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Driving in France



 
 
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  #41  
Old November 6th, 2011, 07:59 AM posted to rec.travel.europe
Runge 131
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Posts: 232
Default Driving in France

hohoho


"Martin" a écrit dans le message de groupe de discussion :
...

On Fri, 04 Nov 2011 15:30:50 +0100, Tom P wrote:

On 11/01/2011 06:55 PM, Dave Smith wrote:
On 31/10/2011 5:31 PM, James Silverton wrote:

Parisian traffic circles have to be experienced! Other cities like
London and Frankfurt are bad but don't compare with Paris. If you've
ever seen someone step off the kerb near a rental agency and be wiped
out, as I did, you'ld never rent in Paris.


I went on a trip to Europe with my brothers and their wives. and our
plan was to rent a car and end up in Paris. Having been in Paris before,
I suggested that we drop the cars off at the airport and take public
transport into the city. A SiL who had lived in France and been to Paris
supported that suggestion. After we arrived downtown they understood and
were glad they had agreed with me,

I have been to the Arc de Triomphe several times and have never seen the
traffic circle around it without at least one fender bender.

One day while being taken to my hotel by taxi I pointed out to the
driver that we had to go left because he was way over in the right hand
lane. He knew that, but according to him, the vehicle on the right had
the right of way, so if he went over to the right he could cut over to
the left and everyone would have to let him in. That helped to explain
why I saw so few cars without big dents in them.


Not just according to the driver, it's the law at intersections.


How did he survive in France without knowing that?
--

Martin

  #42  
Old November 6th, 2011, 05:33 PM posted to rec.travel.europe
Dave Smith
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Posts: 655
Default Driving in France

On 04/11/2011 10:30 AM, Tom P wrote:


One day while being taken to my hotel by taxi I pointed out to the
driver that we had to go left because he was way over in the right hand
lane. He knew that, but according to him, the vehicle on the right had
the right of way, so if he went over to the right he could cut over to
the left and everyone would have to let him in. That helped to explain
why I saw so few cars without big dents in them.


Not just according to the driver, it's the law at intersections.


Maybe I did not make the situation clear. I am not talking about a
simple intersection where the vehicle approaching from the right has the
right of way. I was wondering why he moved over to the far right lane,
IIRC three lanes over, when we had to go left. There was a left turn
lane, but it was backed up a bit.

His plan, as he explained it to me, was to get over to the right and
then cut across to the left. Since he was coming over from the right
they had to let him in. Basically, he was passing to the right and
swinging around in front of everyone else who was either going straight
through or waiting to make a left turn.

If, as you say, this is law, I am left wondering why the have left turn
lanes on the left and right turn lanes on the right. If this is the way
they are supposed to drive in Paris, the left turn lane should be on the
left.

As I said, it helps to explain why all the cars in Paris are banged up.
  #43  
Old November 6th, 2011, 06:14 PM posted to rec.travel.europe
irwell
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Posts: 758
Default Driving in France

On Sun, 06 Nov 2011 11:33:19 -0500, Dave Smith wrote:

On 04/11/2011 10:30 AM, Tom P wrote:


One day while being taken to my hotel by taxi I pointed out to the
driver that we had to go left because he was way over in the right hand
lane. He knew that, but according to him, the vehicle on the right had
the right of way, so if he went over to the right he could cut over to
the left and everyone would have to let him in. That helped to explain
why I saw so few cars without big dents in them.


Not just according to the driver, it's the law at intersections.


Maybe I did not make the situation clear. I am not talking about a
simple intersection where the vehicle approaching from the right has the
right of way. I was wondering why he moved over to the far right lane,
IIRC three lanes over, when we had to go left. There was a left turn
lane, but it was backed up a bit.

His plan, as he explained it to me, was to get over to the right and
then cut across to the left. Since he was coming over from the right
they had to let him in. Basically, he was passing to the right and
swinging around in front of everyone else who was either going straight
through or waiting to make a left turn.

If, as you say, this is law, I am left wondering why the have left turn
lanes on the left and right turn lanes on the right. If this is the way
they are supposed to drive in Paris, the left turn lane should be on the
left.

As I said, it helps to explain why all the cars in Paris are banged up.


Not in this
picture.http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=...F1E5E2&first=0
  #44  
Old November 7th, 2011, 02:26 AM posted to rec.travel.europe
Gerrit
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Posts: 47
Default Driving in France


"Martin" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 04 Nov 2011 15:30:50 +0100, Tom P wrote:

On 11/01/2011 06:55 PM, Dave Smith wrote:
On 31/10/2011 5:31 PM, James Silverton wrote:

Parisian traffic circles have to be experienced! Other cities like
London and Frankfurt are bad but don't compare with Paris. If you've
ever seen someone step off the kerb near a rental agency and be wiped
out, as I did, you'ld never rent in Paris.


