Sorry but the French are c r a p drivers

[AnOther]

[quote user="Ron Avery"] There is no SLOW lane on any motorway[/quote]

[quote user="Ron Avery"]Some of the posters on here would not last five minutes on German Autobahns with their selfish aggressive attitudes, try staying in the centre or fast lane over there!!.[/quote]

But surely Ron if there is no slow lane by extension there cannot be a fast one can there [Www]

Again right lane for the conditions, if there is nothing coming up behind you what does it matter which lane you are occupying, of course that would require a glance in the mirror to determine so perhaps keep left, or right as the case may be, would be the best strategy after all [:)]

[cooperlola]

What's a mirror, Ernie?[Www]

The term slow lane is just an expression which I grew up with - sorry if it offends!  My point about staying in the middle lane, Ron, as I made clear, was that it is only acceptable, imho, if you keep up with the traffic - that would certainly be acceptable in Germany where, if the guy in front is doing 200 kph, then so should you.

No, of course I don't object to people who use the inside lane

(better?) by default - simply those who insist on imitating snakes when

there's a lot of traffic about and who nip in and out over and over

again- much less predictable than those who just get on with it (and as

Gluey says, leaving on their indicator so you know what they're doing -

I reckon that is a good habit which I must say I have tried to adopt.)

But, as said above, we all think we're good drivers, don't we?  I

expect that lorry driver who's put me in hospital reckons he's good at

it too.  If you don't have confidence in your ability then there's no

hope is there?  In my defense, I had an assessment driving lesson (to

find out if my right leg stood up to driving an unadapted car) the

other day and the instructor was, on the whole, pretty impressed with

my road manners - especially my use of my mirror and indicators -

although I admit she did pick up on a couple of faults.  It was a very

interesting exercise which I reckon many people would benefit from - I

know I did.

[Ron Avery]

[quote user="Chezstevens"]Hi Folks,
You think that driving in France is erratic ... I have survived in Naples for 10 months - you just have to laugh.  If anybody wants an unused indicator bulb for any vehicle then go to a Neopolitan scrapyard!! Creating 4 lanes from 2 is the norm and honking at the lights, girls, mates or life..........
[/quote]

That is so true, do Italian cars have indicator switches then? 

Approaching Naples en route to Amalfi Coast last summer, there were three lanes, + one hard shoulder, the hard shoulder was the fastest lane of the lot and the next junction was 3 kms ahead[:-))] AS CS said if you want to see erratic lane changing where there just isn't any room to do so, go to Napoli, if you think French drivers are Kerap ........[Www]

[Ron Avery]

"I expect that lorry driver who's put me in hospital reckons he's good at it too."

I think he showed his skill at "hospital putting" admirably Coops[:D][:P][:$]

[cooperlola]

In my limited experience, Malta is one of the scariest places to drive.  [:-))] doesn't begin to describe it.

I'm sure that the French, no more than the Maltese, Italians, Brits or whoever, are not born bad drivers but just pick up bad habits which become acceptable in their own countries.  I think most of us would have trouble passing a driving test again (either here on in the UK) without a bit of polishing of our skills, wouldn't we?

[Stan Streason]

I'm feeling a bit put-upon here as an Essex driver.  I guess, just as I see those comments as generalisations, then most of the comments on the french are probably just that as well.

I must admit that I find France a much more enjoyable place to drive for the sheer fun of it.

In UK (Essex) the roads are just so congested that driving is no fun.  I have a 25 mile each way cross country commute to work and the journey is always done following busses or lorries with no space to overtake.  My average MPH over the last 20,000 miles, per my trip computer is 38.  I currently have my german sports car up for sale as I am just not getting enough chance to drive for pleasure.

However the last time I took it to France the sheer driving pleasure of the long empty country roads of the Charente where you could see ahead for at least half a mile, could drive, accelerate and corner in a perfectly handling car, was something that was just wonderful.

[andyh4]

[quote user="Gluestick"]

One habit I do like which most decent French drivers use, when overtaking and occupying an outside lane on a péage or autoroute, is to leave the lefthand indicator flashing for as long as they are overtaking: at least everyone else knows what their basic intention is.

[/quote]

 

Not sure if you are taking the Michael there Gluestick, but I find it extremely unhelpful.  Suppose you are in the outside lane coming up on a group of these in the middle lane all indicating left as they pass a couple of HGVs.  Now are they all indicating to show they are passing the HGV, or are some of them towards the back, about to pull out and overtake the other slower overtakers - and be directly in your path as a consequence.

[Gluestick]

I believe it all depends whereabouts in Essex, Stan.

I have the whole misfortune, to suffer both the A127 and A13: and local driving is completely insane.

That said, last time I drove to Gerrards Cross, Bucks for a meeting, it took me 4 and 3/4 hours.

Whereas the total journey time to "Home" in France, if I leave at 5.00AM (To avoid the insane congestion of local roads and the M25 et al), excluding waiting time for the next shuttle, it takes circa 3 1/2 hours.

If I wish to visit my local Wickes branch for example, whilst only a round trip of 18 miles, at the wrong time of day (As in anytime not between circa 12.00 midnight and 05.00AM!) then it can take up to two hours!

