkinspeter wrote:

I think that's just for bikes. There's also a "new" hand-signal - hold your hand up if you're slowing down/stopping.

I think I need an image to help me with that one.

Something like this though possibly with a bent elbow:

 

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StuInNorway replied to hawkinspeter | 4 years ago
1 like

Having visited Amsterdam in the summer I can assue you the concept we have of cyclists "pootling" is totally inaccurate. Some pootle along but a lot absolutely fly around. Sure most are on older city style bikes, but they still move. On the sections with the cycle lane on the pavement area they pass at speed, with a few cm to spare, and should you dare to have drifted 1mm over the worn out line dividing the sections (as large numbers of bikes ride the line) they will yell at you loudly.
At pedestrian crossings, they stop well after their stop line, and on several occasions I was "forced" (ok no one had to twist my arm hard) to either adjust the angle of their front wheel with a firmly placed foot, or in a couple of cases where they were blocking the crossing/footpath totally, I physically pushed their handlebars (and them) back across their stop line... 

Move away from the major commuter routes towards the old town, and people move at a gentler pace, but there the cycle lanes are few and far between.

hawkinspeter wrote:

Haven't been to Amsterdam for a while, but I recently visited Copenhagen. I would esitmate that half of the cyclists were using a phone whilst cycling and they didn't seem to consider it dangerous. Over there, there's almost a continuous line of cyclists going at more or less the same speed, so they probably don't need to be paying lots of attention - they just pootle along to where they want to go.

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Huw Watkins | 4 years ago
1 like

"However, it is clear to anyone with the slightest interest in road safety that the propensity of someone distracted by their mobile device to cause harm to others is way higher if they are driving a motor vehicle than riding a bike."

That's cheap and shoddy journalism.  The context is entirely different in Holland; where and how people ride there is very different to the UK.

Many more riders taking more journeys and riding more slowly in segragated infrastructure.  Most without helmets.  What is clear that someone not paying attention in a cycle lane over there could well cause safety problems for other cyclists.

The Dutch are steadily phasing out petrol and diesel cars from their cities and have long been committed to building public transport and cycling infrastructure so having a dig at them for implementing this law is just a bit juvenile.

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Expatpat | 4 years ago
5 likes

On the face of it this might seem unfair targeting of cyclists. However, here in the Netherlands cyclists and cars are generally separated by an excellent and safe cycle path network, and the hazard from dozy cyclists using mobile phones is a real issue to other cyclists and pedestrians.

Given the propensity of the average Dutch politie to fine everyone for anything, I imagine that the number of car drivers fined for mobile phone use is proportionately similar.

My own technique when racing up behind one of this miscreants on my stealth cycle is to scream like a banshee just at the point I reach them, which often results in a serious wobble and a dropped iphone.

 

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Htc replied to Expatpat | 4 years ago
1 like

Expatpat wrote:

On the face of it this might seem unfair targeting of cyclists. However, here in the Netherlands cyclists and cars are generally separated by an excellent and safe cycle path network, and the hazard from dozy cyclists using mobile phones is a real issue to other cyclists and pedestrians.

Given the propensity of the average Dutch politie to fine everyone for anything, I imagine that the number of car drivers fined for mobile phone use is proportionately similar.

My own technique when racing up behind one of this miscreants on my stealth cycle is to scream like a banshee just at the point I reach them, which often results in a serious wobble and a dropped iphone.

 

 

So you've decided to make yourself judge, jury and executioner just like many drivers on the road who aggressively pass cyclists, beeping their horns etc. Great work! Moron!

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Expatpat replied to Htc | 4 years ago
2 likes

Htc wrote:

Expatpat wrote:

On the face of it this might seem unfair targeting of cyclists. However, here in the Netherlands cyclists and cars are generally separated by an excellent and safe cycle path network, and the hazard from dozy cyclists using mobile phones is a real issue to other cyclists and pedestrians.

Given the propensity of the average Dutch politie to fine everyone for anything, I imagine that the number of car drivers fined for mobile phone use is proportionately similar.

My own technique when racing up behind one of this miscreants on my stealth cycle is to scream like a banshee just at the point I reach them, which often results in a serious wobble and a dropped iphone.

 

 

So you've decided to make yourself judge, jury and executioner just like many drivers on the road who aggressively pass cyclists, beeping their horns etc. Great work! Moron!

What a strange comment from someone who clearly needs anger management (send me a time date and place and I'll happily come and do that for you)

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Rick_Rude | 4 years ago
8 likes

Can't say any of them have my sympathies. On roads - off the phone.

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Rik Mayals unde... | 4 years ago
11 likes

Wow. 10,000 caught in four months. Imagine if the UK police adopted this attitude, but targeted motorists? 10,000 would be caught in four days. 

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