Re: Bad Drivers
 

On Wed, 13 Jul 2005 08:22:49 +0000 (UTC), Matthew Maddock
<matthew.maddock@nospamplease.mmaddock.com> wrote:

>Still, we get our fair share of "fast lane hoggers" in the UK too.
>Problem here is that the driving test doesn't include any motorway
>driving, so no-one learns how to do it properly.

I once taught police officers high performance driving but had to give
it up a couple of years ago because of health (age). Most will tell
you that the worst thing out there is tailgating, but they give few
tickets for it because they have no hard evidence (i.e., radar) to use
in court. Most won't bother to give a ticket for 10 mph over in a 65
mph because that is usually the speed most folks are going.

The trouble begins at the learner's level. Most driving schools
emphasize parallell and can't even get hand positioning correct. The
same school I taught is now teaching teenagers. I've sponsored
several friends' children and attend the school and teach that day.
These kids know nothing about driving except how to put the car in
gear and move. They all know how to parallell park, however. It is
very scarey. Hopefully the school will leave a lasting impression on
them and help them to survive today's crowded highways.

Their parents attend the school to observe, and I usually take them
for a demo ride through each of the exercises. Hopefully they too
will take home some proper driving techniques.

I have driven in France, Switzerland, and Germany. You are correct -
they are excellent drivers and very unforgiving for us rude Americans.

Dave

Re: Bad Drivers
 

The message <db2j0p$i39$1@nwrdmz02.dmz.ncs.ea.ibs-infra.bt.com>
from Matthew Maddock <matthew.maddock@nospamplease.mmaddock.com>
contains these words:

> Still, we get our fair share of "fast lane hoggers" in the UK too.
> Problem here is that the driving test doesn't include any motorway
> driving, so no-one learns how to do it properly.

That's not entirely true. As an instructor (some years ago) I used to
take learners on the A40 round Uxbridge 'cos it was so like a motorway
(hard shoulders, emergency phones, slip-roads etc) that it gave 'em a
chance to see what a motorway was like.
I also gave away a 2hr motorway lesson to anyone who recommended a
friend. About a third of drivers got on in the long run. There's also
the PassPlus system which involves motoway driving.

--
Skipweasel.
Ivor Cutler - "Never knowingly understood."

Re: Bad Drivers
 

The message <db2j0p$i39$1@nwrdmz02.dmz.ncs.ea.ibs-infra.bt.com>
from Matthew Maddock <matthew.maddock@nospamplease.mmaddock.com>
contains these words:

> Still, we get our fair share of "fast lane hoggers" in the UK too.
> Problem here is that the driving test doesn't include any motorway
> driving, so no-one learns how to do it properly.

That's not entirely true. As an instructor (some years ago) I used to
take learners on the A40 round Uxbridge 'cos it was so like a motorway
(hard shoulders, emergency phones, slip-roads etc) that it gave 'em a
chance to see what a motorway was like.
I also gave away a 2hr motorway lesson to anyone who recommended a
friend. About a third of drivers got on in the long run. There's also
the PassPlus system which involves motoway driving.

--
Skipweasel.
Ivor Cutler - "Never knowingly understood."

Re: Bad Drivers
 

The message <db2j0p$i39$1@nwrdmz02.dmz.ncs.ea.ibs-infra.bt.com>
from Matthew Maddock <matthew.maddock@nospamplease.mmaddock.com>
contains these words:

> Still, we get our fair share of "fast lane hoggers" in the UK too.
> Problem here is that the driving test doesn't include any motorway
> driving, so no-one learns how to do it properly.

That's not entirely true. As an instructor (some years ago) I used to
take learners on the A40 round Uxbridge 'cos it was so like a motorway
(hard shoulders, emergency phones, slip-roads etc) that it gave 'em a
chance to see what a motorway was like.
I also gave away a 2hr motorway lesson to anyone who recommended a
friend. About a third of drivers got on in the long run. There's also
the PassPlus system which involves motoway driving.

--
Skipweasel.
Ivor Cutler - "Never knowingly understood."

Re: Bad Drivers
 

The message <db2j0p$i39$1@nwrdmz02.dmz.ncs.ea.ibs-infra.bt.com>
from Matthew Maddock <matthew.maddock@nospamplease.mmaddock.com>
contains these words:

> Still, we get our fair share of "fast lane hoggers" in the UK too.
> Problem here is that the driving test doesn't include any motorway
> driving, so no-one learns how to do it properly.

