Hey everyone,
I’m from the Netherlands and recently drove through Namur. I have to say, some of your two-lane roundabouts completely stressed me out and I’m hoping some locals can help me understand how to actually handle them properly.
The problem I had: two-lane roundabouts where some exits are two lanes and others are just one lane. I get the theory - inner lane for later exits, outer lane for early exits. But in practice it was a nightmare. One time I was in the inner lane going for the 3rd exit. After passing the 2nd exit, I signaled and tried to move to the outer lane to exit. But every single entry point, new cars just kept entering the outer lane and didn’t yield to me at all. They just saw an empty outer lane and went for it. I ended up going around the roundabout 2-3 times before I finally found a gap to get out.
In the Netherlands, our roundabouts usually have clear lane markings, signs telling you which lane to use for which exit, or they’re just single lane so this doesn’t happen. The Namur ones felt very unguided and I genuinely didn’t know what I was supposed to do when trapped in the inner lane.
So my questions:
- Is this normal or was I doing something wrong?
- How do locals handle this? Do you just force your way across?
- Do people entering the roundabout actually check the inner lane before taking the outer lane?
- Are there specific roundabouts in Namur that everyone hates?
Not trying to bash Belgian infrastructure, just genuinely confused and anxious about driving there again!
Thanks for any tips
It is quite a mess. If unsure, just stay on the outside lane.
Which kinda contributes to the problem, although I understand the reaction and if it's busy, and I'm unfamiliar with the area, I do the same...
There's also an astonishing amount of idiots who think a roundabout is elliptical: enter on the right lane, go straight ahead into the left lane to exit back on the right lane.
Anyone else merging from the left lane is cut off. Daily occurrence on my commute in Liège.
At least in NL they have those small raised dividers between lanes.
General rule (but not working in all scenarii) is :
You go ou on 1st or 2nd exit: take outside lane
You go out on 3rd or more exit : take inside lane
Edit: line break.
It's confusing for everyone not from namur. Noone takes the second lane, everyone stays on the right. Which is kind of cool because you gain a lot of time. Just stay on the left lane, take it, put your signal, drive slowly when you exit and you're good.
yeah i pass there everyday, i save so much time
Namur is small and some roundabouts are completely blocked at some hours, so people usually stick to the right Even if they get out at the last exit.
If you know them well and take them daily you can feel when you go into it with the inner lane.
Usually I use the inner lane only when the outer lane is way longer than the inner lane knowing I could end up doing a full circle just to get an opportunity to shift to the outer lane. And I also know which exit would be a problem or not.
There is no science to Namur, just stick to the outer lane if you feel unconfortable with it.
Namur is capital of Wallonia with University and several bus lines. Huy is small. Drivers stick to outer lane in Liege as well.
It is normal, you’re doing it right. Locals stick to the outer lane most of the time or indeed force their passage. Actually, often some enter the outer lane, cute the inner lane, and cut the outer lane to exit. Because of bad marking.
Whenever I’m scared, I close my eyes and go full throttle.
We are all confused by this unless we know the roundabout by heart. Don’t worry :)
The algorithm brought me this thread out of nowhere, but for what it's worth I'm a Brit who's comfortable driving through Milton Keynes, but when I lived near Gembloux a couple of decades ago I found that I was completely incapable of predicting where anybody was going on the Namur inner ring road roundabouts, or rather that my experience elsewhere just didn't carry over at all. I expect all the road layouts will have changed since I was last there though.
I don't drive so can't explain, but my husband is French. Even though he's lived in Namur for 20 years, he is still very confused with our we behave in roundabouts.
I only use the inner lane if the outer lane is blocked by traffic at an exit that I won't use. In all other cases I only use outer lane but I always watch out and yield for those using the inner lane for their courage.
Drive faster.
Belgians don't know how to use multilane roundabouts. Most will therefore stick to the outer lane regardless of where they need to exit, which in turn has the effect of encouraging more people to use the outer lane. Generally Belgians driving on the outer lane will not yield to people merging in from the inner to the outer lane.
I love the NL turbo roundabouts. I which we would introduce these everywhere in Europe. So clever, easy to use and encouraging of people using the correct lane.
Afaik there's no legal obligation to yield to the inner lane in Belgium, which is a shame
But you cannot legally pass someone driving in the inner lane as that would be passing on the right. That's something that many people don't know or don't apply.
Namur is just a maze that doesn't make sense to me.
I just drove Tongeren, Gilze , Seraing, Liege, Tongeren today.
"Hate" is increasing towards Wallonia. :)
If you ever forced to drive in Wallonia, just take it slow. Keep it to the right and be prepared to have someone jumping in front of you.
Better slow than sorry.
It's a sign for you to stay in The Netherlands /j
That was uncalled for..
Welkom bij Namen !!❤️🤍💙
Sorry, I thought that /j means that I'm joking.
Sorry I'm not very familiar with Reddit slang :)
Welkom bij Namen anyway haha