Chapter 4 - Roads Flashcards
What is the Keep right rule?
Always keep right as much as possible but also as safely as possible –> keep a safe distance from the pavement and verge.
Note - If you are on a narrow road anf a oncoming vehicle is coming you may swerve onto the verge to create space –> make sure it is safe to do so beforehand.
On narrow roads what do the signs F5/F6 indicate?
On narrow roads –> traffic signs F5 and F6 usually indicate who has the right of way
- If you are driving in the direction of the red arrow you must stop.
- If you are driving in the direction of the white/black arrow –> the oncoming vehicle must stop.
Note –> these signs only apply to drivers –> pedesterians are giving priority.
Lastly, no traffic sign –> unwritten rule that lorries and buses get priority.
What happens if you meet obstacles on the road and there is oncoming traffic coming?
You must allow the oncoming traffic to go first –> unless the road is wide enough for you and the oncoming traffic
What are the rules concerning the use of a One-way street?
Only drive a vehicle into a one-way street from one direction
Note - You may not reverse down or turn on a one-way street –> that being said, you are allowed to reverse park.
Is it common for motor vehicles to share the road with mopeds?
Yes it is!
Depending on the traffic signs (show in the image) you know whether the moped must use the road.
Important thing to take into account when driving on a road with a moped?
As a car driver you are less vulnerable –> you also have more responsibility.
Give the mopeds space they need + do not overtake them too tightly –> stay behind the moped if overtaking is not possible.
What are bicycle streets?
Route designed specifically for cyclists –> Other riders and drivers are able to use the street –> they must bear cyclists in mind as much as possible.
You can recognise it by the relevant board and the lay out.
Are you allowed to drive on cycle lanes?
No they are inteded for cyclists and riders of motor-assisted bicycles.
Not allowed to drive on them if they are marked by a solid line —> Neither are you allowed to use it as a right-turn lane
Under what circumstance are you allowed to use a cycle lane as a right turn lane?
If a cycle lane is marked with a broken line –> you may use it as a right turn lane if it improves the flow of traffic and if you do not impede or endanger cylists, etc.
One thing to remeber when driving next to a cycle lane?
Pay attention and be careful!
Cyclists often assume that the cycle lane is a protected area.
What is a dual carriageway?
This is when a central reserve, row of trees or a green area divides a road in two carriageways.
How to approach a dual carriageway?
There are usually signs that indicate how you should approach them.
If the central reserve (patch of grass) is whide –> signs often indicate that it is prohibited to drive in one of the lanes and indicate which carriageway you must drive on.
What should you do if there are no signs on a dual carriageway?
You must keep the right hand side of the carriageway.
What lane should the slowest vehicle travel on, when on a road that consists of three of more lanes?
If there are three or more lanes on a road –> it is safest if the vehicle without an engine, cyclists, motor-assisted bicycle and motor vehicles that travel slower than 25 km/h use the lane furthest to the right.
Note - this is usually a service road –> centre lane is normally prohibited by slower vehicles (Sign C8 and C9). Whereas, other traffic may use both the right and centre lane.
What should you remember wjen driving on a single carriageway road?
Drive as far to the right as possible especially when approached by oncoming traffic.
Remember that oncoming lorry drivers are often unable to drive all the way to the right.
What risks are involved when driving on a single carriageway road with trees close to the road on either side?
Be aware that…
- Trees block your view of any side roads
- Trees block your view of the bends
- There is little chance to get out of the way
- Hard to see drivers entering from the side road
If you are driving on a road with trees on both sides with branches creating a tunnel effect, what should you do?
Adjust your speed and use dipped headlights.
Dangers of driving in autumn?
Wet leaves on the road increase the danger of skidding
What should you do if you are driving on a single carriageway road with trees close to the side of the road and the sun come through?
You should remember that…
- Other drivers are difficult to see because flashing light in between the trees
- More diffcult to judge distance
- Oncoming vehicles are more difficult to see
- It is more difficult for others to see
Things to remember when driving in rural areas especially during the summer months?
