Theory Mastery

Instructions from competent persons: who, and what rank

What the exam asks here: Students usually know the main rule 'instruction beats everything', but stumble on the details: who exactly counts as 'competent', and whether that competence applies everywhere or only in a specific role (like the traffic warden).

14 minutes · 7 sections · 11 questions

The trap

Many learners think: If a random bystander waves their arms in the middle of the street to direct traffic, you must obey their instructions just as much as those of the police.

The rule is: Only competent and recognisably identifiable officials, marechaussee, customs officers or traffic controllers are binding

Challenge

Students usually know the main rule 'instruction beats everything', but stumble on the details: who exactly counts as 'competent', and whether that competence applies everywhere or only in a specific role (like the traffic warden). The CBR exam designer builds trick questions precisely on that boundary between 'someone gesturing authoritatively' and 'someone legally competent'.

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The model

Competent are: police, marechaussee, customs, recognised traffic controllers, traffic wardens specifically when helping children cross, and escorts of rail vehicles with a red flag or lamp. Instructions override everything: traffic lights, signs, rules.

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Core

The law precisely indicates who may give an instruction you are legally required to obey. The broad base covers competent and recognisably identifiable officials (police officers), members of the Royal Marechaussee, customs officers, recognised traffic controllers, and even persons acting as traffic controller during driving lessons or the practical exam, provided they wear the prescribed clothing. A random bystander waving their arms energetically falls outside all these categories — their gestures are courtesy, not law. Beyond that, the law recognises two specific, additional stop duties. The law requires you to stop for a traffic warden, but explicitly in the role of someone helping children cross — that is the source of competence, not a general street-wide authority. The law requires you to stop for an escort of a rail vehicle (for example a tram or a street-level train) showing a stop signal per sign F10, a red flag, or a red lamp — this competence is entirely separate from the police. Above all traffic signs and traffic rules stands the instruction itself: if a competent officer makes you stop while the light is green, the officer wins. The order of authority is therefore: instruction, then traffic light, then traffic sign, then the general traffic rule.

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Why it matters

Whoever puts a green light above an officer confidently drives straight into exactly the danger the officer is trying to prevent — for example an incident further ahead that the light doesn't 'know' about yet. Whoever reads a traffic warden's competence too broadly confuses courtesy with law, while whoever reads it too narrowly can endanger a child by not quite stopping.

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Active recall

At a level crossing in Arnhem an escort of a tram gives a stop signal with a red flag. Must you stop, even though this is not a police officer?

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Teach back

Explain: who may legally make you stop, and what is the ranking between an instruction, a traffic light and a traffic sign?

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Memory hook

Instruction always wins — over light, sign, and rule. Competent = recognisable AND legally designated, not just anyone gesturing energetically.

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Source: RVV 1990 art. 82 · RVV 1990 art. 83 · checked 2026-10-22

The picture

Who may make you stop, and in what order does it apply?Competent (art. 82)Not competentExamplepolice, marechaussee, customs, recognised traffic controller, traffic warden (children), rail-vehicle escortrandom bystander, a fellow road user gesturing on their ownRanking (art. 84)instruction > traffic light > traffic sign > traffic rulen/a — does not count
What to look at: Hierarchy: instructions > traffic lights > traffic signs > traffic rules. Traffic warden stops for children crossing. Rail-vehicle escort stops with red flag/lamp, separate from police.

Signs and law

Test yourself

At a crossing in Enschede a traffic light is green, but a police officer in the middle of the road simultaneously gestures for you to stop. What do you do?

Show the answer

Competent are: police, marechaussee, customs, recognised traffic controllers, traffic wardens specifically when helping children cross, and escorts of rail vehicles with a red flag or lamp. Instructions override everything: traffic lights, signs, rules.

Exam questions on this topic

In a tailback on a provincial road near Zwolle a motorist gets out of his car. In ordinary clothes he stands beside the road and waves his arms to direct the traffic. What do you do with his signals?

