Hah, drive in Italy if you dare.
SOME PEOPLE ARE JUST TOO DARN IMPATIENT
- Thread starter Golddollar
- Start date
That was a cop that had me pulled over. He treated me pretty cool. After our business was complete he was getting ready to open his door to get in his car. The white car flew right by him in the far right lane.
I seriously doubt he was very cool to that person.
I believe that the rule in Italy is "if you don't like the way they drive, stay off the sidewalk."
Especially true of the sand haulers out here in the oilfields.
LoboGunLeather
US Veteran
November 2019 I was eastbound on US Hwy 50 in a mountainous area west of Gunnison, Colorado during a moderate snowfall, light snowpack on the road. I engaged 4-wheel drive and shifted to a lower gear for better response at 35-40 MPH.
Westbound car coming out of a curve lost traction and crossed into my lane leaving me with the choice of head-on collision or the shoulder and mountainside. I made it to the shoulder, then she hit my left rear quarter panel knocking my truck off the roadway and down the mountainside. Hiked back up to the road in time to get 9-1-1 dispatch on the phone and read off her license number as she backed away from the scene and drove away.
State patrol officers pulled her over a few miles to the west. No valid license, no valid registration, bogus license plates belonging to another vehicle, but MIRACLE OF MIRACLES she had INSURANCE. Hard to believe, but turned out to be true.
Over $500 in tow fees to recover my truck, plus a night in a hotel, then 4 months bickering with the insurance company to make good on the damages (about $2300). Finally got it fixed and sent the bill with a demand letter from my friendly family attorney, along with the towing bill, the rental car I used for a few days, hotel bill, alignment shop receipt. No more delays, full payment in the mail.
I'll take that anytime before I'll do a head-on crash. I'll even drive halfway down the mountainside if I can miss her completely.
Iffen you think vehicles are bad........Try driving a tractor from one field to another......Several times I had my left turn signal on luckily I looked before I turned ..........Idiot passed me just missing my left front tire...I yelled/cussed him for some really bad stuff........My John Deere has a seat belt and roll cage......I use them when I'm on the highway........Now if I have to make a left turn......I pull off the road on the right side and wait till everything is clear before making the turn.
Teaching my kids and now my grandsons some things about driving that they don't teach in schools. First and foremost, I tell them that a single car wreck is far more survival than a 2-car wreck. Being on the local fire department, I have seen some real ugly stuff. I tell them to slow as much as possible then got off the side of the road rather than face a head on. So many people only brake and wait for the crash.
One of the reasons I enjoy driving in NZ, even if on the “wrong side” of the road are the frequent passing lanes and most drivers do respect them.
OP
I'm sure glad I was thinking along these lines.
LVSteve
Member
While in the UK we signalled to the kerbside to tell the guy behind he was good to go.
Speaking of Mexico, if you think Americans are clueless at roundabouts, try Mexicans.
All of the above is why I sold my Harley when I was about 22 years old. I didn't completely quit riding, as my good friend owned 2 or 3, so we could still go riding, but he tried selling me his dresser several times, but I walked away from some ugly 4-wheeled accidents. I would be dead if I would've bought another bike. Driving in a small city like Pittsburgh is bad enough, especially when our elected officials ruined our streets with the stupid bicycle lanes.
Rode motorcycles for close to 40 years and finally said enough is enough with people doing everything imaginable except paying attention when they're driving. I was lucky enough to have never had an accident or go down, but after seeing a few friends get hurt, or worse, it was time to hang up the leathers. I loved to ride and my wife and I took many long distance trips on my bikes, but it just got to the point of not being worth the risk.
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FlyFish
Member
Just what I was thinking when I saw the post about Americans not knowing about a safe following distance (we don't, but we're not nearly as bad as the Italians, or the French, or the Germans if you're already going 130 kph and they don't think you're passing [overtaking] someone quickly enough). In fact, just about every country in Europe that I've driven in, which is most of them, seems to be populated by competitive tailgaters. I recall the UK as being the exception, but I've not been there for some time and they could be as bad as everyone else by now.
Harrison
US Veteran
I totally agree, our local traffic has gotten a lot worse in the past 5-6 years. Idiots running red lights, driving too fast in heavy to moderate traffic, going from lane to lane in order to advance a few feet, tailgating, driving very aggressively, road rage, and something that never used to happen, shooting at other motorist for no apparent reason, even driving the wrong way on the freeway or a one way road. Our urban traffic is sometimes as dangerous as being in a war zone. Talking to a couple of police friends, they blame it on the onslaught of newcomers. I do not know if that is true or not. I know our local media will never tell.
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One has/ had not driven until driving in Saigon in 70-71. There needs to be the 60’s style of drivers ed in all schools. Most drivers need drives ed with several real driving tests. Look up how long it takes to get drivers license in Germany….
LVSteve
Member
If you think Germany is tough, try Finland.
Even the UK driving test would befuddle most over here. The maneuver that most of us dreaded while learning was reversing around a corner. Both hands are to be on the wheel, no reversing aids like cameras or even a passenger side mirror allowed, no coasting, no touching the kerb, all in a stick shift with no unnecessary clutch slipping. Sadistic examiners always took you to a place where the slope changed as you went around the corner.
Oh, and no ramming the kerb during your three-point turn, either. Sadistic examiners always took you to a street with the most extreme camber in town.
Well Steve: In my day in the UK taking the test (1956 when I turned 17) the examiner had me reversing around a corner on the opposite side of the road and on the downside of a hill. Sadists in the Liverpool area ? "In Spades!!" However I was successful. Dave_n
