[B] Belgian Motorways • Autoroutes de Belgique • Belgische Autosnelwegen

[kingdiz_55]

Look at that massive buildup.

[Glodenox]

I would presume that these hearses are transporting the bodies of the children who died in the coach accident in Switzerland? I feel for the people who've lost their child, it's a freak incident that is very hard to process. While I'm sure that some people will call me heartless for this, I personally don't feel that a complete motorway should be blocked for a convoy. If there's technical or security reasons for blocking the whole motorway, I could understand it, but emotional reasons: not so much. After 3 days, I'd prefer to move on with my life and not be remembered of it every day. The media should leave the people involved alone and give them time to mourn instead of putting these children's faces in their papers. It must be very confronting for their parents and I don't even want to imagine what their reactions would be like.

That said, that picture did indeed render me speechless for a while.

[Fargo Wolf]

Just keeping the rubberneckers at bay out of respect for the deceased. The rolling road block also allowed the convoy to quickly get off the motorway when it reached the required exit.

[mappero]

Originally Posted by CborG

Projects U/C

Transformation of the N49 expressway Antwerp-Northsea to a normal motorway, the A11/E34, is slowly making progress. Between Antwerp and Zelzate, there is only one same-level crossing left, near Kruisstraat.

Another big project is the prestigious Oosterweelbridge which, when completed, should close the inner ring road of Antwerp.

I just moved here to Antwerp and I cannot see this project finished... What happened during those 6-7 years? Anyway project looks brilliant especially with this over dock bridge

[mappero]

Originally Posted by Daviedoff

A new version of the freewaysection E313-E34 from Antwerpen to interchange Ranst, with the shoulder running:

As I changed my commuting route... and I use this stretch of motorway almost today I deeply shocked after so many years experience on Dutch and other European motorways, what it's happening in Belgium...
Belgium driving style is very different from Dutch and German for example...

My questions are:
- is it allowed to overtake cars from right side?
- does speed cameras has any buffer for speed measurements?
- children carried by parents shouldn't be fastened as well inside the vehicles?
- why rear anty-fog lamps are used during rain fall?

That's for now Merci!

[Godius]

Lol, i dont even know where my rear anti-fog lights switch is on my dashboard. Never used it.

But i also want to know the answers to a few of those questions although i don't think it is that bad in Belgium as you describe it but it's a bit weird indeed.

I think it is a Latin/Germanic cultural difference and Belgium is in the middle of it but more leaning towards latin-attitude.

[joshsam]

Originally Posted by mappero

Belgium driving style is very different from Dutch and German for example...

My questions are:
- is it allowed to overtake cars from right side?
- does speed cameras has any buffer for speed measurements?
- children carried by parents shouldn't be fastened as well inside the vehicles?
- why rear anty-fog lamps are used during rain fall?

That's for now Merci!

-No, but no-one gives a fuck. Yes, when there is heavy traffic and on all lanes are vehicules close to eachother it's allowed.(like in the vid)
-Yes, but i'm not sure how big that is. Lot's of people drive over the speed limit anyways
-Yes
-Why would't they be use if visability is bad?


Overall, rules on Belgian road are pretty much the same as Dutch ones. The difference is that in Belgium no-one actually pays attention to them.

[Suburbanist]

What are chances of the Belgium gov't completing R5 around Mons withing the next decade?

[joshsam]

None if you ask me. Wallonia has no money.

[Glodenox]

Originally Posted by mappero

My questions are:
- is it allowed to overtake cars from right side?
- does speed cameras has any buffer for speed measurements?
- children carried by parents shouldn't be fastened as well inside the vehicles?
- why rear anty-fog lamps are used during rain fall?

