You are driving outside a built-up area on a road where 80 km/h is the standard limit. Before a bend there is a 60 km/h sign. After the bend there is dense fog and you can see the road only about 30 m ahead. How fast do you drive there?
- ✓ So slowly that you can stop within the 30 m you can see
- 60 km/h, because that is what the sign here gives as the maximum
- 80 km/h, because a sign cannot lower the standard limit of 80 km/h
Correct answer: So slowly that you can stop within the 30 m you can see
Explanation
False — a maximum is not a fixed driving speed. Alongside every maximum, this always applies: you must be able to stop within the distance you can see and that is clear. If you can see only 30 m, drive so slowly that you stop within those 30 m, even if that is far below 60 km/h. (VekaBest H1 begrippenkader (wettelijke basis, RVV art. 19/63) — THIN ATOM, geen VekaBest-hoofdstuk 7-herhaling; zie h04_snelheid_afstand voor het boekmateriaal p.117-126)
Why learners get this wrong
- Wrong: a maximum is not a fixed driving speed. Alongside every maximum, this always applies: you must be able to stop within the distance you can see and that is clear. If you can see only 30 m, drive so slowly that you stop within those 30 m, even if that is far below 60 km/h.
- Wrong: you put the standard rule above the sign. A speed sign actually overrides the standard speed limit, so 60 km/h is the maximum here. And even that maximum you may only drive if you can stop within the distance you can see.
Topic: Speed: two principles without their own number (see h04 for the maxima)
Read the rule: Core: Speed: two principles without their own number (see h04 for the maxima)
Sections
- Challenge: Speed: two principles without their own number (see h04 for the maxima)
- The model: Speed: two principles without their own number (see h04 for the maxima)
- Core: Speed: two principles without their own number (see h04 for the maxima)
- Why it matters: Speed: two principles without their own number (see h04 for the maxima)
- Active recall: Speed: two principles without their own number (see h04 for the maxima)
- Teach back: Speed: two principles without their own number (see h04 for the maxima)
- Memory hook: Speed: two principles without their own number (see h04 for the maxima)