- Busy agricultural traffic
- Dirty roads
- Many cyclists on the road
- Horse riders on the road
Summarize the circumanstances where drivers need to pay alert?
- In and near S-bends
- Where cyclists and moped riders cross the road
- Horse riders cross the road
- Roads with width restrictions
- Narrow roads
- Mopeds using the road
- Cyclists, motor-assisted bicyles use the road
- Near a school or playground
- Roads with a bad surface
- Roads with a dangerous slope
- Strong cross winds
- Roads with increased risk of skidding
- Areas where children play
- narrow roads with cars parked on either side
- Motorway exists
General rules of appraoching a bend
Don’t drive too fast around a bend –> cause of real danger as you may lose control of the vehicle
If there is a sharp bend or a series of bend that follow eachother in rapid succesions, drivers are warned by a means of a sign.
Why is it important to take centrifugal forces into consideration when taking a bend?
The centrifugal force depends on the radius of the bend and your speed. Hence, if you drive around once at 30 km/h and then at 60 km/h, your centrifugal force at 60 km/h will be four times higher.
Things to take into consideration when you judge the bend?
When approaching a bend…
- Select the correct gear in time and adjust your speed –> anticipate the course of the bend and the width of the road way using the lines on the road as an indicator
- Take into account the weather conditions and the state of the road surface
Note –> Spiral bends can be more hazardous –> bend does not remain constant.
What are dike roads? why are they unpleasant to drive on?
Road we often have to drive on in an area with many rivers
Unpleasant features…
- they are winding and more complex than they seem
- they have rising entries and exists
- No or poor road lining
- Poor or contaminated road surface
- Narrow lanes
- slanting verges
- Special banking
What traffic circumstances restrict your ability as driver on a dike road?
- Overtaking is almost impossible –> if you do overtake you must be extra cautious
- Vehicles from side roads enter the road driving upwards –> they have poor view
- course of the dike road hard to determine if the are objects obstructing your view
- Escape options are limited –> verges are unsuitable for this
Things to take into account when driving on mountains?
- Avoid driving in a high gear –> better to run on higher number of revolutions –> lower revolutions engine temp increases –> increased damage
- Take descents with the same gear as ascents make use of the breaking effect of the engine
- Anticipate and follow the course of the road as best you can
- Examine road surface
- Ascending traffic has precedence over decending
- Overtake with great caution
- Pay attention to weather conditions
- Fog can be extremely dangerous –> stop or driver very slowly
How can trunk roads be distinguished?
Trunk road - often consist of single carriageway with oncoming traffic but there are also trunk roads with seperate lanes
Telling wether a road is a trunk road or not is only possible by the autoweg sign.
How to differentiate a trunk road from a motorway?
- Level road-junctions on a trunk road
- Oncoming traffic on the same road
- Trunk road has a short acceleration lane
- Trunk road has no hard shoulder
What are the requirements in order to be allowed to drive on a trunk road?
Only allowed to be used by motor vehicles that travel at least 50km/h
Menas that agricultural vehicles and microcars are not allowed
Note - Max speed on a trunk road outside a built up area is 100 km/h
Characterisitics of a motorway?
Motorway always have…
- Seperate carriageways
- Hard shoulder
- Each carriageway is divided into two or more lanes
- Only be used by motor vehicles that drive at least 60 km/h
- Indicated by G1 sign
- More than three lanes - often be a hard shoulder to the left as well.
What is the maximum speed limit on motorways?
100km/h
Is the max speed limit always 130 km/h on motorways?
No –> there is usually a lower max speed limit
This is indicated by road signs –> On motorways with three or more lanes this will be indicated on the left hand side
Note - maximum speed limit can change throughout the day - 6 am and 7 pm - 120km/h and other times 130 km/h
What actions with the car are prohibited both on a trunk road and motorways?
