We popped over there last week for a couple of days: if we get lucky with the traffic down to Folkestone and the Tunnel train is running on time,it's 6hrs from locking the front door to ordering the first beer.(Belgium produces over 1600 different beers,apparently). We've been a couple of times before,and I really like the place. Now here's the thing. Bruges is a very old city,the streets are narrow,cobbled and a lot of them are one way for motorised traffic. But ,in many cases,the one way rule does not apply to bicycles! And there are not many,(if any-I didn't see one in the old city), dedicated cycle lanes! or even white lines! Surely a recipe for disaster? NO! Cyclists are everywhere,going in all directions at varying and sometimes pretty hair raising speeds,just missing cars coming at them head-on by inches...and not one of the cyclists was wearing a hi-vis or a cycle helmet...despite the slippery cobbles,the traffic,the wandering tourists,the opposing traffic...none of the cyclists appears to have any thought for their own safety,or of others!. And yet...in my various visits,I've not seen the expected carnage...nor seen an aggressive gesture...not heard a car horn...everyone on the road seems to get along just fine. All bikes have lights though,and bikes are bloody expensive in the shops.(Saw the same thing in Copenhagen on a recent visit).Oh yeah,and cyclists obey those rules that apply to them. Chris Hoy is constantly banging on about the popularity of cycling abroad,but there's the underlying moan that cyclists are somehow,"special". He should go over there and make a few films showing how ALL road users get along,instead of bad-mouthing those who have to use motorised transport.
When i was in Bruge I hired a tandem( two of us obv.) and it was hilarious . The biking fraternity was a bit random and quick though. Saw a few near misses bike on bike.
Interesting post. I`m off to Bruges for the weekend of the 20-22 November so will give you a carnage update on my return. I remember reading some time ago about a few towns in the Netherlands that are experimenting by removing most if not all of the road signs and marking. If I recall correctly the road and pavement users are having to think and take responsibility for themselves rather than just follow instructions and this is resulting in fewer incidents and traffic jams. Sounds like something similar is happening in Bruges. I`m sure politicians and health & safety folk etc here wont like the idea of this system, after all, what will they if they cant tell other people what to do ?
I'll 2nd Halve Man brewery. You'll be a Zot blonde fan for life! Also try this little bar, order beers from a menu, several hundred to choose from. Very friendly staff who will suggest beers. It's in a side street so hard to find and see from the main street. Kemelstraat is the name of the street. Fantastic place. Welcome on the website of café 't Brugs Beertje
I've always felt that the safest junctions are traffic light junctions when the lights have broken and had a bag put over them. Everyone is aware that the lights are down and they're left to their own devises so they're extra vigilant, cautious and courteous instead of thinking the light's are green, its my go, get out of the feckin way.
Lovely town. It's not hard to see why the Nazi's gave strict instructions that under no circumstances shall this gaff be wrecked!
I was amazed at how fast those sit up and beg bikes are ridden over those cobbles. You'd think they'd be slow and sedate but no, they really shift.
It's a great place - going for a bit of shopping there next month The fact the car park is underneath the main square is also a huge plus point to the city Drinking beer and watching cyclists especially when the schools kick out is awesome !