  1. You only follow them once he puts on a yellow vest
  2. You follow them, because he is clearly directing traffic
  3. You keep an eye on him, but you need not follow them
Show the answer

Correct answer: You keep an eye on him, but you need not follow them

False — you confuse confident behaviour with authority. Only persons who are authorised AND recognisable as such, like police, marechaussee, customs and authorised traffic controllers, give instructions you must follow.

Why learners get this wrong: A bystander who puts on a yellow vest and directs traffic must be followed; the vest makes him a traffic controller.

Open this question

You are approaching a junction in Deventer. Your traffic light turns green, but a uniformed police officer standing on the junction clearly signals with a gesture that you must stop. What do you do?

  1. You drive on, because only a stop sign or red lamp from the officer counts
  2. You drive on, because the green light overrides the officer's gesture
  3. You stop, because the officer's gesture overrides the green light
Show the answer

Correct answer: You stop, because the officer's gesture overrides the green light

False — you think a gesture only counts with a stop sign or red lamp added. An authorised, recognisable officer may also instruct you with a hand or arm gesture or by voice, and you follow that instruction.

Why learners get this wrong: A hand gesture from an officer is only a request; only a stop sign or a red lamp from the police must be followed.

Open this question

At a primary school in Zwolle a traffic warden holds up his stop sign while a group of children crosses, and you stop. Your passenger says: 'A warden like that may also stop cars elsewhere in town, just like the police.' Is that true?

  1. True
  2. False
Show the answer

Correct answer: False

False — you turn the warden into a general traffic officer. A traffic warden may make drivers stop to help children cross; that power belongs to that task and does not apply everywhere, as it does for the police.

Why learners get this wrong: A traffic warden (verkeersbrigadier) may make you stop anywhere on the road, not just at a crossing point for children.

Open this question

In The Hague you approach a crossing with the tram. Your traffic light is green. An escort of the tram, not in police uniform, holds up a red flag towards you. What do you do?

  1. You drive on, because only a police officer may make you stop
  2. You stop, because the tram escort may stop you with the flag
  3. You drive on, because your green light outranks the flag signal
Show the answer

Correct answer: You stop, because the tram escort may stop you with the flag

False — you let the traffic light beat a person who is stopping you. A stop signal or instruction from an authorised person outranks traffic lights, signs and rules, so also a green light. (VekaBest theorieboek, Hoofdstuk 3 §3.4 'Aanwijzingen' p.58-59 + Hoofdstuk 14 F10 p.242)

Why learners get this wrong: An escort of a rail vehicle (for example a tram) waving a red flag is not police, so you don't have to obey that stop signal.

Open this question

At the exit of a tram depot in The Hague a tram is pulling out onto the road. A tram escort stands on the carriageway holding a stop sign (F10) that says 'Tram' next to 'Stop'. There is no police nearby. What do you do?

  1. You drive on; only a stop signal from the police counts
  2. You stop; 'Tram' only says who is making you stop here
  3. You drive on; with 'Tram' on it the sign is a warning
Show the answer

Correct answer: You stop; 'Tram' only says who is making you stop here

False — you think only the police may make you stop. When a tram escort shows a stop sign, a red flag or a red lamp, you must stop; that power is separate from the police.

Why learners get this wrong: An escort of a rail vehicle (for example a tram) waving a red flag is not police, so you don't have to obey that stop signal.

Open this question

At a junction in Utrecht a police officer is directing traffic while the traffic lights are working and there are also priority signs. You put everything that regulates traffic here in order from high to low. How many levels does that fixed ranking have?

Show the answer

Correct answer: 4 niveaus

Correct: 4.0 niveaus.

Open this question

About Instructions from competent persons: who, and what rank: which statement is correct?

  1. Drivers must stop for the stop instruction of traffic wardens who help children cross — the competence is tied to that specific role, not general.
  2. An escort of a rail vehicle (for example a tram) waving a red flag is not police, so you don't have to obey that stop signal.
  3. If a random bystander waves their arms in the middle of the street to direct traffic, you must obey their instructions just as much as those of the police.
  4. If the traffic light shows green but a police officer simultaneously makes a stop gesture, you may continue driving — the light is the most recent, automated rule.
Show the answer

Correct answer: Drivers must stop for the stop instruction of traffic wardens who help children cross — the competence is tied to that specific role, not general.

