Belgium

Must be all the soigneurs driving around, coked up with their boot full of drugs.

Tsunami or 9/11 is not an everyday occurance. Motorway Madness on the other hand is not an Act of God, but a self created affliction due to human motoring.

What we can learn from this story is that the Belgium A11 must be avoided.

Look at it another way around 600 deaths on motorways over 4 yrs so about 150 a year. Compare that to the estimated 250 000 dead after the tsunami or the 3500 in 9/11. Still not bad odds.

How vehicles have used said motorways, how many miles driven, how many journeys made? Or put it this way 100% of all life results in a death. 99.99999% of things that have lived on Earth is now dead.

The little bit of riding I've done in Belgium has been a joy and none has been on a motorway anyway.

I wonder how much of the issue is related to there being no driving test until 1977, which must mean a fair number of drivers have effectively learnt as they went along and undoubtably picked up a few bad habits?

Have relatives in France and have cycled a lot in France and Belgium. A few Belgians seem to become a bit unhinged when they see the autoroute sign and go a bit crazy. (Worse place I driven by far is Cote d'Azur - no Belgians involved there though, just French and Italians).

Had very few problems cycling in Belgium mainly because their cycle lanes and general infrastructure is so good. Only bit of road rage I've had over there was a Belgian trying to give be a telling off for not using the bike lane (that had only just began on the opposite side of a main road that was difficult to get to).

As with any place there is the good, the bad and the ugly.

I have found some bad driving in Belgie. Less because of malicous intent and more to do with the sheer idiocy, lack of road sense much less common sense.

In the UK the sort of bad and ugly drivers that you get have more of a malicious attitude.

When you go to mainland Europe you find the sort of infiltration from easterners and southerners who tend to have a slight lacking of common sense.

In Britain this's less so but instead it's the attitude which is bad.

I've not cycled in Belgium, but my experience as a motorist is that drivers of Belgian registered cars are, as a general rule, among the least competent I've ever come across.
The accident statistics quoted do not surprise me at all.

I cycle in Belgium regularly and have never encountered the bad, inconsiderate driving that is almost the norm in the UK.

I drive and cycle in Belgium in a very regular basis.

As a rule they are much better drivers than the Brits and are certainly more cycle aware.

Some of you lot sound like a bunch of pussy's if I'm honest.

This isn't quite on topic so apologies in advance,

I have only cycled in France/Belgium and the UK and i find it an equally pleasurable cycling expierence in France/belgium.

However I don't think on the whole I'm safer on the continent. The drivers may be less likely to beep the horn and show less entitlement to the road but they drive just as fast and just as close and take the same crazy chances on bends etc...

Does that make sense. Does anyone agree?

I find Belgian drivers terrifying. When you drive across northern Europe you see all other nationalities getting out of the way of the cars with the red number plates. They run up behind you flashing and barge you out of the way in the fast lane, and cross into it without indicating. Their lorry drivers are as bad too: they pull into the fast lane when you are alongside their trailers, so you either have to put your foot down or slam on the brakes. Seriously - I'm not joking. They not as bad as Italians, but they're the worst in northern Europe. This report is not surprising.

I suppose not directly related to the OP's point, but I happened to be in Belgium a few weekends ago having been on a short cruise with the wife.

Took a coach excursion around some of the Flanders war memorials and one of the things I did notice was the extent of the cycling infrastructure outside of the towns and cities. Even in what seemed to be the middle of nowhere, roundabouts still had full cycle lane provision on them.

I was genuinely quite surprised by that, it seems that not only do the Belgians properly cater for cyclists in their cities, but outside of them too. When any meaningful talk of proper infrastructure in this country is almost exclusively about central London, it seems we've still got a very long way to go yet.

I can only speak from experience as a cyclist cycling in Belgium, I found it to be very good. Would never hesitate to take the opportunity to ride in Belgium every time the chance arises.

I'd like to read the article but don't feel inclined to spend ages finding it - link anyone?

From my experience, cycling in Belgium is certainly more agreeable than the UK, more respect for cyclists for sure, not to mention a more elaborate cycling network.

No doubt statistical analysis will be a tricky one to fairly take account of the very dense network of roads, the high population density and the fact that the road network in Belgium services a huge volume of traffic criss crossing Europe, including the UK.

It references motorways. Don't ride on motorways. I've ridden in Belgium extensively and find it no better or worse than France, Spain, Holland, Luxembourg or even Italy.

I personally find all the above countries safer and the drivers more cycle aware than the UK.

Care to reference the article?