Achmed (not his real name) witnesses this every day. Cars driving too fast. Drivers noticing a crosswalk too late. Near collisions. Sometimes he has to jump aside himself. The crosswalk is located at a busy intersection in his neighborhood. He is concerned, also for children and elderly crossing here.

He reports it to the municipality. He describes what he sees and asks if the situation can be reviewed. No response follows. Achmed sends another message. Again, he hears nothing. Then he files a complaint, but even then he receives no answer for a long time. That frustrates him. It concerns traffic safety, but also the feeling of not being heard.

The National Ombudsman

Achmed turns to the National Ombudsman. His complaint is not about which measure the municipality should take exactly. His complaint is about the lack of response to his complaint. The ombudsman asks the municipality to respond after all and to indicate what Achmed can expect.

The crosswalk is dangerous

Then there is movement. A municipal employee contacts Achmed and invites him for a conversation. They discuss the situation at the crosswalk at the intersection. Achmed tells what he has seen multiple times and experienced himself. Cars drive fast and that almost leads to accidents. He also discusses that the visibility of the crosswalk can be improved.

Thinking about solutions

During the conversation, they think together about solutions. The municipality shows a draft drawing of planned adjustments to the intersection. Together they conclude that the proposed measures are expected to contribute to traffic safety for pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists. Achmed indicates he is satisfied with these proposed adjustments.

Apologies

At the end, they express that the conversation was pleasant and constructive because the focus was on solutions. The municipality apologizes for the lack of an earlier response.

Satisfied

Achmed then indicates that he is satisfied with how the municipality ultimately handled his complaint. For the National Ombudsman, that is reason to close the file.

Basic requirement

I often see complaints get stuck due to silence. Not because of unwillingness, but because of the lack of a response. For people, that feels like being ignored and that undermines trust. Responding in time and engaging in conversation is not an extra step, but a basic requirement. Often that is enough to make a difference. Especially with simple complaints, a short feedback can work wonders.

This column appeared in De Telegraaf on February 14, 2026. The person in the photo is not the person from the text.