How to NL

Moped-riding

There are two words that can be translated into English as 'moped'. The first is a bromfiets (or brommer). They have a registration plate with black writing and yellow background. They have a maximum speed of 45 km/h, and cylinder capacity of not more than 50cc, or electric motor with maximum net power of not more than 4kW. The second is a snorfiets, which is legally a subtype of bromfiets. Snorfietsen have a registration plate with white writing and blue background. They have a maximum speed of 25 km/h. A class AM driver licence is required for both. Both types of mopeds must be insured.

Registration plates of a bromfiets (proper) on the left, and snorfiets on the right (the registration plates are partially masked here). Bromfietsen and snorfietsen do not necessarily look like these.

Scooter is not a legal category; it can be a motorcycle, a bromfiets proper, or a snorfiets.

The slower snorfietsen follow the rules of bicycles, unless otherwise indicated. Similar to bicycles, helmet is not compulsory for snorfietsen, and snorfietsen usually use bicycle paths. (However, the central government has made it possible for municipalities to make snorfietsen follow the rules of bromfietsen, i.e. wearing helmets and banned from bicycle paths. See the second figure in this cyclist blogpost for the change. So far there has been talks of such restrictions in Amsterdam, but it is currently (September 2016) not in place. Check what Amsterdam says from time to time.)

Snorfietsen ride on compulsory bicycle paths (see sign G11 in the cycling page). On non-compulsory bicycle paths (see sign G13 in the cycling page), snorfietsen with electric motors are allowed, but snorfietsen with combustion motor must have the combustion motor off in order to use non-compulsory bicycle paths.

The following are some bromfiets-related signs that you will see in the Netherlands. (In the figure captions below, 'moped' means bromfiets proper, unless otherwise indicated. 'Bicycle' includes both bicycles and snorfietsen). See also the pages on cycling, motorcycling, and driving for more on Dutch traffic rules.

Moped icon in a white circle with red border (sign C13) – no entry for mopeds (including both bromfietsen and snorfietsen), and motorised handicap vehicles. These vehicles should go to the road on the right.

Moped and bicycle icons in a white circle with red border (sign C15) – no entry for mopeds, bicycles, and handicap vehicles.

Foreground, moped and bicycle icons in a blue circle (sign G12a) – moped and bicycle path. At the end of this very short moped/bicycle path is a set of traffic lights with bicycle icons, just for this moped/bicycle path. They operate independently from the pedestrian lights to the right.

Moped and bicycle icons in a blue circle, crossed-out (sign G12b) – end of moped and bicycle path.

Sign on left – moped must leave this moped/bicycle path and go on the main road surface (take care when doing so); sign on right, sign G11 – this path is now a bicycle-only path.

Sign on left – moped must leave the main road surface and join the moped/bicycle path (take care when doing so); sign on right, sign G12a – this path is now a moped/bicycle path.

Sign on left: moped must leave moped/bicycle path now, but the arrow points to the right. The two-way moped/bicycle path is becoming a one-way path in the opposite direction; mopeds and bicycles going straightahead must cross the road to the other side to continue (take care, there is a give-way line on the ground; you must give way to cars). However, the path on the opposite side is a bicycle-only path (sign on right, sign G11 – compulsory bicycle path); mopeds must therefore cross the road, but use the main road surface to continue going forward.

Top: Bisschop Hamerstraat – Gratis Bewaakt 'Biscchop Hamerstraat – Free Monitored': this points to the free guarded storage facility for bicycles, mopeds, and scooters at Bischop Hamerstraat. Middle: Zone – (brom) fietsen buiten stallingsvoorzieningen worden verwijderd 'Zone – mopeds/bicycles outside parking facilities are removed' (in the entire zone, until you see the corresponding cancelling sign). Bottom: sign E1: no curbside parking.

Snorfietsen must not be capable of going faster than 25km/h, and 25km/h is the speed limit everywhere. Bromfietsen must not be capable of going faster than 45km/h, and 45 km/h is the speed limit, except on moped/bicycle-paths, where the speed limit is 40 km/h outside built-up areas, and 30 km/h inside built-up areas. (See the driving page for the distinction between outside and inside built-up areas.)

Utrecht, Amsterdam, and Leiden have plans to prohibit bromfietsen and scooters with bad emission levels from entering their milieuzone 'environmental zone' in the comming years. See what ANWB says on this.

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