When I visit one of closest chums in Dedham Vale, however then after I leave the A12 it is quite pleasant.

 

 

[Gluestick]

[quote user="andyh4"][quote user="Gluestick"]

One habit I do like which most decent French drivers use, when overtaking and occupying an outside lane on a péage or autoroute, is to leave the lefthand indicator flashing for as long as they are overtaking: at least everyone else knows what their basic intention is.

[/quote]

Not sure if you are taking the Michael there Gluestick, but I find it extremely unhelpful.  Suppose you are in the outside lane coming up on a group of these in the middle lane all indicating left as they pass a couple of HGVs.  Now are they all indicating to show they are passing the HGV, or are some of them towards the back, about to pull out and overtake the other slower overtakers - and be directly in your path as a consequence.

[/quote]

Well, of course, if they are using their mirrors correctly, then on the three laner, they would not pull out until you have passed; theoretically.

And if you are looking well ahead and managing the traffic, you would have observed that those about to overtake the overtakers, are travelling at a much greater speed than the overtakers.

Most, of course, would already be in the extreme left lane.

Or of course, it may well be an Essex driver on vacation: who has - as they do - left the lefthand indicator on: and can't hear the tell-tale, 'cos they are playing some foul rap noise at 25 watts per speaker...................................... and can't see the dash repeater, 'cos they are playing along to the noise on their TomTom.

And they are in point of fact just as likely to suddenly swerve right or left.

[:D]

[David]

[quote user="Bugbear"]Now this doesn't happen very often but I have to agree totally with Ron ...........[:)]

Dropping back in, after an overtake, is much better than staying out for the next one in the distance. It is also 'cleaner' shall we say, when 'making a bit of progress' [:D]

I am always amazed when I see drivers happily driving alongside HGVs (meat in the sandwich) for long periods rather than, (a), waiting until their exit is clear before passing and (b), accelerating quickly past the danger rather than creeping past within the speed limit.

Down the outside of HGVs into roundabouts is in the same category.

Good lane disipline is king IMB.
[/quote]

I would have agreed with you, however, not now.  I have been driving for some 45 years and have never had so much a parking or speeding ticket - until recently.  When learning to drive I seem to remember being taught to accelerate quickly past a danger, if safe to do so, and then reduce to the speed limit.  Recently I did just that to overtake some heavy traffic on the autoroute between Niort and Bordeaux.  I started off keeping within the speed limit and was overtaking slowly.  I was very quickly tailgated by a high speed car convoy with much flashing of headlights, so I speeded up a little, completed the overtake, and went back into the inside lane.  Just as I was finishing the overtake, and before slowing down, I was flashed by a mobile speed camera.  In due course I received a letter saying I was 1 kilometer over the speed limit after allowances; I was fined and deducted one point!  No doubt the high speed convoy behind me got nothing as they were hidden by me!!!

I still feel much aggrieved.  Thus I cannot now agree with your post.

David

[Christine Animal]

[quote user="Sunday Driver"]

Amazing to read some of these posts....

I can just imagine a French forum with a topic such as "Sorry but the English are c r a p drivers".

"Why is is when you're on a clear road and getting ready to overtake one of those cars with the driver sitting on the wrong side, he suddenly brakes for no reason forcing to you aquaplane and slide all over the rue.  They are a real menace sometimes - why the gendarmes don't do something about it before they kill someone, I don't know........"

 [Www]

 

[/quote]      [:P]  "Sorry, but some English drivers are emmerdants".

Quand les conducteurs anglais oublient le code

Routes. Depuis le début de l'année, ils sont impliqués dans plusieurs accidents.

 

 

Nobody's perfect, huh ?   [:)]

[Sunday Driver]

Christine

I think its less a case of English drivers forgetting the code - more a case of them not having bothered to read it in the first place.

I suspect that very few people coming across the Channel on holiday ever bother to find out what the rules of the road are for driving in France (or anywhere else in Europe for that matter) and judging by the number of people living here and coming up with questions like 'what's the speed limit in towns?' or 'what is priorité a droite?' I suspect that few of them have either....

 

 

[Gluestick]

[quote user="David"]

[quote user="Bugbear"]Now this doesn't happen very often but I have to agree totally with Ron ...........[:)]

Dropping back in, after an overtake, is much better than staying out for the next one in the distance. It is also 'cleaner' shall we say, when 'making a bit of progress' [:D]

I am always amazed when I see drivers happily driving alongside HGVs (meat in the sandwich) for long periods rather than, (a), waiting until their exit is clear before passing and (b), accelerating quickly past the danger rather than creeping past within the speed limit.

Down the outside of HGVs into roundabouts is in the same category.

Good lane disipline is king IMB.
[/quote]

I would have agreed with you, however, not now.  I have been driving for some 45 years and have never had so much a parking or speeding ticket - until recently.  When learning to drive I seem to remember being taught to accelerate quickly past a danger, if safe to do so, and then reduce to the speed limit.  Recently I did just that to overtake some heavy traffic on the autoroute between Niort and Bordeaux.  I started off keeping within the speed limit and was overtaking slowly.  I was very quickly tailgated by a high speed car convoy with much flashing of headlights, so I speeded up a little, completed the overtake, and went back into the inside lane.  Just as I was finishing the overtake, and before slowing down, I was flashed by a mobile speed camera.  In due course I received a letter saying I was 1 kilometer over the speed limit after allowances; I was fined and deducted one point!  No doubt the high speed convoy behind me got nothing as they were hidden by me!!!

