Dutch driving lessons

I still have a driver's license from the states, but now it is time to get that puppy turned over into a Nederlandse Rijbewijs. We have come into possession of an automobile, which means that I will not need to keep doing my grocery shopping on a bicycle with two overloaded saddle bags 15 times a week.

The driving rules here are just a tad different than in the states. For example, you yield to traffic coming from the right. Intersections aren't specially marked, you just always yield to people coming from your right. (Unless you have been given special bully permission by no less than 6 (SIX!) different types of road sign) Bicycles are always right. Even if they swerve in front of you for no reason, bikes riders are the victim. And pedestrians trump everything. And there are lots and lots of traffic cameras (flitsers) that take pictures of your license plate if you are speeding or run a red light. But these gray boxes are usually very well marked, how handy! And when you try to explain about American police officers hiding behind billboards in speed traps, Dutch people are just shocked all to pieces, "I thought that was just a joke for in the movies!"

So, me and my 18 years of driving experience have to unlearn and relearn a whole bunch of information over the next few weeks before the big and very expensive riding exam. Wish me luck.