- Reverse
- Make a U-turn
- Stop vehicles on the carriageway
- to drive, walk or stop a vehicles on the hard shoulder or emergency parking area –> unless its an emergency
- lorries and vehicles with trailers with a combined length of over 7 meters to use the third and subseqeunt lanes.
Are you allowed to reverse on the hard shoulder of a motorway?
No!
On a road with three lanes, which lane should normally be used?
Where three lanes are available…
- You must use the right-hand lane
- Must only use the centre lane if there is traffic on the right hand lane which is slow and you can easily overtake.
- Alternatively, you can use the centre lane if you wish to change lanes to turn left
- Change lane away from the right-lane if a car is in in the accelaration lane and you need to create space so that they can join
General rule - Do not needlessly drive on the left
When can you use the rush-hour lane?
As the name implies when there is a rush-hour -> they are orginally hard shoulder which can be used as a lane
Electronic signals will indicate whether they may be used…
- Green arrow –> you may
- Red Cross –> you may not
- White arrow –> used to indicate a red cross ahead –> tells you to clear the rush hour lane
Note –> sometimes rush hour lanes are indicated by the three signs shown in the attached image.
When the rush-hour lane is in use, which area is used for emergencies?
Rush hour lane in use –> no hard shoulder
However…
There will be the occasional lay-by area –> are intended for real emergencies only
What should you do if you are approaching road works?
On motorways road works are indicated 2 km in advance.
- Reduce your speed in time
- Do not overtake during the last kilometre
- Allow others to join the traffic safely
Note –> when road works are being carried out –> you are often directed to use a different lane –> be prepared for vehicles infront to suddely brake, workers on the road and construction traffic.
How to interpret temporary lines on the road?
Temporary Lines –> Yellow lines
Still valid lines —> respect what they tell you
Important note - temporary lanes are usually narrower –> lower max speed to allow for more control of vehicle.
Also consider driving with your left wheels close to or on the line to avoid going off the road.
Before embarking on a journey on roads unfamiliar to you, what should you remember to do?
Advisable to study the route beforehand and write down in advance the numbers of the motorways that you are travelling on.
What does a green-and-white junction signal on a motorway indicate?
Used to indicate where the motorway branches into two motorways.
When you change lanes should you give priority to other drivers?
Yes you should
What are schematic junctions used for?
The schematic junction on advance signs tells you what kind of junction you are approaching and how you should drive to follow a certain direction.
What should you do if you miss your exit?
If you have missed an exit/the road you intented to turn into –> drive on to the next exit.
What are the three types of roads?
- N-Roads - These are the arterial roads that are not motorways –> numbers are on yellow background - e.g. N30
- A roads - Motorways in the netherlands - the numbers are displayed on a red background - e.g. A12
Note - A-roads are also often E-roads
- E-Roads –> Usually European motorways + trunk roads and other through roads may also be E-Roads - numbers are found on a green background
Europe has a whole network of E-roads –> numbers have been agreed upon internationally
What types of roads have road markings with speed information?
Road markings with speed information is a new system being implemented
It marks roads with one carriageway for traffic in both directions outside built-up areas
Involves the application of lines in the middle and sides of the carriageway
What type of Road markings can be found on roads with a max speed of 100 km/h (trunk roads)?
- Double continuous line or broken line in the middle of the road
- A broad green filled-in area between the two lines
- Continuous line on each side of the carriageway
Note - You are NOT allowed to cross the double line –> means you are not allowed to overtake
What type of Road markings can be found on roads with a max speed of 80 km/h ?
- Double solid line or borken line in the middle of the road
- Depending on the road width the space between the lines may be 20 to 80cm
- A broken white line on each side of the carriageway
Note - Here too the double continious line may not be crossed but the broken line may be
What type of Road markings can be found on roads with a max speed of 60 km/h ?
- No lines in the middle of the road
- Broken line of each side of the carriageway
- Cycle lane or non-compulsary cycle may be added
- 60 km/h speed board –> absent? –> max speed of 80 applies
