The other thing the French do much more than us is get incredibly close to your rear bumper prior to overtaking. I mean like 2 or 3 yards. On a twisty road, they can sit there for ages.
One thing about French drivers I like is their range of hand signals. To let you out of a junction, (or acknowledge you when you do so) they have a really cool of just raising their finger from the steering wheel. When they have cut you up and know that it is their fault, I like the way they point their finger at their head like a pistol.
I have to say, if our roads were as empty, well laid out and maintained as in France then driving woule be a much less stressful experience here. There would be much less impatience, road rage, tailgating etc. Having pulled in to a French service station and had a delicious lunch (instead of an overpriced sandwich and foul cup of tea)one can then pootle off feeling that all is right with the world. They are much better geared up for kids too.
Coming off the ferry and hitting the M20, you immediately notice the poor surface, dirty road signs and congestion. All a bit depressing.
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Maybe it's the feeling of divine protection? - I remember seeing on the Amalfi road near Sorrento (which can be hairy at the best of times), in a single carriageway coastal road tunnel, the local drivers pull out to overtake without any obvious gap in front to pull back into, and in the face of oncoming traffic. No doubt using one hand to sound the horn and gesture to other drivers, and the other to cross themselves.
I vowed never to drive in Italy - but a few years later in Tuscany the whole road system between Florence and Siena seemed politeness itself. Just as well because our hired Fiat Brava had only one working cylinder (or so it seemed).
Oz (as was)
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Maybe it's the feeling of divine protection? - I remember seeing on the Amalfi road near Sorrento (which can be hairy at the best of times), in a single carriageway coastal road tunnel, the local drivers pull out to overtake without any obvious gap in front to pull back into, and in the face of oncoming traffic. No doubt using one hand to sound the horn and gesture to other drivers, and the other to cross themselves.
I vowed never to drive in Italy - but a few years later in Tuscany the whole road system between Florence and Siena seemed politeness itself. Just as well because our hired Fiat Brava had only one working cylinder (or so it seemed).
Oz (as was)
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Sorry for double post - web site access glitch. :-)
Oz (as was)
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one thing that the French do which we don't is on their autoroutes they do not pull out if there is a car coming up behind them at a greater speed. they generally apply their brakes until they can pull out without holding faster traffic up.
I do feel that people's opinion of French roads is a little blinkered by their privately owned and operated roads (ie the autoroutes). The "free" roads can be just as busy as our A roads but generally have a better surface and less road works. Some of the roads in towns are incredibly bad and make ours look fantastic.
One thing that is common between Fance and us is that there are a lot of middle lane hogs (in the few places where there are 3 lanes)!
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I've only limited experience of driving in France but the few thousand miles I've completed have been a delight on the autoroutes and hell in the towns. Somebody needs to teach them what a road sign should contain (unambiguous information) and not to site them at the junction, but preferably a short way before.
Rouen. What an automotive disaster that is. As for the Periphique, well my periph was certainly eeeking.
Shame les flics insist on using plain cars and seem to target cars with roofboxes as they can guarantee they will contain tourists. I watched in amusement last year as a fellow Brit got pulled at about 85, having been followed by the Surete for a couple of Ks whilst locals whizzed past at 95+.
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The statistics say that the Brits are not that bad, but I feel much safer in France and most of western Europe. Is it because I am never sure exactlt what a Brit diriver is going to do.
E.g. On the Peripherique I know that if I signal to change lanes no-one is going to gracefully slow down to let me do so in front of them. I am expected to just go fo it.
In U.k. if I signal in similar circs I no idea what the reaction is going to be. e.g - flash to let me in, totally ignore me, slow down to let me in but don't let me know (not always easy to tell this esp. when with long outfit)
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My experience of driving in Europe (France, Spain, Austria, Greece, Slovakia, Holland, Belgium) is that there are awful drivers everywhere but other factors (e.g. law enforcement, vehicle roadworthiness, the state of the roads, traffic volumes etc.) combine to either mitigate or exacerbate the problems they create.
What I can say for certain is that whilst working in Turkey, Abu Dhabi and Tunisia (in both major cities and very remote areas) and travelling quite extensively in Slovakia, highly dangerous, almost suicidal, driving was
almost endemic.
Are we in the UK better or worse drivers than them ? I don't know, but I know where I feel safer being both a driver and a pedestrian.
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There are bad drivers everywhere but we have more than the rest and we have more who are arrogant and half-witted.
Next worst in Europe must be the Greeks and then the Spanish.
Most courteous must be the Swiss.
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Depends how the statistics are measured
www.eltis.org/en/conceptd.htm
Not the most up-to-date site.
If lowest road fatality rate is an indicator, UK drivers are amongst the best.
Maltese are diabolical (but an exciting place to drive). UK roads always appear v. disciplined after trips to southern Europe.
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'Europe's Worst Driver of the Year' now is that a programme begging to be made by Jeremy Clarkson or what!
I reckon it would make cracking TV, what with JC's tolerant attitude to foreigners and all.
Cockle
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interesting topic, particularly around "what do you EXPECT the other road user to do".
Where road conditions stay the same for years, and roads are used by pretty much the same people, things tend to work well. Until a few years ago, it was always a pleasure motoring through France on the RNs, bearing in mind only that especially in towns stuff from the right had priority.
Here are some cases where the situation has changed and can be less predictable:
1) Eastern European (especially Polish, Hungarian, Lithuanian and Belorussian) lorry drivers on unrestricted two-lane autobahns. particularly the east-west A6 (Paris) Saarbrücken - Nürnberg (Prague) tend to pull out first and ask questions later. Mixes badly with the "if I have a fast car I can always overtake" code of German BMW drivers.
2) The French and the East Germans driving higher performance cars. It's quite a move from an Ami 6 or a Trabant to a standard modern family saloon. (a move which in East Germany can often sadly end up in a roadside tree).
3) Roundabouts, say 10 years ago a problem in France (now normal there) but being introduced to Germany.
pat
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So to try and sum up is it a case of the expected behaviour standard varying with the sophistication [1] of the surroundings?
In other words if the place is a total tip then one is not surprised to encounter an ancient Bedford lorry loaded to 2*GVW being driven by a half wit. But if the place is, on the face of it, civilised, high tech whatever then expectations are higher?
So is it a case then, to ask another controversial question, that the UK driving standards are sinking to match the fading infrastructure?
Incidentally I suspect that driving in capital cities could almost be considered as a different category, breed apart in many cases. Like the idea for a Jezza C show though.
[1] sophistication is not the right word but can't think of another just now.
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You have detected a latent racism at work here, which is intriguing as a way to explain the British attitude to driving ie "everyone is inferior to me, who is perfect". I'd not thought of it that way before.
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Come on fellas lighten up, this is only a friendly discussion of how we all see things differently sometimes worse and sometimes better.
Different nationalities do have a difference in attitudes and this reflects in their driving.
Sometimes amusing... for example I always look on in wonderment when I see a traffic jam in Limassol. All the drivers for half a mile back constantly use their hooter while carrying on their conversations with passengers. Its done automatically with no apparent anger but with perhaps the idea that it will clear more quickly by doing this. In a hire car I don't follow suit but perhaps if I lived there it would be a "do as the Romans" job and happily blast away with the rest.
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I recon you've got a point there, FiF.
It has been shown that the standard of behaviour broadly matches the surroundings, apart from the actions of total airheads, and it makes sense that this should apply equally on the roads.
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My Belgian friend says here in Belgium we drive fast and eat slow but in America they drive slow and eat fast. Belgians get my vote if you're only talking Europe.
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