I went on a trip to Europe with my brothers and their wives. and our
plan was to rent a car and end up in Paris. Having been in Paris before,
I suggested that we drop the cars off at the airport and take public
transport into the city. A SiL who had lived in France and been to Paris
supported that suggestion. After we arrived downtown they understood and
were glad they had agreed with me,

I have been to the Arc de Triomphe several times and have never seen the
traffic circle around it without at least one fender bender.

One day while being taken to my hotel by taxi I pointed out to the
driver that we had to go left because he was way over in the right hand
lane. He knew that, but according to him, the vehicle on the right had
the right of way, so if he went over to the right he could cut over to
the left and everyone would have to let him in. That helped to explain
why I saw so few cars without big dents in them.


Not just according to the driver, it's the law at intersections.


How did he survive in France without knowing that?
--

Martin


I have always thought that in counties where they drive (unnaturally) on the
right hand side of the road they should have a give way to the left rule.

  #45  
Old November 7th, 2011, 05:14 AM posted to rec.travel.europe
[email protected]
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Posts: 53
Default Driving in France

On Mon, 7 Nov 2011 09:26:23 +0800, "Gerrit" wrote:

I have always thought that in counties where they drive (unnaturally) on the
right hand side of the road they should have a give way to the left rule.


The rest of us have always thought that those countries who base their driving
practices on medieval traditions should take a look at a calendar. 8)

-- Larry
  #46  
Old November 10th, 2011, 07:29 PM posted to rec.travel.europe
Tom P[_6_]
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Posts: 563
Default Driving in France

On 11/07/2011 02:26 AM, Gerrit wrote:

"Martin" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 04 Nov 2011 15:30:50 +0100, Tom P wrote:

On 11/01/2011 06:55 PM, Dave Smith wrote:
On 31/10/2011 5:31 PM, James Silverton wrote:

Parisian traffic circles have to be experienced! Other cities like
London and Frankfurt are bad but don't compare with Paris. If you've
ever seen someone step off the kerb near a rental agency and be wiped
out, as I did, you'ld never rent in Paris.


I went on a trip to Europe with my brothers and their wives. and our
plan was to rent a car and end up in Paris. Having been in Paris
before,
I suggested that we drop the cars off at the airport and take public
transport into the city. A SiL who had lived in France and been to
Paris
supported that suggestion. After we arrived downtown they understood
and
were glad they had agreed with me,

I have been to the Arc de Triomphe several times and have never seen
the
traffic circle around it without at least one fender bender.

One day while being taken to my hotel by taxi I pointed out to the
driver that we had to go left because he was way over in the right hand
lane. He knew that, but according to him, the vehicle on the right had
the right of way, so if he went over to the right he could cut over to
the left and everyone would have to let him in. That helped to explain
why I saw so few cars without big dents in them.

Not just according to the driver, it's the law at intersections.


How did he survive in France without knowing that?
--

Martin


I have always thought that in counties where they drive (unnaturally) on
the right hand side of the road they should have a give way to the left
rule.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Priority_to_the_right
quote:
Priority to the right is a right-of-way system, in which a driver of a
vehicle shall give way to vehicles approaching from the right at
intersections. The system is stipulated in Article 18.4.a of the Vienna
Convention on Road Traffic for countries where traffic keeps to the
right and applies to all intersections where it is not overridden by
priority signs (uncontrolled intersections), including side roads and
roundabouts (but not paths or earth-tracks).
/quote

You can see the official wording he
www.unece.org/trans/conventn/crt1968e.pdf

(page 18)

quote:
In States where traffic keeps to the right the driver of a vehicle shall
give way, at intersections other than those specified in paragraph 2 of
this Article and in Article 25, paragraphs 2 and 4 of this Convention,
to vehicles approaching from his right;
/quote
  #47  
Old November 10th, 2011, 07:33 PM posted to rec.travel.europe
Tom P[_6_]
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Posts: 563
Default Driving in France

On 11/06/2011 05:33 PM, Dave Smith wrote:
On 04/11/2011 10:30 AM, Tom P wrote:


One day while being taken to my hotel by taxi I pointed out to the
driver that we had to go left because he was way over in the right hand
lane. He knew that, but according to him, the vehicle on the right had
the right of way, so if he went over to the right he could cut over to
the left and everyone would have to let him in. That helped to explain
why I saw so few cars without big dents in them.


Not just according to the driver, it's the law at intersections.


Maybe I did not make the situation clear. I am not talking about a
simple intersection where the vehicle approaching from the right has the
right of way. I was wondering why he moved over to the far right lane,
IIRC three lanes over, when we had to go left. There was a left turn
lane, but it was backed up a bit.

His plan, as he explained it to me, was to get over to the right and
then cut across to the left. Since he was coming over from the right
they had to let him in. Basically, he was passing to the right and
swinging around in front of everyone else who was either going straight
through or waiting to make a left turn.

If, as you say, this is law, I am left wondering why the have left turn
lanes on the left and right turn lanes on the right. If this is the way
they are supposed to drive in Paris, the left turn lane should be on the
left.

As I said, it helps to explain why all the cars in Paris are banged up.


