Looking around the web today for something that might verify claims made here that cyclists in the Netherlands are required by law to ride bike infrastructure where it's adjacent to roads. Haven't found much yet, but did run across a brochure that may be an official publication of the Amsterdam city council. It's vague on the specifics of the legal aspect, but among other things, does have a heading that says: "Follow the traffic regulations". One of the items under that heading is: "Use the cycle path and don't cycle on the pavement or the motorway".
Also found a website with some pics that possibly are good examples of Dutch roadways with cycle tracks. I've tried to post a couple of them to this post:
The street shown above, with its eight lanes, train in the center of the roadway, cycle tracks to the side of the road including buffer from the road makes for what, in my area, would be a huge 'right of way' to build.
Several other of the pictures at the website page were interesting to me as examples of Dutch roadways with cycle tracks, junctions and so on, but going to that site, seeing the pictures and reading the accompanying text may be better than my posting more of them here.
http://bicycledutch.wordpress.com/20...e-netherlands/