Topic: Driving in the UK

[BeSeeingYou]

After spending the last three weeks touring Scotland, quite a bit of it on single track roads in the Highlands, I have to offer kudos to the drivers there.  I come back home and feel like I am surrounded by idiots and amateurs who do not know how to properly handle their cars. 

[SteveD CB500F]

Glad you enjoyed it. Imaging how great it would have been on a bike!

Not so sure about your comments on standards of driving though - maybe you should come down south some day, I'm sure they are as bad here as anywhere in the US.

Steve

[ST1100]

I come back home and feel like I am surrounded by idiots and amateurs who do not know how to properly handle their cars.

Having toured up there with my ST a couple of times now, just last year I ran all around Scotland, down south (attending Pan Gathering there), Wales, etc... again and can only confirm above...
The local drivers there are so forthcoming, alone how flawless the thing with those 'passing places' works up there, or how they instantly slow down and move over to let motorcycles pass...
Things like single track roads would be an absolute disaster here at the old world, got almost run over by a 'Klingon' (don't wonder why I tag German drivers and riders with that...) in his Mercedes up on the Applecross, who of course totally ignored his passing place and kept steaming towards me, so I'd to stop my rig on the gravel, squeezing towards the rock's face there only to let that 'prick' pass while his ignorant lady passenger throwing 'gestures' at me...  ...I think I rather should have kicked a nice dent in his door though...
Also local riders growing quite mad on such and suggested me the next time I should simply stop right in the middle of the road signaling with both hands that he has to back up, as its what they've started to do now...
...rant-mode off...

Alone having a gov running those 'Think Bike!' campaigns and posting signs like 'Frustration causes accidents!' followed by 'Let other vehicles pass!' is just brilliant IMHO! 

Sad to observe so many B&B's, gas-stations and others being closed and out of business these days...

[andy750]

Glad you enjoyed it Srust. I rode my bike up in the Highlands during my formative bike years and miss it all the time. Cycling is also a good way to see Northern Scotland.

thanks for posting
Andy

[rhos1355]

Ha ha ha, I like the road hazard pics. I work up in north wales most of the time and there too are some fantastic bike routes. Lovely pubs with excellent ales and good food along the way as well. The welsh are also very accommodating and welcoming, contrary to what a lot of the English say about them.

[BeSeeingYou]

Ha ha ha, I like the road hazard pics. I work up in north wales most of the time and there too are some fantastic bike routes. Lovely pubs with excellent ales and good food along the way as well. The welsh are also very accommodating and welcoming, contrary to what a lot of the English say about them.

I spent a few days in Wales about 16 years ago.  It was lovely.  The biggest road hazard there was trying to read the road signs with their curious lack of vowels.

[tortelvis]

Glad you enjoyed it. Imaging how great it would have been on a bike!

Not so sure about your comments on standards of driving though - maybe you should come down south some day, I'm sure they are as bad here as anywhere in the US.

Steve

Steve as a former resident of Dorset now living in the Blue Ridge Mountains I can attest to the comment on the standard of driving. I used to think UK drivers were bad until I came here. There is NO driver training here like it used to be done in the schools. My daughter had 3 30 minute drives and was given a learners permit!!! They expect parents to teach their kids and that is exactly what they do. Unfortunately it is a case of the blind leading the blind! I feel like I take my life in my hands every time I drive here. I once rounded a steep mountain bend to find some twat reversing up the mountain in MY LANE! It is common to round a tight bend to find a pickup halfway over the yellow line in your lane heading straight for you. Give me Hyde Park Corner every time.

[roy1]

Had the same feeling when I returned from Australia.  Down there when a Teen or anyone gets a ticket they have to take classes showing dozens of gory accidents, plus relearn how to drive.

[Stev-o]

Looks like an awesome trip!  Business??

[lordmoonpie]

Glad you enjoyed the trip srust - would have been fun in a Micra for sure :-)
Although I moan about UK drivers and the decreasing standards here (increasing old age population?), it's always good to come home after a road trip somewhere else. Worst place I have ever driven is probably through Naples to the Amalfi coast - random parking in the middle of the lane and manic driving on cliff hugging low walled single track roads. However I've had some pretty nasty experiences in the USA too - had a pit bull waved at me out of the window of a battered camaro in hollywood just for changing lanes in front of one dude and he wasn't even close to me. Hand guns waved at me while queueing for petrol in south LA, nearly run off the road by a trucker not looking in Tennessee and some total jerk in a drop top mercedes nearly hit me head on in beverley hills - some bloke called Kiefer Sutherland or something 

Paris around the Arc de triomphe has to be experienced once in your life - 12 lanes to one roundabout where you give way to people joining the roundabout - always gridlocked and angry but hilarious in a small car. Paris Peripherique is good too - in a tunnel and mental driving switch goes on for everyone.

Yep - the UK drivers are pretty good by global standards....