When the cycling season begins in March of each year, the Cycling Council starts receiving complaints about racing cyclists. Recreational cyclists feel unsafe and harassed in the vicinity of groups of racing cyclists. Parents with their children, in particular, feel threatened according to the Cycling Council. Accidents occur as well.
The advocate for the federation of sporting cyclists (NTFU – Nederlandse Toer Fiets Unie) has set up a code of conduct for its members. Statements such as “use your bell” or “pass pedestrians and other cyclists with reasonable speed” are included in the code. The NTFU and the Cycling Council have asked the Ministry of Infrastructure and Environment to investigate whether it would be advisable to have racing cyclists use the roadway. This has already been implemented in Belgium for groups of more than 15 cyclists.