How boring is Belgium?

[Linksmas]

I’m travelling east in the summer and most of my route is set. My first night will be near Ghent, my second is near Paderborn.
I want to avoid motorways at all costs, but is Belgium and Holland ever anything but a sprawl of industrial estates and suburbs? I’ve half a mind to take the motorway to Cologne and then on the windy lumpy roads from there. What say you?

[v8notbrave]

Watch "in Bruges" then contemplate how many 8% beers you can quaff

[psi310398]

That would be a shame. The Ardennes and Belgian Luxembourg generally have great driving back roads and any number of roadside caravans selling some of the most excellent frites and fish.

[Linksmas]

The Ardennes is a 150km diversion from where I am going.

[Gaz Said]

Belgium is alright.

The Semois valley, around Montherme and onto Boullion is great for motorcycling.

[psi310398]

Linksmas said:

The Ardennes is a 150km diversion from where I am going.

Yes, and worth it IMO.

[Biker9090]

Linksmas said:

The Ardennes is a 150km diversion from where I am going.

So well under what you can do of a summers evening?

[littleredrooster]

Belgium has the highest percentage of idiot drivers in the EU, IMO. Passed through it on two wheels & four many times and always had to have the ‘safety bubble’ sense turned up to maximum.

Dare I say - worse than the M25 even!

[bimsb6]

littleredrooster said:

Belgium has the highest percentage of idiot drivers in the EU, IMO. Passed through it on two wheels & four many times and always had to have the safety bubble sense turned up to maximum.

Dare I say - worse than the M25 even!

Yes , awful drivers in belgium !

[Marquezs Stabilisers]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

They are bad, but not as bad as the Dutch, who are up there with the Portuguese as Europe's worst drivers. Belgium at least has some cracking roads to compensate

[Linksmas]

Biker9090 said:

So well under what you can do of a summers evening?

I’m heading 500km east on that day, so no it’s not.

[Plymo]

littleredrooster said:

Belgium has the highest percentage of idiot drivers in the EU, IMO. Passed through it on two wheels & four many times and always had to have the safety bubble sense turned up to maximum.

Dare I say - worse than the M25 even!

Yes... Last time I was in northern France, every single bit of moronic driving or WTF moments was done by Belgians!

[BlackTails]

littleredrooster said:

Belgium has the highest percentage of idiot drivers in the EU, IMO. Passed through it on two wheels & four many times and always had to have the safety bubble sense turned up to maximum.

Dare I say - worse than the M25 even!

I’ve driven in Belgium mostly on motorways. Agree that Belgian drivers are fking terrible. And the road surfaces are awful. You drive into the Netherlands and it’s like someone hit the “mute” button.

I’ve also cycled in Belgium a bit. Rural Belgium presents as poor. And the road surfaces are equally st.

[hiccy18]

You're passing through the wrong bit of Belgium; Wallonia is lovely, always enjoy going there. Cracking roads in the Ardennes and the local religious zealots worship the god of beer apparently. But the other bit is like Holland with poorer drivers.

Interesting titbit about Belgian driving: unlike their Chocolatiers, Belgian drivers only needed licensed since the 70's, and tests were only introduced in the 90's.

[Michael_B]

There is an old joke in France that if you fail your driving test three times, you get a special number plate with red numbers and letters on a white background

[moto_traxport]

hiccy18 said:

You're passing through the wrong bit of Belgium; Wallonia is lovely, always enjoy going there. Cracking roads in the Ardennes and the local religious zealots worship the god of beer apparently.

I'm just back from that bit of Begium a fortnight ago in a campervan this time reminiscing about bike trips with mates in the past. Started in Germany, into Luxembourg and the contrast in road surfaces is stark when heading over border into Belgium. Most would ruin the fun on a sportsbike and a fair proportion make you concentrate on a GS!

[Linksmas]

hiccy18 said:

You're passing through the wrong bit of Belgium; Wallonia is lovely, always enjoy going there. Cracking roads in the Ardennes and the local religious zealots worship the god of beer apparently. But the other bit is like Holland with poorer drivers.

That’s kind of what I thought, if there isn’t anything great in Belgium and Holland there I’ve got nothing to lose going 3 hours on the motorway to get to the good German roads faster.

[hyper jay]

Ypres is beautiful, last Post at the Menin gate , beautiful town and historic

[Metric Max]

When heading in the direction of Strasbourg to get to Bavaria it's an option from Calaid to take the Belgium autoroute but I woulf raher pay and take the French ones. The belgium roads are even worse for potholes than the ones here in Kent

[_Rodders_]

Michael_B said:

There is an old joke in France that if you fail your driving test three times, you get a special number plate with red numbers and letters on a white background

It's hard to fathom why Belgian drivers are so bad.