That's not entirely true. As an instructor (some years ago) I used to
take learners on the A40 round Uxbridge 'cos it was so like a motorway
(hard shoulders, emergency phones, slip-roads etc) that it gave 'em a
chance to see what a motorway was like.
I also gave away a 2hr motorway lesson to anyone who recommended a
friend. About a third of drivers got on in the long run. There's also
the PassPlus system which involves motoway driving.

--
Skipweasel.
Ivor Cutler - "Never knowingly understood."

Re: Bad Drivers
 

The message <uis9d15k08ot491bo7dg817nue2il90nr7@4ax.com>
from Dave LaCourse <dplacourse@pirateaol.com> contains these words:

> I have driven in France, Switzerland, and Germany. You are correct -
> they are excellent drivers and very unforgiving for us rude Americans.

It's very regional. My wife and I lived in West London for several
years, but now when we go back we're startled at how aggressive the
driving is compared to here in Telford. We don't really get traffic here
so people don't get het up so easily.

As for the continent - well, Madrid's dreadful to drive in, but the
Spanish countryside is fine - the drivers are relaxed and don't bother
pushing.

Paris is a hoot if you don't mind joining in the spirit of adventure the
Parisians have in their driving. Place d'Etoiles for example, has lane
markings, but no on uses 'em - you just choose an exit and head for it
however you fancy.

--
Skipweasel.
Ivor Cutler - "Never knowingly understood."

Re: Bad Drivers
 

The message <uis9d15k08ot491bo7dg817nue2il90nr7@4ax.com>
from Dave LaCourse <dplacourse@pirateaol.com> contains these words:

> I have driven in France, Switzerland, and Germany. You are correct -
> they are excellent drivers and very unforgiving for us rude Americans.

It's very regional. My wife and I lived in West London for several
years, but now when we go back we're startled at how aggressive the
driving is compared to here in Telford. We don't really get traffic here
so people don't get het up so easily.

As for the continent - well, Madrid's dreadful to drive in, but the
Spanish countryside is fine - the drivers are relaxed and don't bother
pushing.

Paris is a hoot if you don't mind joining in the spirit of adventure the
Parisians have in their driving. Place d'Etoiles for example, has lane
markings, but no on uses 'em - you just choose an exit and head for it
however you fancy.

--
Skipweasel.
Ivor Cutler - "Never knowingly understood."

Re: Bad Drivers
 

The message <uis9d15k08ot491bo7dg817nue2il90nr7@4ax.com>
from Dave LaCourse <dplacourse@pirateaol.com> contains these words:

> I have driven in France, Switzerland, and Germany. You are correct -
> they are excellent drivers and very unforgiving for us rude Americans.

It's very regional. My wife and I lived in West London for several
years, but now when we go back we're startled at how aggressive the
driving is compared to here in Telford. We don't really get traffic here
so people don't get het up so easily.

As for the continent - well, Madrid's dreadful to drive in, but the
Spanish countryside is fine - the drivers are relaxed and don't bother
pushing.

Paris is a hoot if you don't mind joining in the spirit of adventure the
Parisians have in their driving. Place d'Etoiles for example, has lane
markings, but no on uses 'em - you just choose an exit and head for it
however you fancy.

--
Skipweasel.
Ivor Cutler - "Never knowingly understood."

Re: Bad Drivers
 

The message <uis9d15k08ot491bo7dg817nue2il90nr7@4ax.com>
from Dave LaCourse <dplacourse@pirateaol.com> contains these words:

> I have driven in France, Switzerland, and Germany. You are correct -
> they are excellent drivers and very unforgiving for us rude Americans.

It's very regional. My wife and I lived in West London for several
years, but now when we go back we're startled at how aggressive the
driving is compared to here in Telford. We don't really get traffic here
so people don't get het up so easily.

As for the continent - well, Madrid's dreadful to drive in, but the
Spanish countryside is fine - the drivers are relaxed and don't bother
pushing.

Paris is a hoot if you don't mind joining in the spirit of adventure the
Parisians have in their driving. Place d'Etoiles for example, has lane
markings, but no on uses 'em - you just choose an exit and head for it
however you fancy.

--
Skipweasel.
Ivor Cutler - "Never knowingly understood."

Re: Bad Drivers
 

So Dave, you only had a hint of NJ drivers, assuming you took the NJ
Turnpike.... I learned to drive in Massachusetts and lived there for 15
years and thought THEY were bad until I moved to NJ.... They are the
WORST here, as you have a lot of people that really don't know how to
drive but do it fast anyways. And the more clapped-out the car is, the
faster they go. Talk about frusternation!

Dan D
'04 A4 1.8Tq MT-6
Central NJ USA