driving habits in Europe

What is your opinion about the different driving habits in most of the
European countries? France, England, Holland, Belgium, Germany, Italy,
Spain, the Scandinavian countries and others?Are there were the
driving is perfect or others where the driving is ghastly............

Jack-Travel

wrote in message
...
What is your opinion about the different driving habits in most of the
European countries? France, England, Holland, Belgium, Germany, Italy,
Spain, the Scandinavian countries and others?Are there were the
driving is perfect or others where the driving is ghastly............

Jack-Travel

Italy & Netherlands are pretty bad!

Surreyman

On Wed, 20 Sep 2006 18:45:50 +0200, wrote:

What is your opinion about the different driving habits in most of the
European countries? France, England, Holland, Belgium, Germany, Italy,
Spain, the Scandinavian countries and others?Are there were the
driving is perfect or others where the driving is ghastly............

Jack-Travel

UK good things - reasonable amount of courtesy, roundabout discipline
good, not so much tailgating....and because the roads are all marked
with priority (stop signs, give way signs and white lines at
junctions) people don't pull out in front of you.

I avoid driving in London, however, as I find much of the above
doesn't seem to apply there!

Bad things - lane discipline is awful! If there are 3 lanes in the
same direction, there's always someone sitting in the middle lane.
Also, cyclists have become a law unto themselves, ignoring red lights,
riding on pavements (sidewalks) and generally being a danger to
themselves and others.

Germany - fast but generally law-abiding, and sensible driving in
towns.

Spain - not bad, but have been tailgated there more than anywhere else
I've ever driven.

France - have only driven in the countryside and small towns: found it
fairly relaxed and laid back. I'd probably go bananas in Paris,
though!

Belgium - no problems, despite the reputation.


Keith, Bristol, UK

Mein Arbeitsplatz - Mein Kampfplatz für den Frieden!

Email: usenet[dot]20[dot]keefy[at]spamgourmet[dot]com

wrote in message
...
What is your opinion about the different driving habits in most of the
European countries? France, England, Holland, Belgium, Germany, Italy,
Spain, the Scandinavian countries and others?Are there were the
driving is perfect or others where the driving is ghastly............

Most Europeans try to keep as far away from Belgian drivers as possible -
they have a universal reputation for bad driving, although I don't know
whether that is as deserved now as it was before they introduced a driving
test.

The Dutch I see are usually towing a caravan and either drive permanently in
the middle lane of a three-lane motorway, about 3kph faster than the lorries
in the nearside lane (or the speed lorries would be doing if the lane were
not clear for the whole visible distance ahead) or stay in the nearside
lane, doing about 3kph less than speed limiter on the lorry behind them is
set to. They seem to be totally oblivious of anything around them.

If I see a driver take action to avoid a developing situation ahead, the car
will almost invariably have either German or British number plates, which is
not to say that all drivers from those countries drive that way. I suspect
the ones with local plates that act that way are probably hire cars.

The French seem to be thinking about something other than driving, while
Italians are generally very enthusiastic.

Colin Bignell

England is pretty bad as I am lose on the roads, hehe.

A lot of impatient drivers here too. Never had a problem in Germany or
Finland.

nightjar wrote:
wrote in message
...
What is your opinion about the different driving habits in most of the
European countries? France, England, Holland, Belgium, Germany, Italy,
Spain, the Scandinavian countries and others?Are there were the
driving is perfect or others where the driving is ghastly............

Most Europeans try to keep as far away from Belgian drivers as possible -
they have a universal reputation for bad driving, although I don't know
whether that is as deserved now as it was before they introduced a driving
test.

The Dutch I see are usually towing a caravan and either drive permanently in
the middle lane of a three-lane motorway, about 3kph faster than the lorries
in the nearside lane (or the speed lorries would be doing if the lane were
not clear for the whole visible distance ahead) or stay in the nearside
lane, doing about 3kph less than speed limiter on the lorry behind them is
set to. They seem to be totally oblivious of anything around them.

If I see a driver take action to avoid a developing situation ahead, the car
will almost invariably have either German or British number plates, which is
not to say that all drivers from those countries drive that way. I suspect
the ones with local plates that act that way are probably hire cars.

The French seem to be thinking about something other than driving, while
Italians are generally very enthusiastic.

Colin Bignell

What is your opinion about the different driving habits in most of the
European countries?

Regardless of where you are, if you have an old man sitting in a hat in
front of you, you know it's going to be one loooooong trip.

--
Erick

B&B Ardane - http://bed-and-breakfast.ardane.com

Erick T. Barkhuis wrote:
What is your opinion about the different driving habits in most of the
European countries?

Regardless of where you are, if you have an old man sitting in a hat in
front of you, you know it's going to be one loooooong trip.


And he will be smoking a pipe!

On Wed, 20 Sep 2006 18:45:50 +0200, wrote:
What is your opinion about the different driving habits in most of the
European countries? France, England, Holland, Belgium, Germany, Italy,
Spain, the Scandinavian countries and others?Are there were the
driving is perfect or others where the driving is ghastly............

Listed by how much I've driven them, this is an accumulation of about 8
weeks of driving:

France, Belgium - never had any issues. Motorways are smooth, and
backcountry roads are fairly relaxed.

England - Americans love the roundabouts because we're sick of sitting at
stoplights, but we are probably the worst at driving them; the locals are
fairly forgiving. Motorways tend to have a few odd drivers lingering in
the middle lane.

Ireland - Drivers were patient enough with jetlagged drivers on the wrong
side of the road; roads (other than motorways) were outrageously narrow.

Germany - The Autobahn is a mix of outrageously fast drivers in one lane
and fairly slow drivers in the other. Unless you're willing to pick one of
the two, there's never a very comfortable speed. Other roads were OK.

Italy - I mostly drove on motorways in northern Italy. There is a speed
limit, though several drivers go much, much faster, and have little
tolerance for those who adhere to it. I wouldn't describe it as "ghastly",
but more like "maniacal".

All - driving is big cities is a nightmare.

--
-BB-
To e-mail me, unmunge my address

"BB" kirjoitti
...

France, Belgium - never had any issues. Motorways are smooth, and
backcountry roads are fairly relaxed.

Motorways are just very expensive in France.


Germany - The Autobahn is a mix of outrageously fast drivers in one lane
and fairly slow drivers in the other. Unless you're willing to pick one of
the two, there's never a very comfortable speed. Other roads were OK.

Staus are the biggest problem in my opinion.


All - driving is big cities is a nightmare.

Can't agree with this. Parking can be very tricky place to place. Driving in
Bangkok apart from small hours is rather nerve wrecking.

Markku Grönroos:

Driving in Bangkok apart from small hours is rather nerve wrecking.

Where exactly in Europe is Bangkok located?

--
Erick

"I don't want to achieve immortality through my work... I want to achieve
it through not dying." - Woody Allen