This is the Worst Intersection in the Netherlands

The statistics mentioned here are absolute bullshit. There has not been a single traffic fatality at the Keizer Karel Plein in recent history. The report referenced talks about 'slachtoffers', but this means both injuries and fatalities. What's more, the report referenced here was retracted by RTL, as it was flawed. A new research was published a few months later which showed 53 crashed in the 2014-2017 period. Out of these 53 crashes, 52 were only fender benders, and there was only a single injury involved in these crashes. Of course, every injury is one too many, but what this video doesn't mention is that the amounts of traffic of course relate to the expected number of crashes. Also, this rotary is actually a very space-efficient way to process traffic from six different roads (technically even seven with the access to the church). In essence it is more like six different t-junctions in a very small area. What this traffic rotary does very well is process this traffic efficiently and in such a way that overall traffic is slowed down enough to make sure that if a crash occurs the danger to the people involved is lowered considerably. Of course the point about not wanting this much traffic around your city center is valid. The city has also taken a lot of efforts to move traffic away from this area. However, as you say, this is not easily done. A lot of the historic structures of the city, as well as the geographical characteristics of the area, make it difficult to move traffic away. It's really a pity that a video that could have been interesting results in a populist sensationalist fake news story. I really hope you'll do something to rectify the mistakes!

When I saw the thumbnail I said to myself, "if this isn't about Keizer Karel, he's wrong." Well I did not end up disappointed

When I did my driving exam, a life time ago, we drove for 30mins to get to this monstrosity and when my examiner and driving instructor were having a leisurely chat, I was about to leave this roundabout of death when a scooter came like a devil out of hell from nowhere and wanted to pass in front of the car just when I was speeding up, I broke so hard that the engine died all not to crush the idiot. Not my instructor nor my examiner had seen the scooter coming, so if it hadn't been for me I would have crushed the scooter. So, yeah even though I had made really stupid mistakes during the exam I passed cause I was there and didn't panic when it mattered. So, I passed my exam that day on my first try, which is a rarity in the Netherlands. But I never forgot that damned roundabout, so when I read the title of this video I knew exactly which nightmare we were talking about 😊

I live in Nijmegen, so I saw the pictures and thought "this is gonna be about the Keizer Karelplein, isn't it." Good to see I was right.

I think highlighting things that aren't "perfect" in the Netherlands is crucially important cause it shows timelines of change...that those who live in countries can't say "yes but the Netherlands different". Yes it's different, but it started pretty much looking the same as other cities in the 1950's, and here's some proof still that it is a "work in progress"

My biggest gripe with the Keizer Karelplein, is that they use the roundabout signs, even though it is not a roundabout. We have signs that indicate a mandatory driving direction, but for some reason, the municipality (or whomever is in charge of the signs) decided to add to a confusing situation by placing the wrong signs. For those who don't get why this is bad: on a roundabout, traffic wanting to enter the roundabout has to yield to traffic already on the roundabout. Keizer Karelplein, being a rotary system (or "verkeersplein") is managed by traffic lights. The sings and the lights are in conflict. And more confusion is the last thing this plein needs.

What a coincidence, I just talked about this today with my aunt. She hates it so much she'll go out of her way to avoid it altogether. I too hate it but once you get it, it's not a big deal. I'm more worried about other road users who might mess up now.

As a Dutch transit YouTuber I find the Keizer Karelplein very interesting. But as you point out it is very dangerous especially in the Netherlands as we don't really have other junctions like this. But, I guess Nijmegen does build it's roads a bit differently, like the Oranjesingel which connects to the Keizer Karelplein: 2x2 lanes without a barrier in between is something unheard of in the rest of the Netherlands. And there are lot's of examples like that in Nijmegen

As a British person (home of the signalised roundabout), this looks completely terrifying. Why are there traffic lights for entering traffic but not circulating? Why aren’t there road markings on the roundabout? Why is there a roundabout sign when this clearly isn’t a normal roundabout? Why isn’t there a safe way of crossing to the centre? We have some terrible signalised junctions but this would not pass here.

