Turning — positioning, signalling, giving way
| What the rule says | Where it goes wrong | What you do | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Getting into position | “May get into position”: for a right turn keep as far right as possible in good time; for a left turn move to the centre line — or, in a one-way street, as far left as possible. | Reading it as a duty. It says “may”. The duty is art. 3(1) — keep as far right as possible; positioning is the permitted departure from it, not an extra obligation. | Move to the right side in good time, so your intention is visible before you steer — that is the whole point of positioning. |
| Signalling | Before turning, an indicator or arm signal is mandatory (art. 17(2)). Art. 55 extends it: also when moving off, overtaking, joining and leaving the through carriageway, changing lane, and for any other significant lateral movement. | Thinking indicators belong at junctions only. “Any other significant lateral movement” covers pulling out around a parked car too. | Switch the indicator on before steering and off only when the manoeuvre is complete. |
| Whom you must let go first | Three groups on the SAME road: oncoming traffic, traffic ALONGSIDE you, and traffic CLOSE BEHIND you on the left or the right. | Thinking only of oncoming traffic. The cyclist beside or close behind you on the right is included — that is exactly the right-turning car against the straight-on cyclist. | Before turning in, look right and over your shoulder — the cyclist beside or close behind you is not in your mirror. |
| Turning left versus turning right | Whoever turns left lets the oncoming driver turning right at the SAME junction go first. | Thinking two turning cars “sort it out between them”. The rule names one of them, and it is the one going left. | Wait until the oncoming driver turning right has gone, and only then turn in — even if he is slow. |
| The tram is outside this | Paragraphs 1 and 2 do NOT apply to tram drivers. When turning, a tram therefore need not give way to any of these groups. | Reading the exception too widely. It removes the tram from ARTICLE 18, not from every rule: at junctions art. 15 still applies to the tram. | Give a turning tram room and do not stay alongside it — it need not let you go first. |
The law itself
RVV1990 art. 17 lid 1RVV1990 art. 17 lid 2RVV1990 art. 18 lid 1RVV1990 art. 18 lid 2RVV1990 art. 18 lid 3RVV1990 art. 55RVV1990 art. 3 lid 1
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