Cyclists and car drivers are frequently forced to share the space available on public roads due to a shortage of cycle lanes in many parts of the country. In terms of sharing the road, it appears that both drivers and cyclists follow the rules, since the police have not issued any fines for violations of the 1.5-metre safety distance when overtaking a cyclist in the past six months.
On the other hand, officers have issued some 50 fines against cyclists for violations of the traffic regulations. The majority of the fines were issued for red light breaches, which are punishable by a €145 fine and the loss of two points on a driving licence.
Eight cyclists had to pay the same amount for using their mobile phones while riding their bike. A dozen cyclists had to pay €74 because their bike was not properly equipped, e.g. missing a bell or reflectors.
This information was provided by Minister of Internal Security Henri Kox in his reply to a parliamentary question by MP Sven Clement from the Pirate Party.