I accidentally went there last year and I hated that roundabout. It’s so bad. But, Nijmegen has one of the best raised cycle paths / bridge I’ve ever seen. And there is a park near the station that is absolutely beautiful.

With the second bridge over the river Waal, a lot of traffic now can avoid the Keizer Karelplein. It has a very noticeable effect on the volume of cars. But still, it is a kind of a spectacle to watch. I recommend a Saturday afternoon, because then you have the largest number of drivers who don't know how to deal with Plein. First there are locals who don't regularly go over the Plein. Second there are visitors who only get there once in a while, and then there are visitors who don't know the Plein and have no idea what they are getting into. On weekdays, especially in the morning and evening rush hours, the Plein is being used by people who drive there every day and know exactly how to negotiate the Plein. Imo the biggest problem with the Plein is its vulnerability. If an accident happens on the Plein or on one of the roads close to it, the entire city can get in a gridlock.

The municipality is working on it. Two of the six roads (the onedirectly leading to the station and the one going into the city centre) have very slow and just a bit of traffic. The narrowed the Annastraat and the Graafseweg to two lanes over quite a distance. What the end goal is, is to sent all the traffic not meant for Nijmegen across the new citybridge. When driving on the Keizer Karel plein it is important to know it is not a roundabout(rotonde) but a traffic square (verkeersplein). Traffic coming from the right goes first. So the traffic on the KKplein has to wait for the sidestreets. Tip: if the bicycle traffic lights turn green and you're driving on the KKplein it is save to pass a sideroad.

* Laughs in Parisian * It's like a small version of the Place de l'Etoile, which oddly enough is apparently less deadly (one death every few years) despite having much more traffic at 110.000 cars a day... As in Nijmegen, the situation is getting better

I ended up on the Keizer Karelplein years ago not really knowing where I was. I just took a wrong turn somewhere and ended up in Nijmegen. Not knowing its actual name, I nicknamed it the Anarchist Roundabout, because it's devoid of any road markings to regulate traffic. And that's how I still think of it.

That moment when you can instantly guess which intersection is meant from just the title of the video. 😂

I've had my driving exams in the city. This roundabout required special training. It's actually a breeze to go through if you know what you're doing, and more importantly: if everyone else knows what you're doing. What's important is that you need to yield to traffic that drives onto the roundabout. That also means that when you drive on, you can basically pick wherever you want to drive. There's no lane markings but you don't need them. Drive on the inner side if you want to left-ish, drive on the middle if you want to go straight, drive on the outside if you want to go to the right. As you progress through the roundabout, you go from the inside of the ring to the outside of the ring until it's time to leave. All you need to do then is keep oncoming traffic in mind, and yield to them (which only happens if you need to do more than a half circle). This all works fine and pretty fast, IF everyone knows what they're doing. Which was easily the case 20 years ago. Most people didn't travel far back then, so it was mostly used by locals and feared by everyone else. These days, people just have a gps that just tells you to go there, not knowing what to expect. Yes, then people panic when they see it, and that causes issues.

im a student in groningen originally from the us and it is genuinely so nice to be in a place not dependent on cars and a city that shoves cars to the outskirts (makes taking the train so much nicer with all the construction on the ring roads too)

I had my driving lessons in Nijmegen. One whole lesson was devoted to practicing how to approach and pass the Keizer Karelplein correctly. These days, examiners aren't allowed to send you there anymore.

What a coincidence. My wife and I just drove there on our way home and we discussed how bad it is. I always thought that maybe adding some lines or even raised lane separations may help a bit. Nijmegen is a really nice city, and it deserves better!

"All roads lead to the KKP". Wrong. All roads lead to the bridge across the river Waal, which was the only river crossing in that part of the country for a very long time. The only relief being the Rhein bridge upstream 20 km near Emmerich since 1965 and the Tacitus bridge 15 km down stream since 1976 and since a few years now the second bridge across the Waal towards the western edge of the town. On top of that, Nijmegen has a radial street pattern with the city centre on the edge of town. Apart from the KKP, there are two more rotundas: the Takenhofplein, also fitted with trafficlights to separate entering and exiting cars from other traffic, and the Steve Bikoplein, which does not have trafficlights for other traffic is guided further away with separate crossings.