babcock Posted April 25, 2009 Share Posted April 25, 2009 Today the weather has been bad. Lots of rain, possibility of aquaplaning, poor visibility etc. We went to Brive on the A20 ( approx 20km) we were tailgated, overtaken at more than the speed limit . I saw a car on the opposite carriageway which must have spun as it was up against the barrier facing the wrong way. Cars with no or insufficient lights. What is wrong with these people? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baz Posted April 26, 2009 Share Posted April 26, 2009 It is nothing new, too many drivers seem to have a death wish.Baz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5-element Posted April 26, 2009 Share Posted April 26, 2009 In the year 2007, no less than 100,000 drivers in France were found not to have a valid driving licence. A number of them never even took the test. Of course, it also means that the 100,000 were the ones were caught. How many more, who have never been caught?This was from a police report, something I heard on a French news programme.That little fact could have a link with the thread title.[;-)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5-element Posted April 26, 2009 Share Posted April 26, 2009 Posted twice in error, and impossible to delete, after just a few seconds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
babcock Posted April 26, 2009 Author Share Posted April 26, 2009 [quote user="5-element"]In the year 2007, no less than 100,000 drivers in France were found not to have a valid driving licence. A number of them never even took the test. Of course, it also means that the 100,000 were the ones were caught. How many more, who have never been caught? [/quote]That is scary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMB Posted April 26, 2009 Share Posted April 26, 2009 Is being involved in accident with one of these unlicenced drivers worse than being involved in a accident with a britsh reg car with no tax but with french insurance?[Www] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
valB Posted April 26, 2009 Share Posted April 26, 2009 They scare me to death and I dread going on a long drive. When we drive back to UK we have a six hour drive to the Ferry and I am on a knife edge until we are on the boat. I know there are some idiots in the UK but I do believe it is worse here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat Posted April 26, 2009 Share Posted April 26, 2009 [quote user="babcock"][quote user="5-element"] In the year 2007, no less than 100,000 drivers in France were found not to have a valid driving licence. A number of them never even took the test. Of course, it also means that the 100,000 were the ones were caught. How many more, who have never been caught? [/quote]That is scary[/quote]Some estimate the number of drivers in France, on the road, without valid licences to be as high as 12 million! A survey last year found that 2 in 3 French drivers would continue to drive even if they lost their licence.Now that is truly worrying! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunday Driver Posted April 26, 2009 Share Posted April 26, 2009 When we drive back to the UK we have a relaxing six hour drive on the autoroutes up to the Tunnel. When we arrive on the other side, we are faced with a four hour drive to Staffordshire on overcrowded motorways where you have the choice of staying in the first lane amongst the trucks at 50mph, sitting in the centre lane at 60mph or venturing into the 90mph nose to tail crocodile in the third lane....Always a pleasure to come out of the Tunnel on the Calais side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maricopa Posted April 26, 2009 Share Posted April 26, 2009 Couldn't agree more SD, driving is a pleasure in France, and a chore in the UK, the contrasts between driving on a Péage and a Motorway couldn't be more extreme. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunday Driver Posted April 26, 2009 Share Posted April 26, 2009 [quote user="Cat"][quote user="babcock"][quote user="5-element"] In the year 2007, no less than 100,000 drivers in France were found not to have a valid driving licence. A number of them never even took the test. Of course, it also means that the 100,000 were the ones were caught. How many more, who have never been caught? [/quote]That is scary[/quote]Some estimate the number of drivers in France, on the road, without valid licences to be as high as 12 million! A survey last year found that 2 in 3 French drivers would continue to drive even if they lost their licence.Now that is truly worrying![/quote]Given that the penalty for being caught driving without a licence can be up to a year in prison and a 15,000€ fine, I suspect that those 12 million are being very careful about how they drive.....[Www] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooperlola Posted April 26, 2009 Share Posted April 26, 2009 Although I swear frequently at the lack of road manners and basic skills over here, I'm largely with S/D and much prefer to drive here, even if I've recently been the victim of a lorry driver who pulled out to overtake without checking his mirror and punted another car into my (opposite direction) lane, on its side, whereupon I hit it in the roof. Ow.I had a driving lesson a couple of weeks ago and after five minutes, my instructress said pretty much what the title of this thread does. But happily with emptier roads and less pressure on drivers as a result, I still prefer it here and feel that motoring is just much more pleasurable on this side of the channel. However, when I drive down to Marseille I change my mind, as it seems much busier down there, even in March when I usually go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Avery Posted April 26, 2009 Share Posted April 26, 2009 Its the cultural differences that makes UK drivers think they are far better than the French and that the French are kerap. The vast majority of the French really don't mind being overtaken and will allow cars to overtake, they assume that they are in a hurry and allow them to pass, they also make space so that the overtaking car can move back if the complete pass cannot be achieved. The UK driver speeds up when being passed and also closes the gap to "serve them right for trying to pass me!!"I now have the philosophy if they want to pass me let them I have all day and if they want to drive fast in the rain why should I worry?To endorse what SD and Deb said, driving up the A20 or A75 in France beats driving down the M1 or M11 with its 85mph outside lane tailgating procession any day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgina Posted April 26, 2009 Share Posted April 26, 2009 Yes I agree, at least there is room to get out of the way of nutters over here. In England you are so cramped up, if you leave a safe space, some idiot fills it.Georgina Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carmelle Posted April 26, 2009 Share Posted April 26, 2009 It was the opinion of my american friend when he drove in France . He found the french drivers dangerous . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
