Are Belgian motorways still pothole ridden?

Are Belgian motorways still pothole ridden?

Author
Discussion

sat1983

Original Poster:

1,252 posts

183 months

Tuesday 18th April 2017
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Been about 4 years since I last drove on them and between the shocking driving from our Belgian friends and the state of their motorways I wasn't overly impressed.

Have things got better??

Willy Nilly

12,511 posts

166 months

Tuesday 18th April 2017
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They were rough last summer. The place wants bombing.

CaptainMorgan

1,454 posts

158 months

Tuesday 18th April 2017
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Just done a drive to Wuppertal and back in a lowered Fiat Panda 100HP, wasnt any worse than here, few bumps and dips but they were probably exaggerated because of the car. Done the same trip a few times over the past few years, all the roads I've used in Europe seem good, with the exception of the country roads in Southern Italy of course.

Adeyfisher

439 posts

132 months

Tuesday 18th April 2017
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I drive from the Netherlands to France 2 or 3 times a year; The Belgian part of the journey is the bit I wish I could miss, not so much the potholes, just the general state of the road surface, mostly ruined by the huge amount of freight passing through.

B10BRW

356 posts

220 months

Wednesday 19th April 2017
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The best part of Belgium is the road out, road surface still pretty crappy.
Belgian drivers still the worst in Europe, to and from Germany is a constant battle with a stream of idiots pulling out at the last possible moment.
Driving in Brussels is a nightmare, does not seem to be any form of traffic or lane control, a real free for all.

ecsrobin

17,016 posts

164 months

Wednesday 19th April 2017
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So driving to Stuttgart I could drive through Belgium or pay the tolls and go through France. Sounds like France is the better option?

sat1983

Original Poster:

1,252 posts

183 months

Wednesday 19th April 2017
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My dad's funeral is in eastern France and I could go via the French motorways but they do cost a fortune- Belgium it is!

Kyodo

727 posts

123 months

Wednesday 19th April 2017
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A bit of light reading of our trip 18 months ago - this bit covers Belgium. Needless to say we weren't impressed!
www.ferrari360modena.co.uk/European-road-trip-in-a...

Edited by Kyodo on Wednesday 19th April 09:20

boxedin

1,351 posts

125 months

Wednesday 19th April 2017
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B10BRW said:
Driving in Brussels is a nightmare, does not seem to be any form of traffic or lane control, a real free for all.
I had the best drive in Brussels last year.

Came to a junction, turned left past all the stopped traffic, some of whom were busy chatting to the local cops.

After about a minute something felt 'wrong', there was no real motor traffic, lots of people on bicycles, no one seemed to mind that I was slowly moving along sharing the roads with them.

Turns out they close the roads in Brussels once a year to cars etc. Heh.

Bo_apex

2,506 posts

217 months

Wednesday 19th April 2017
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EU HQ - say no more ! biggrin

bmw320ci

595 posts

225 months

Wednesday 19th April 2017
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CaptainMorgan said:
Just done a drive to Wuppertal and back in a lowered Fiat Panda 100HP, wasnt any worse than here, few bumps and dips but they were probably exaggerated because of the car. Done the same trip a few times over the past few years, all the roads I've used in Europe seem good, with the exception of the country roads in Southern Italy of course.
hey CM I went there last month on the way back from Paderborn, did you ride the train that runs through the town??

PH XKR

1,761 posts

101 months

Wednesday 19th April 2017
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The roads are ok, not pothole laden.

Driving standards are no better or worse than anywhere, including the holy grail of Germany where the driving standards are diabolical especially on the autobhans but no one accepts that.

PH XKR

1,761 posts

101 months

Wednesday 19th April 2017
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bmw320ci said:
CaptainMorgan said:
Just done a drive to Wuppertal and back in a lowered Fiat Panda 100HP, wasnt any worse than here, few bumps and dips but they were probably exaggerated because of the car. Done the same trip a few times over the past few years, all the roads I've used in Europe seem good, with the exception of the country roads in Southern Italy of course.
hey CM I went there last month on the way back from Paderborn, did you ride the train that runs through the town??
Yeah, he waved at you rolleyes

bmw320ci

595 posts

225 months

Wednesday 19th April 2017
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yep they are still pot hole ridden, tunnels colapsing, road section joins are like cliff edges and then like everyone has commented there are drivers!!!

I live here now its a real game playing with the belgies when they have to slow down for average speed camera's

PH XKR

1,761 posts

101 months

Wednesday 19th April 2017
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sat1983 said:
My dad's funeral is in eastern France and I could go via the French motorways but they do cost a fortune- Belgium it is!
Sorry to hear of your loss, the roads are not an issue so you will be fine.

Zed 44

1,242 posts

155 months

Wednesday 19th April 2017
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Driven in Belgium and Brussels many times. Makes the English roads look like the crap they are. The drivers are much more disciplined on the motorways too. At least they pull back to the nearside lane after overtaking.

PH XKR

1,761 posts

101 months

Wednesday 19th April 2017
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Zed 44 said:
Driven in Belgium and Brussels many times. Makes the English roads look like the crap they are. The drivers are much more disciplined on the motorways too. At least they pull back to the nearside lane after overtaking.
Live in Belgium and Brussels. The roads are no better or worse than in the UK. The drivers are certainly not better disciplined than in the UK. It is just another often trotted out statement that all roads in Europe are better and all drivers are better than the UK, both of which are not true.

Zed 44

1,242 posts

155 months

Wednesday 19th April 2017
quotequote all
PH XKR said:
Zed 44 said:
Driven in Belgium and Brussels many times. Makes the English roads look like the crap they are. The drivers are much more disciplined on the motorways too. At least they pull back to the nearside lane after overtaking.
Live in Belgium and Brussels. The roads are no better or worse than in the UK. The drivers are certainly not better disciplined than in the UK. It is just another often trotted out statement that all roads in Europe are better and all drivers are better than the UK, both of which are not true.
Must have been my good luck to have driven on the one or two good Belgian roads on a day when all the good drivers were out.

PH XKR

1,761 posts

101 months

Wednesday 19th April 2017
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Zed 44 said:
PH XKR said:
Zed 44 said:
Driven in Belgium and Brussels many times. Makes the English roads look like the crap they are. The drivers are much more disciplined on the motorways too. At least they pull back to the nearside lane after overtaking.
Live in Belgium and Brussels. The roads are no better or worse than in the UK. The drivers are certainly not better disciplined than in the UK. It is just another often trotted out statement that all roads in Europe are better and all drivers are better than the UK, both of which are not true.
Must have been my good luck to have driven on the one or two good Belgian roads on a day when all the good drivers were out.
Yeah, I live here and in the UK, id imagine my experience is somewhat greater than your annual tobacco alley run

Mr Spray

27 posts

150 months

Thursday 27th April 2017
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I drive in Belgium all the time. Motorways in Flanders are absolutely fine. However, not so great in some parts of wallonia (French speaking part). No problem with Belgian driver's road manners but just be careful with drivers pulling out in front. At least they understand that the fast lane is for overtaking only unlike some UK drivers.