- Cars may never overtake from the right, unless there's queuing going on or you're in a lane separated with a full white line.
- There is a small limit, but it's not much. I don't know exactly how much this limit is, but I doubt it'll be much higher than 5 kph.
- Children should never be carried by parents as far as I'm aware, as the rule says that there should never be more passengers than there are seatbelts. If they're not big enough to wear seatbelts, they must be transported in a baby seat, which is strapped in with a seatbelt.
- Regular car lights must be on if visibility during the day is less than 200 metres. Fog lights at the front are optional and therefore never required. In fact, they're heavily abused as they're not allowed under any regular conditions... The fog lights at the back however must be on whenever visibility is less than 100 metres. And heavy rain is counted as hardly any visibility.

[mappero]

Originally Posted by joshsam

-No, but no-one gives a fuck. Yes, when there is heavy traffic and on all lanes are vehicules close to eachother it's allowed.(like in the vid)
-Yes, but i'm not sure how big that is. Lot's of people drive over the speed limit anyways
-Yes
-Why would't they be use if visability is bad?


Overall, rules on Belgian road are pretty much the same as Dutch ones. The difference is that in Belgium no-one actually pays attention to them.

Sounds as Latin orientated as in Poland vs Germany/Scandinavian society

Is there any website I could read Belgium driving rules in English? Kind of Road Code as in UK.

[Glodenox]

Originally Posted by mappero

Sounds as Latin orientated as in Poland vs Germany/Scandinavian society

Is there any website I could read Belgium driving rules in English? Kind of Road Code as in UK.

The website I used to get my driving license is apparently also available in English: http://www.drivinglicence-belgium.be/
EDIT: never mind, it seems you need to have an activation code to use the English version... Google Translate doesn't seem to work too well on it either...

[mappero]

Thanks, but any official gov website in English?

[joshsam]

Originally Posted by mappero

Is there any website I could read Belgium driving rules in English? Kind of Road Code as in UK.

Maybe this is hlepfull. But I can't find a full road code in Engllish.

http://brussels.angloinfo.com/countr...um/driving.asp

Only in French and Dutch page of the gouvernment:

http://www.belgium.be/en/mobility/the_highway_code/

[DanielFigFoz]

Originally Posted by joshsam

-No, but no-one gives a fuck. Yes, when there is heavy traffic and on all lanes are vehicules close to eachother it's allowed.(like in the vid)
-Yes, but i'm not sure how big that is. Lot's of people drive over the speed limit anyways
-Yes
-Why would't they be use if visability is bad?


Overall, rules on Belgian road are pretty much the same as Dutch ones. The difference is that in Belgium no-one actually pays attention to them.

I think that Belgian drivers would fit in well in London

[italystf]

Originally Posted by DanielFigFoz

I think that Belgian drivers would fit in well in London

Or in Naples.

[Meurisse]

Originally Posted by mappero

I just moved here to Antwerp and I cannot see this project finished... What happened during those 6-7 years? Anyway project looks brilliant especially with this over dock bridge

The project with the bridge has been cancelled after a negative referendum.

They're now working on a full tunnelversion and they'll create bypasses in de east and west of Antwerp.

It will take some time before we'll see the dozers starting on this project... We still have some very active protest comitees not willing to support this project but proposing their own alternative...

[Daviedoff]

E40 from Brussels to Liège:

[mappero]

Originally Posted by Meurisse

The project with the bridge has been cancelled after a negative referendum.

They're now working on a full tunnelversion and they'll create bypasses in de east and west of Antwerp.

It will take some time before we'll see the dozers starting on this project... We still have some very active protest comitees not willing to support this project but proposing their own alternative...

OK, makes clear now...

I am afraid Belgium style driving is very common in use by non-Belgian origin drivers... Mostly the dangerous driving without putting any hassle to other drivers makes me feel like I am in Turkey or Marocco ... Those very old or damage BMWs and Mercedes even consider me stronger.

[ChrisZwolle]

Nice E40 video. The section east of Leuven would've been awesome if the pavement was better. Quantity-wise, it's one of the best motorways in Belgium. Six lanes and only 40.000 - 50.000 vehicles per day.