BTW this is the same procedure for left turns in Mexico - you pull over
to the right and cross both lanes of traffic. I had a scary experience
once doing a lh turn in the European style of pulling into the middle of
the road - luckily I looked in the wing mirror as someone shot past me
on the lh side.
  #48  
Old November 10th, 2011, 08:18 PM posted to rec.travel.europe
Tom P[_6_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 563
Default Driving in France

On 11/06/2011 05:33 PM, Dave Smith wrote:
On 04/11/2011 10:30 AM, Tom P wrote:


One day while being taken to my hotel by taxi I pointed out to the
driver that we had to go left because he was way over in the right hand
lane. He knew that, but according to him, the vehicle on the right had
the right of way, so if he went over to the right he could cut over to
the left and everyone would have to let him in. That helped to explain
why I saw so few cars without big dents in them.


Not just according to the driver, it's the law at intersections.


Maybe I did not make the situation clear. I am not talking about a
simple intersection where the vehicle approaching from the right has the
right of way. I was wondering why he moved over to the far right lane,
IIRC three lanes over, when we had to go left. There was a left turn
lane, but it was backed up a bit.

His plan, as he explained it to me, was to get over to the right and
then cut across to the left. Since he was coming over from the right
they had to let him in. Basically, he was passing to the right and
swinging around in front of everyone else who was either going straight
through or waiting to make a left turn.

If, as you say, this is law, I am left wondering why the have left turn
lanes on the left and right turn lanes on the right. If this is the way
they are supposed to drive in Paris, the left turn lane should be on the
left.

Possibly he pulled over into the entrance to a small side street. Or
just assumed that everyone else would think he was driving out of a
small side street. Between all the parked cars it's hard to see the side
streets. In any case he's been driving in Paris longer than you or I
have. Back in the 70's it was normal to drive round Paris at night
without any lights at all. Drivers would just flash their headlights at
intersections. And of course only stupid foreigners would think of
leaving the car in gear or setting the parking brake.

As I said, it helps to explain why all the cars in Paris are banged up.


  #49  
Old November 11th, 2011, 12:40 AM posted to rec.travel.europe
Dave Smith
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 655
Default Driving in France

On 10/11/2011 1:29 PM, Tom P wrote:

I have always thought that in counties where they drive (unnaturally) on
the right hand side of the road they should have a give way to the left
rule.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Priority_to_the_right
quote:
Priority to the right is a right-of-way system, in which a driver of a
vehicle shall give way to vehicles approaching from the right at
intersections. The system is stipulated in Article 18.4.a of the Vienna
Convention on Road Traffic for countries where traffic keeps to the
right and applies to all intersections where it is not overridden by
priority signs (uncontrolled intersections), including side roads and
roundabouts (but not paths or earth-tracks).
/quote

You can see the official wording he
www.unece.org/trans/conventn/crt1968e.pdf

(page 18)

quote:
In States where traffic keeps to the right the driver of a vehicle shall
give way, at intersections other than those specified in paragraph 2 of
this Article and in Article 25, paragraphs 2 and 4 of this Convention,
to vehicles approaching from his right;
/quote


I understand that part.... I think.... Where a car vehicles approach an
uncontrolled intersection, the vehicle approaching from the right is
given the right of way.

That is not what I was referring to. The taxi in which I was a
passenger was approaching the intersection from the north. He needed to
make a left turn to go to the east. There were already a number of cars
in the left lane and waiting for the oncoming traffic to clear a bit in
order to make their left turns. My taxi driver swung over to the right,
making me think he was going to make a right turn and I thought he was
taking me for a more expensive ride. But his told me about this right of
way story. Makes me wonder why there were left turn and right turn lane
on the right and left respectively.
  #50  
Old November 11th, 2011, 12:55 AM posted to rec.travel.europe
Dave Smith
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 655
Default Driving in France

On 10/11/2011 2:18 PM, Tom P wrote:

If, as you say, this is law, I am left wondering why the have left turn
lanes on the left and right turn lanes on the right. If this is the way
they are supposed to drive in Paris, the left turn lane should be on the
left.

Possibly he pulled over into the entrance to a small side street. Or
just assumed that everyone else would think he was driving out of a
small side street.


No. It was a major intersection. This was major intersection with a
traffic light. There were cars in the left lane waiting to make a left
and cars in the other two lanes were going straight through..... untl
they got held up as my taxi driver cut across their lanes in order to
pull around the cars waiting to turn left. Basically, he was passing on
the right to make a left turn, cutting in front of those who appeared to
be following the rules of the road, and screwing up traffic flow in the
proces.


Between all the parked cars it's hard to see the side
streets. In any case he's been driving in Paris longer than you or I
have. Back in the 70's it was normal to drive round Paris at night
without any lights at all. Drivers would just flash their headlights at
intersections. And of course only stupid foreigners would think of
leaving the car in gear or setting the parking brake.

As I said, it helps to explain why all the cars in Paris are banged up.



 




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