How Do You Enjoy Driving When You Visit The UK?

by Englishman 26 Replies latest jw friends

  • AlanF
    AlanF

    I think it was in "European Vacation" where the American vacationers got stuck in the giant roundabout at the Arch of Triumph in Paris for like two weeks. I suppose I can see why since the bloody thing has about ten streets coming in from all directions and at least fourteen lanes in the roundabout itself.

    I like roundabouts, but most Americans don't because half of them are asleep at the wheel. Or in La-la-land talking on cellphones. Or are clueless about the rules of the road. Or hate to make decisions.

    In Oregon and Washington it appears to be illegal to make decisions on the road, since everything is either mandatory or illegal. Here in Colorado it's a recognized road hazard for someone in the right lane on a superhighway to pull in front of someone in the left lane while going 30 km/hr slower. Unfortunately, the police don't seem to think of this as a problem and so no one seems to get a traffic ticket for doing it. I like the German system where if someone hogs the left lane, it's proper for the car behind to push him aside.

    Stick shifts are much better than most automatics. I hate the lack of control with an automatic, although a Norwegian friend claims that the best new automatics pretty much eliminate this problem. If so, it has yet to show up in America. The only time I like an automatic is when I'm caught in a traffic jam.

    Happy motoring when you get to Orlando, Englisman!

    AlanF

  • Mulan
    Mulan

    Alan!!!!!!!!! I haven't seen you post since you got home, but I know you have.

    I hope you enjoyed your time up here, because we sure enjoyed having you. Send me your email addy, and I will email one of the photos I took at the island, on the picnic. [email protected]

    Marilyn

  • AlanF
    AlanF

    Hey Marilyn!

    Yeah, I've posted only a few things. Here you are: [email protected]

    I'm getting my photos developed but won't have them done till Saturday afternoon; will post a few then.

    AlanF

  • ninecharger
    ninecharger

    If you don't like roundabouts, try visiting a rural one in Greece.

    It seems to be an unspoken rule that horse drawn carriages go round one way and cars and scooters the other!!

    At least some of the busy ones in UK are now 'carousels' - there are traffic lights telling you when you can hop on.

    9

  • Thirdson
    Thirdson

    Hi E-man,

    I am sitting in my cube at work and on the wall I have a calendar featuring "Round-a-bouts of Redditch" (as featured on TV). My sister sent it to remind me of the better things about UK roads (and the best things in Redditch, Worcestershire, apparently.) I find driving a "stick" with my left hand after a 9 hour flight the hardest.

    Thirdson

  • Stephanus
    Stephanus
    From what I've seen, this has not been successful. The trend here now is for roundabouts to be dug up and traffic lights installed, which IMO they should have been in the first place.

    A Pommie co-worker once remarked to me, about the trend here towards roundabouts in the early 90s "...just as England is starting to give up on them and replace them with traffic lights"

  • stillajwexelder
    stillajwexelder

    I hate it -- the traffic is terrible especially around the Birmingham area - Ithink there is 1 big freeway (motorway?) joining another and then about 22 others join it is just crazy. Driving on the left is OK when you get used to it.

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