Driving in Brussels

The American rules of driving have been tossed out the window. Welcome to Belgium where rules rarely apply.

Driving through the city with Gareth, we've learned a few things. Walking through the streets we've learned more.

In Belgium, the oncoming car from the right has the right of way. However, you are the oncoming car from the right to the car on your left, you are more than welcome to cut him/her off. Running into that car isn't preferable, but it's not illegal. Busses and trams have the right of way at all times.

Speed limits are merely suggestions. They're good (popular) suggestions, and people tend to only break them by 20kmph or so, and the speeds are nowhere near what they are on the German Autobahn.

Street signs are in French within Brussels, sometimes in French and Flemish. North of Brussels they're in Flemish alone and south of Brussels they're in French alone...maybe a couple nearer the city they have both languages.

Walking around the city is much like a college campus. If there is a break in the cars, you have to walk directly in front of them to cross the street. While they don't slow down until the last possible second, cars will screech to a halt (euphemism. I have heard zero screeching in this city except from wailing children to their mothers.) and let you cross.

Drunk driving is very common here, according to Gareth. That's not to say that everyone drives drunk, but there is no one stopping you if you choose to. Gareth didn't even know the legal BAC level. "After about a pint," was all he said. And according to Lizzi's friend who used to live in Brussels, they rarely report drunk driving accidents or deaths in the papers.

Lanes. Belgians drive on the right side of the road. Taxis drive in the middle--on top of the tram tracks. They also drive on the right side of the road. They also stop in the middle of the street to talk to other taxis, thereby blocking all lanes. But we've found them to be very good with directions. Busses seem to follow the normal rules of the road, more than regular drivers, and stay under the speed limit and on the right side of the road.

Most cars here are stick shift, which I don't know if I like or not. I still want to learn how to drive stick (*coughmargaretcough*), but the fact that drivers stall right and left in this city isn't exactly encouraging. And of course ALL cars are smaller here. We did happen to see an SUV or two or three, surrounded by security professionals in business suits outside a hotel. No clue who they were with, but it was quite a caravan.

Hopefully no more driving quirks to come...this is already a ridiculous list.