Abolish the blue numberplate
The Dutch road traffic act allows people to ride scooters and mopeds on cycle paths. The “blue numberplate” was originally for a very limited number of motorised bicycles with pedals (Solex and Spartamet) under the name “snorfiets”. Somehow this category was later stretched to include mopeds and scooters which were supposedly limited to 25 kilometres an hour. This has led to an explosion in the number of scooters travelling at high speed on bicycle paths.
It is going to take years to get blue numberplates off the cycle paths, because it’s difficult. It’s easier and quicker to abolish the category.
Petition
We
Road users who do not ride “snorfietsen” (mopeds with blue numberplates)
establish that:
The original users of blue numberplates have discovered the electric bike and given up the 'Spartamet' or 'Solex'.
The blue-number-plate category is now abused by moped riders who want to travel safely and comfortably among cyclists
The vast majority of the blue numberplates are on mopeds/scooters with limiters to limit the speed
These speed restrictions are often and easily removed with booster sets
This category 'snorfiets' (without helmet) is exceptional within the EU - there are alternatives for those who don’t want to drive on the roads with a helmet
There are no alternatives for cyclists who don’t want to share the cycle paths with scooters/mopeds
imposing good behaviour on ‘snorfiets’ riders is very expensive and/or demands a police state (24/7 for many years)
and request
The blue numberplate be abolished and replaced by the yellow (moped) numberplate. Have the limiters removed from ‘snorfietsen’, let the riders wear helmets and drive on the road.
For the vehicles that cannot be converted to 50 k/h and which resemble bicycles in weight, width and form (e.g. Solex and Spartamet) impose the bicycle category.