Drivers must stop for the stop instruction of traffic wardens who help children cross — the competence is tied to that specific role, not general

Why learners get this wrong: An escort of a rail vehicle (for example a tram) waving a red flag is not police, so you don't have to obey that stop signal.

Open this question

About Instructions from competent persons: who, and what rank: which statement is WRONG?

  1. Only competent and recognisably identifiable officials, marechaussee, customs officers or traffic controllers are binding.
  2. Road users must stop when an escort of a rail vehicle shows a stop signal with sign F10, a red flag or a red lamp — this competence is separate from the police.
  3. Instructions take precedence over traffic signs and traffic rules, including a green traffic light.
  4. A traffic warden (verkeersbrigadier) may make you stop anywhere on the road, not just at a crossing point for children.
Show the answer

Correct answer: A traffic warden (verkeersbrigadier) may make you stop anywhere on the road, not just at a crossing point for children.

Drivers must stop for the stop instruction of traffic wardens who help children cross — the competence is tied to that specific role, not general

Why learners get this wrong: If a random bystander waves their arms in the middle of the street to direct traffic, you must obey their instructions just as much as those of the police.

Open this question

About Instructions from competent persons: who, and what rank: which statement is WRONG?

  1. If a random bystander waves their arms in the middle of the street to direct traffic, you must obey their instructions just as much as those of the police.
  2. Instructions take precedence over traffic signs and traffic rules, including a green traffic light.
  3. Road users must stop when an escort of a rail vehicle shows a stop signal with sign F10, a red flag or a red lamp — this competence is separate from the police.
  4. Drivers must stop for the stop instruction of traffic wardens who help children cross — the competence is tied to that specific role, not general.
Show the answer

Correct answer: If a random bystander waves their arms in the middle of the street to direct traffic, you must obey their instructions just as much as those of the police.

Only competent and recognisably identifiable officials, marechaussee, customs officers or traffic controllers are binding

Why learners get this wrong: If the traffic light shows green but a police officer simultaneously makes a stop gesture, you may continue driving — the light is the most recent, automated rule.

Open this question

Only competent and recognisably identifiable officials, marechaussee, customs officers or traffic controllers are binding.

  1. False
  2. True
Show the answer

Correct answer: True

Only competent and recognisably identifiable officials, marechaussee, customs officers or traffic controllers are binding

Why learners get this wrong: If a random bystander waves their arms in the middle of the street to direct traffic, you must obey their instructions just as much as those of the police.

Open this question

All practice questions of this topic

Frequently asked questions

‘If a random bystander waves their arms in the middle of the street to direct traffic, you must obey their instructions just as much as those of the police’ – is that true?

No. Only competent and recognisably identifiable officials, marechaussee, customs officers or traffic controllers are binding

‘If the traffic light shows green but a police officer simultaneously makes a stop gesture, you may continue driving — the light is the most recent, automated rule’ – is that true?

No. Instructions take precedence over traffic signs and traffic rules, including a green traffic light

‘A traffic warden (verkeersbrigadier) may make you stop anywhere on the road, not just at a crossing point for children’ – is that true?

No. Drivers must stop for the stop instruction of traffic wardens who help children cross — the competence is tied to that specific role, not general

‘An escort of a rail vehicle (for example a tram) waving a red flag is not police, so you don't have to obey that stop signal’ – is that true?

No. Road users must stop when an escort of a rail vehicle shows a stop signal with sign F10, a red flag or a red lamp — this competence is separate from the police

‘A bystander who puts on a yellow vest and directs traffic must be followed; the vest makes him a traffic controller’ – is that true?

No. Only persons who are authorised AND recognisable as such give instructions you must follow; a random bystander is not authorised, with or without a vest

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