Every Dutch vehicle driver is almost certainly also a cyclist and because of this has expectations that a cyclist could appear "from nowhere". The result is almost always a thoughtful hesitation and a second look at any junction. Where the road layouts become what for foreign visitors and immigrants/expats may think of as a complex jungle of "who gets priority", these junctions are actually simple to use. What may look like a jumble of pathways at a roundabout for example, when thought about, is safe for the cyclist and understandable and logical for the driver if they take their time and look.聽 The answer is that the bicycle usually always gets priority. The law says the same. The vulnerable users get right-of-way. Not only that, in the law, if a cyclist gets hit by a vehicle, then the driver is always considered the responsible party and the cyclist can make 100% claims for damage to bicycle, self, and anything else. Even if the accident is caused by the cyclist or ambiguous, then the driver is still liable for 50% of the cost to the cyclist.
This is not to say that all cyclists are maniacs on the road, no matter how experienced they are. Cyclists usually also slow or pause to judge carefully their own safety and also make very important eye contact with other cyclists approaching what could become a tangle. A car driver may never think of making eye contact from the inside of their metal compartment but all cyclists speak "eye contact" and seamlessly (usually) blend into a cycling stream where everyone stays safe.
All that being said, when cycling on a two direction cycle path, an Amsterdam driver hit me because he assumed the cycle path only had cyclists going in one direction. Normally the cycle path is assumed to be single direction and in the same direction as road users. However much of this is changing and wider two direction cycle paths are appearing where there is no possibility of crossing to the other side or there are roadworks closing one side. Sometimes they are two direction paths just because.... or a cyclist is just going the other way for whatever reason...... drivers beware. My own accident happened because the driver emerged from a stopped position at a T junction when I was approaching to cycle straight past him. He did not look both ways. Fortunately, he had only begun to drive out across the cycle path so was not going at any speed to have caused me much injury. Too bad for the bicycle and a few other things but his insurance will sort that out.
So, for everyone who has chosen to live here, I say that normally you will be safe as a cyclist. If you have little cycling experience then just begin carefully and stay aware. Don't live in a bubble but look other cyclists in the eye. Learn the communication that happens from that. Trust your children to cycle to school if they are old enough and their route also appears to have other children going the same way. Dump your own car if you live in a city and only rent one when you really need it. Learn to pick up your shopping in a 'fiets tas'. Life here is a great freedom and independence no matter what your age with a bicycle. Take your bicycle on the metro or train for further away cycling trips. If you now live here for any length of time, become a cyclist like everyone else.
