When we ride between cities, we will do so in small groups. This means that you are legally our responsibility during this time, and you must ride near an LCC Ride Marshal at all times.

We assume that you have familiarity with the road rules in the UK, and are comfortable riding on the left-hand side of the road. Of course, things are different on the continent, and we need to address those differences.

Road Side

The first, and possibly the most obvious difference after crossing the channel is that traffic drives on the right-hand side of the road. Give way to your right at unmarked junctions, even when going straight through an unmarked T-junction.

British bicycles have brakes arranged to make right turns easier, so take care when indicating left.

Roundabouts

This also means that when entering a roundabout, traffic gives way to the left, and proceeds anticlockwise around it.

Cycleways

In the Netherlands (and to some degree in Belgium), the official colour for a cycleway surface is a dark red. This means that if you have a choice of where to ride, the red area is usually best.

A dashed centre line will indicate a bidirectional path, and the absence of one typically means you must ride “with flow” on the right-hand side of the road.

Shark’s Teeth

Belgium and the Netherlands use a special type of give-way marking known as the “shark’s teeth”: a series of white triangles which border most junctions. If the points of these “teeth” are aimed at you, then you must give way. If you are riding along the flat sides of the triangles, then you have priority. If there are no markings, then give way to traffic coming from your right.

Overtaking

And of course there is one final point. If you are cycling in the Netherlands behind a local who is going slow, and you wish to overtake, then all you need to remember is what Musical Youth taught us all in the 80s:

Pass the Dutchie ’pon the left-hand side!