Brussels: learning to drive

[bouviergirl]

Rather strange question, perhaps, but does anyone living in Brussels know whether it's possible to learn to drive there, in English?

Thanks a lot!

My DH learned to drive here. It wasn't easy and he did it in French. But he says definitely Auto Ecole Europeene have a facility for learning the theory and doing the theory test in English although its more expensive and one of his instructors from Escam was able to teach in English if necessary. So you basically just have to ring up the driving schools and ask if they have anyone who can do it. Frankly once you've done it though I think you struggle less than those of us who learnt in a town and a jurisdiction where driving was more or less predictable and there was no priority to the right. Good luck!

Thanks rushingrachel. It's good to know that, although difficult, at least it's possible!

I would say DON'T!!! I have had my driving licence for 25 years and am frequently astounded by how BAD the driving is here - how dd doesn't have the swearing repetoire of a navvy is beyond me......But I realise that is not helpful.....

I second what Porto says! My language is terrible in the car whereas normally I'm all sweetness and light ;).

Apparently the theory test can be more difficult to pass in English (ds1 has had lots of friends who have done it) because the translations can be somewhat bizarre. It's also expensive. If I'm not mistaken, you pay about ?1000 for a whole lot of lessons very quickly then practise on your own for about a year before you take the test!

www.belgopocket.be/content/permis-de-conduire

I know this is in French but google translate may work ok. The gist of it is what I said above. 20 hours in a driving school then they'll give you an aptitude certificate (if you're good enough) and you can get a provisional licence. You then drive for between 3 and 18 months (on your own!!) then take your practical test. If you fail twice then you have to do another 6 hours in a driving school.

You can also do it without taking lessons but then you have to have someone with you when you're driving.

Ha ha. My husband actually doesn't struggle with the priority or the bizarre habits on the road here because it's what he learned. In England on the other hand I've actually had to put the hand break on to prevent him just ploughing out from a side road without stopping. It's just what you are used to. I'm really proud of him that he did it though. It was really hard learning here.

There's a driving school just off Square Ambiorix who advertise lessons in English. I think it's on Avenue Michel-Ange.