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The french really are awful drivers?


Bugsy
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[quote user="Sunday Driver"]

Never mind the French - they're models of driving competence compared to the British.

Speaking generally, of course [:)]

They come to France on holiday and get regularly picked off by the gendarmerie for speeding on the way to the ferry ports.

True.................[:)]

They come across to France to live and don't even buy a copy of the code de la route so as to learn the rules of the road over here.

Not sure that it mentions using the right-hand lane on roundabouts for turning LEFT.

I can also find no reference to it being OK to cross solid white lines.

They post questions on forums like this, such as 'what does this traffic sign mean' or 'what's the speed limit in villages'.

True..................[:D]

They have no idea what priorité a droite means other than it it is silly because it's not what happens in the UK.

True..................[:D]

Oh, yes......and they think the French really are awful drivers.............[Www]

Generally speaking, of course...[:D]

 

 

 

[/quote]
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Generally, we find it much safer and more relaxing driving in France.  True, the standard of driving here is pretty poor, but we make allowances for that and give the French a wide berth.  The poorest level of driving seems very much the prerogative of the elderly, who don't appear to have a clue.  We always hug the kerb on blind bends because they have a habit of doing the opposite.  Tailgaters we encourage to pass (not that they need much encouragement...).  Getting around here is much more relaxed, and examples of aggression are rare.  Having said that, the worst examples of driving we've witnessed here are with British registered vehicles returning to the ferry ports.  Also, the Dutch who appear to be quite arrogant and not give a damn, particularly when driving cars with caravans, or camper vans.  (Not ALL Dutch, I hasten to add).

Chris

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[quote user="Sunday Driver"]

They come across to France to live and don't even buy a copy of the code de la route so as to learn the rules of the road over here.

They post questions on forums like this, such as 'what does this traffic sign mean' or 'what's the speed limit in villages'.

They have no idea what priorité a droite means other than it it is silly because it's not what happens in the UK.

They believe it when people tell them French driving examiners will only pass people who drive badly.

[/quote]

A copy of the Code de la Route can be bought for 15 euros in bookshops or on the Internet.  Daft not to get a copy and read it.

If anyone thinks that their French will not be up to reading it, there is an English language version:

http://www.americansinfrance.net/driving_study_guide/BookandDVD.cfm

I've never seen this so I don't know if it is a proper translation of all that appears in the original.

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Apart from the driving standards here, the locals all think its compulsory to drink and drive in vast quantities which actually may improve their normal driving standards    I had a car overtake me just the other day with the windows down and it smelled like a brewery on wheels.
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[quote user="Bugbear"]

Just to confirm SD's previous

http://www.pistonheads.com/news/default.asp?storyId=18589

read the comments..............................[:D][:D]

Slow down children, you know it makes sense..................[:)]

[/quote]

From the linked article...

"The French police now complain that while their countrymen obey the limit..."

Not around here they don't.  [:P]

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[IMG]http://i427.photobucket.com/albums/pp354/relaxcheznous/sillydriver.jpg[/IMG]

It's a poor photo from my phone but if you look closely you can make it out.........

I'd just picked up a new car in the Vendée last year and on the way home called into the Brico Depot at Cholet; it was just after lunch and though the car park was empty needless to say I parked me new pride and joy in a far corner.

When I came out the scene was difficult to believe. In the virtually empty car park a huge six wheel drive ex-army munitions carrier or recovery tractor driven by an elderly French Benny Hill lookalike with beret and thick round glasses had turned into a parking aisle way too soon and nearside wheel number two had gone right over the wing of the only car parked anywhere nearby. Bizarre because the truck had plenty of space to make the turn! It had all the makings of a candid camera stunt. I got the impression that he had reversed back over the car afterwards, anyway the whole offside front corner of the car was almost flat! When I got there and took the photo they were calmly filling in the constat.....

 

Steve

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If you want to experience bad driving, come to the Alsace (68). Safer driving around the Arc de Triomphe all day in my view.

I remember years ago, the French road safety advert on the tele was telling the French to drive like the English.

Again, generally speaking of course

 

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I've visited Alsace on many occasions and never found the local driving any worse than anywhere else.

Only problem was with German bikers on their big GS's hurtling past us whilst we were climbing the Col de la Schlucht leant over on our pegs........[:-))]

Still, we caught them up at a coffee stop on the Route des Cretes and lent them our maps so they could find where Mulhouse was.

 

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