babcock Posted April 26, 2009 Author Share Posted April 26, 2009 I'll admit that there is a lot of bad driving in the UK. The French road with nothing to be seen in front of you and nothing behind ......... except that car so close up behind you that you can't see the number plate. Why do they do that? Are they trying to use your slipstream to reduce their petrol consumption? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Avery Posted April 26, 2009 Share Posted April 26, 2009 [quote user="babcock"]except that car so close up behind you that you can't see the number plate. Why do they do that? Are they trying to use your slipstream to reduce their petrol consumption?[/quote] No they are trying to overtake you, that is the way they drive here, if they sit back its possible to see the on-coming bend or brow of a hill, so they might not try to pass[Www]. Yes its annoying but all you need to do is let them pass and carry on your merry way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patf Posted April 26, 2009 Share Posted April 26, 2009 Generally speaking I agree with those of you who say that driving here is a pleasure, and although you get a few french drivers who are either too fast or too slow, these are in the minority. However, the one big complaint I have is that there seem to be more and more huge lorries speeding down the dead straight single lane roads which run NS in the Gers. They often have a double trailer, loaded up with tree trunks, and take up more than half the width of the road. It makes me quite nervous, as there seems to be no limit to their width and length. It would only take one tree trunk to work loose and fall off and then.....disaster[:'(]This isn't exactly about french drivers, but french vehicles and the roads they use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gluestick Posted April 26, 2009 Share Posted April 26, 2009 [quote user="carmelle"]It was the opinion of my american friend when he drove in France . He found the french drivers dangerous .[/quote]Having worked on a project on Silicon Valley, Calif. in the mis-1980s and been compelled to drive regularly on the Route 101 Interstate (which runs between SF and LA amongst other wheres) and having driven all over the World, I found that being stuck on a four-six lane freeway, amongst pick-ups, SUVs, cars, mobikes, buses and huge Super Mac trucks where the wheels were taller than my large car was probably the most intimidating experience of the lot!Also the deceleration slip lanes were sudden, badly marked and very badly engineered: one had to take one's life in hands, to veer over possibly two congested lanes, to dive right and exit the freeway.LA was even worse!Luckily, I did not experience a tailback pile up. IMagine four lanes all trying to halt instantantly from 60 mph, when they are already packed in like sardines and no where to swerve to!Driving from our place in la belle on (Normally) the A16 is easy and relaxing. Once I clear Ashford (Eurotunnel) however, it is the M20: wonderful site of Hungarian, Spanish, Dutch, Polish and etc truck racing.And the ubiquitous Chelsea Tractors, driving right up your jacksie: between lane swerves. Then it's the M25; stuffed full of moronic Kamakazi drivers.Then the wondrous Essex arterial roads with boy racers lane weaving, cutting your nose off, fists waving and the prototypical white van with ladders on the roof playing tailgaiting and lane weaving amongst the tippers, skip lorries and insanely driven artics.Last week we saw one truck driver lane weaving at 70 mph and talking on his mobile as he steered with one hand!Perhaps "Our bit" of the Pas de Calais is different; but give me this any day of the week!It is truly similar to when I started driving back in the late 1950s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powerdesal Posted April 26, 2009 Share Posted April 26, 2009 Hey Gluey, re all the bad things about driving that you have described, are you sure you are not describing driving in the UAE? Chelsea Tractors, driving right up your jacksie: between lane swerves. moronic Kamakazi drivers. boy racers lane weaving,cutting your nose off, fists waving, tippers, skip lorries and insanely driven artics. truck driver lane weaving at 90 kph and talking on his mobile as he steered with one hand! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisb Posted April 26, 2009 Share Posted April 26, 2009 [quote user="Sunday Driver"]When we drive back to the UK we have a relaxing six hour drive on the autoroutes up to the Tunnel. When we arrive on the other side, we are faced with a four hour drive to Staffordshire on overcrowded motorways where you have the choice of staying in the first lane amongst the trucks at 50mph, sitting in the centre lane at 60mph or venturing into the 90mph nose to tail crocodile in the third lane....Always a pleasure to come out of the Tunnel on the Calais side. [/quote]Agreed absolutely - we only have to get as far as Essex but I find the drive through Kent horrendous and often frightening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
odile Posted April 26, 2009 Share Posted April 26, 2009 we many a time had to follow French drivers in the middle of the night totally pis**d and driving either in the middle of the road or hitting one side and slowly swerving to the other and back again. Like the 50s in UK indeed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Chris Posted April 26, 2009 Share Posted April 26, 2009 We've been here just over two years, and on balance driving in France is far more relaxing than in the UK. Yes there are some dimwits about, usually elderly and completely unaware of what's occurring around them, or others in a hurry and taking stupid risks, but what is most noticeable is the apparent lack of aggression. I've never felt intimidated, or angry about the driving of others here, in complete contrast to the UK where you have to keep your wits about you to avoid the offensive driving habits of the majority.On one trip back to one of the French channel ports last year, I witnessed several instances of dangerous driving, and all involved UK registered vehicles. They still had to wait to board the ferry that we were all travelling on. Says it all, really.Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gluestick Posted April 26, 2009 Share Posted April 26, 2009 [quote user="odile"]we many a time had to follow French drivers in the middle of the night totally pis**d and driving either in the middle of the road or hitting one side and slowly swerving to the other and back again. Like the 50s in UK indeed![/quote]Ah!But pre-breathalyser, as Dave Allen pointed out many years ago, how often do you have two drunk drivers from opposite directions hitting each other?It's the sober idiots who cause all the problems![B] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Posted April 27, 2009 Share Posted April 27, 2009 Surely Odile, if you had overtaken the French drivers in the middle of the night, while you were totally pis**d, hitting one side, swerving etc, would this not have put the poor French drivers in danger with you swerving about in front of them instead of behind them?Could you not have parked somewhere in order to sober up?David. [8-)] [6] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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