I still feel much aggrieved.  Thus I cannot now agree with your post.

David

[/quote]

In Spain, of course, it is totally acceptable ands within the code, to exceed speed limits to achieve safe overtaking.

And your post points up the stupidity of French Speed Cameras.

At least with the UK fixed jobs, once can demand the film and then ascertain what actually happened to the other tailgaters. And the road line markings quickly demonstrate precisely what speed the flashed vehicles were doing.

The film can also be utilised to prove that in fact it was another parallel driver who tripped the camera; 'cos he was travelling at a mich greater speed than you.

In any case, I will never ever forgive Mo Gatsonides, (an excellent rally driver in his day), for deciding to flog his device - orginally developed to time rally cars over stages in practice and to improve techniques - to police and road authorities.

*^$£$£!

 

[Gluestick]

[quote user="Sunday Driver"]

Christine

I think its less a case of English drivers forgetting the code - more a case of them not having bothered to read it in the first place.

I suspect that very few people coming across the Channel on holiday ever bother to find out what the rules of the road are for driving in France (or anywhere else in Europe for that matter) and judging by the number of people living here and coming up with questions like 'what's the speed limit in towns?' or 'what is priorité a droite?' I suspect that few of them have either....

 

 

[/quote]

Surely, SD it's all a bit like learning another language?

If one's only knowledge of grammar, is being able to comprehend what TV soap characters are actually prattling on about, it is doubly hard.

And if one knows nothing about driving regs in England, nor adheres to them, then what chance do they have abroad?

 

[Renaud]

London drivers - one thing I have never understood is that the standard of driving dips alarmingly when you cross the Thames going south.

[Sunday Driver]

[quote user="Gluestick"][quote user="Sunday Driver"]

Christine

I think its less a case of English drivers forgetting the code - more a case of them not having bothered to read it in the first place.

I suspect that very few people coming across the Channel on holiday ever bother to find out what the rules of the road are for driving in France (or anywhere else in Europe for that matter) and judging by the number of people living here and coming up with questions like 'what's the speed limit in towns?' or 'what is priorité a droite?' I suspect that few of them have either....

[/quote]

Surely, SD it's all a bit like learning another language?

If one's only knowledge of grammar, is being able to comprehend what TV soap characters are actually prattling on about, it is doubly hard.

And if one knows nothing about driving regs in England, nor adheres to them, then what chance do they have abroad?

[/quote]

Oh dear, your prejudices are showing through again........[:(]

 

[Gluestick]

If it is a prejudice to prefer people in England speak English: instead of the mongrol ersatz gruntspeek masquerading as language I suffer daily here in England, then that's surprising.

Just today, for example, I telephoned my local pharmacy to enquire their current price for film processing: the girly who answered the phone was firstly quite unable to understand what I maeant by "The price to process 35mm film of 36 exposure." and had to return to the telephone twice before she had the eqnuiry correctly: and then when she did finally provide me the required information £5.99, it took four attempts before she was able to enunciate proplery so that I might understand. her first endeavours sounded like "Funf- nineni". Once she actually stated Five Pounds Ninety Nine Pence then I finally understood.

Language, I understood, was about common communication.

Nothing more and nothing less.

Or perhaps I ought to say: "nuthink more and nuthink less".

 

 

 

[cooperlola]

Be fair, Gluey, she's probably far too young to have ever heard of cameras which need film, for goodness's sake.

Oh, and btw it's nuFFink...

JE

[Framboise]

That will be "nufffink............." with THREE fs of course.  [:)]

I despair when I hear my own offspring speaking in what actually amounts to Text Talk, and whilst I do not expect everybody to speak and enunciate akin to Mr. Cholomondly-Warner, it would be nice to not have to listen to my own particular  bugbear of "Ain't got no....................." when I asked for something in particular in the shops.

As to French Drivers, is it my imagination or do they all seem to drive along the centre white line then force me into the ditch when they refuse to move across where they ought to be?   I do not mean pull over to allow ME through either,  I mean back on their side of the road., and thats not even mentioning the I-must-hang-off-the-back-bumper-of -that-car syndrome  that seems to affect the Normans.    [:(]

[Gluestick]

[quote user="cooperlola"]Be fair, Gluey, she's probably far too young to have ever heard of cameras which need film, for goodness's sake.

Oh, and btw it's nuFFink...

JE
[/quote]

I wondered how many would suggest this!

A dear friend, a PhD and ex University lecturer in geo-sciences says "Nuthink": as do so very many. My ex-secretary does too.

But then again she went to RBS and I suppose nothing is an apposite descriptor for their real capital base!

It is a habit which has caught on, thanks to the Meeja, innit.

Listen carefully to how so very many people now pronounce "Nothing".