I've pretty much only met two people who will admit that they are bad drivers, yet everyone I know is of the opinion that the roads are full of shit drivers, and they alone know how to drive properly.

So, my question is this: are the people in your town/state/country good drivers? Do you consider yourself a good driver?

Personally, 99% of the stress in my day comes from the three or so hours worth of driving I do.

On the road, people in this country do whatever the fuck they want, when they want. It's annoying when you're on the freeway/highway and there are four cars driving side by side, all below the speed limit, completely ignoring faster cars coming up behind.

Drivers in Europe on the other hand; I was astounded at how competent they all were, and how mindful of other drivers they were on the road. It seems that over there, a driver's license is a privilege you have to earn, not something automatically granted via a piss-easy test like over here.

Discuss.

Yes, I consider myself to be an awesome driver. Currently driving about 400-500kms a week (250-300 miles), on all different types of roads, in mostly heavy traffic; never had anything even close to an accident.

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Overconfidence can be blinding. Anyway, metro atlanta is pretty good. People here drive unsafely. They aren't stupidly incompetent, just dangerous.

i live in massachusetts. out where i live its mostly just the students that cant' drive for shit, but the closer you get towards boston on any of the major highways, the worse the drivers get. and yeah, i don't drive as much anymore, but i used to put like 500 miles on my car a week at least, i worked delivery.
i've seen most of the following things on a regular basis

quote:

1. Always look right and left before proceeding through a green light. 2. When on a one way street, stay to the right to allow for oncoming traffic to pass. 3. Never, ever stop for a pedestrian unless he flings himself under the wheels of your car. 4. The first parking space you see will be the last parking space you see. Grab it. 5. Learn to swerve abruptly. Boston is the home of slalom driving, thanks to the Department of Transportation, which puts potholes in key locations to test drivers' reflexes and keep them on their toes. 6. Never get in the way of a car that needs extensive bodywork. 7. Double-park in the North End of Boston and South Boston, unless triple-parking is available. 8. Always look both ways when running a red light. 9. Honk your horn the instant the light changes. 10. Breakdown lanes are not for breaking down, but for speeding, especially during rush hour. Breakdown lanes may also end without warning causing traffic jams as people merge back in. 11. If you should break down, allow your vehicle to come to a stop in the center lane. If road conditions are hazardous, exit your vehicle, without looking, and stand next to it, with your back to oncoming traffic. 12. Never use directional signals when changing lanes. They only warn other drivers to speed up and not let you in. 13. To signal a lane change, look in the direction you're about to go, as you do so. Wearing a baseball cap is considered an extra safety measure. 14. Making eye contact revokes your right of way. 15. Never pass on the left when you can pass on the right. 16. Whenever possible, stop in the middle of a crosswalk to ensure inconveniencing as many pedestrians as possible. And if a pedestrian ahead of you steps into the road, speed up loudly and chase them up on the curb. Pedestrians have no rights. 17. On a multi-lane highway, always drive in the left lane, even if there are others wanting to pass. Stay in the left lane until the last possible instant before cutting across all lanes to the exit. 18. When making a left turn at an intersection with a red light, glare at the oncoming drivers, inch your way into the intersection, and floor it when the green light from the other direction turns yellow. 19. When merging, floor it, as you hit the "on ramp" and proceed immediately to the furthest left hand lane. 20. When road conditions are hazardous, swerve in and out of lanes, to pass slower moving vehicles. 21. Communicating with other drivers and pedestrians is important. Gesture often. 22. The furthest right lane is reserved for passing. The furthest left lane is reserved for slower moving vehicles. 23. Always bring your cell phone with you. Highway driving is a perfect time to chat with your friends and loved ones. 24. If you miss your exit, stop abruptly and back up. 25. When another car pulls up close behind you and "flashes their brights", slam on your breaks. 26. When entering a tunnel, always slow down and pause before entering, even if there is no traffic or reason for delay. 27. When faced with a lane detour, due to construction, always pass as many complying vehicles as possible, wait until the last possible second, then swerve into the specified lane. 28. Be prepared for abundant construction detours. 29. Taxi Cab drivers are highly trained professionals. Observe and learn from their masterful techniques and driving skills. 30. Only those pedestrians not looking where they're going, head and eyes fixed firmly forward, are allowed to cross in front of traffic. Be sure to "break" hard and stop as close to them as possible. * Tip: Only pedestrians crossing within "Cross Walks" have legal rights. Pedestrians outside of "Cross Walks" are "fair game".

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LOL, funny stuff

its really really sad how accurate some of those are
going from here to boston, i take the mass pike. first half of the time its 2-3 lanes, then you hit worcester and its 3-4 lanes the rest of the way with slightly more traffic
i can go as fast as i fucking want this side of worcester, because people know how to drive. everyone stays right, except to pass. then BAM the second you hit the worcester exit, you get people swerving from the onramp to the far left lane, then immediately deciding they're not going fast enough and going back to the far right

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Bahahahaha
In Bombay, if you're NOT a bad driver, you aren't getting anywhere.
And by bad, I mean over-speeding, over-taking from either side at any time and foul mouthing the other as you do so, breaking red lights etc.etc .etc.

A lot of people complain about it, but i just LOVE driving here.

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There's the snag though...

Breaking road rules doesn't make you a bad driver.

Good drivers have the confidence to break the law, and often do so successfully. Obviously I'm talking doing 70 in a 60 zone etc, not running red lights and other dangerous stuff.

Unfortunately, rules and laws always have to pander to the lowest common denominator.

Like my dad always used to say: "rules are made for the strict observance of fools and the guidance of the intelligent."

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Most people here in Brasília are good drivers... except during the Christmas Shopping Season, when aggression is everywhere

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I find driving in the US unbelievably frustrating. In Virginia people rarely:

-Check their blind spots before changing lane
-Indicate before changing lane or turning
-Put their headlights on during dusk/dawn or in multi storey car parks.
-Move into the right lane if they are the slowest car on that stretch of road despite the signs indicating they should do so.
-Prepare to exit a road in advance. Yesterday I only drove 20 miles and yet had FOUR fucking idiots driving in the middle lane (with me in the right lane) swerve RIGHT in front of me across my lane into the turning lane. People seem happier causing an accident than going 50yrds down the road and making a legal U-turn!
-Are able to park properly. OK, so you decided to spend all your money on a redneck F-350 with four tyres on the rear axle. c00l....but learn to park the bastard thing without taking up four spots.

I often find that some people are happy to drive in heavy traffic at 20 mph faster than the rest of the traffic but in order to keep moving are constantly changing lanes without indicating they are doing so. This kind of driving almost killed my wife and has left her with lifelong issues she has to deal with on a day to day basis.

I think most of my issues are borne out of driving in Europe where standards of driving are on the whole much better. I don't see half of the idiocy of American driving in the UK.

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Originally posted by Brizzo "It's all gone Pete Tong" is actually a phrase in Europe, England I believe. Pretty sure that's where Pete Tong got his DJ name from as well.

The infamous Rojam ID. 14 years, 9 months and counting...

Last edited by fbgdavidson on Jun-24-2007 at 20:07

It depends on which part of the US you're driving in. Florida has the worst drivers I've ever seen, though.

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If you choose to pull the trigger - should your drama prove sincere - do it somewhere far away from here.

I live in NJ, our drivers are pricks, lol.

I'm actually the best driver in the world, and I will defend my title if anyone wants to challenge me to a drive-off.

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