Standard of driving
Jul 6th 2011, 5:41 pm
#16
Gutter Gob!!
Joined: Feb 2005
Location: Perth
Posts: 13,098
Re: Standard of driving
Not sure where you see he was trying to
The question is, were you actually overtaking anyone at the time, or were you just sitting in the "fast lane" thinking "well I'm going fast, so I have every right to be here"?
I think the UK's mortality rate on the roads shows that speed isn't the main factor in road deaths. I remember being shown the international figures at a work conference a few years ago showing how Australia was in the top 5 road deaths per capita in the 30 odd first world countries they researched. Yet the UK was 14th off memory. But I do agree that UK drivers seem to speed a lot more than Aussie drivers. I just think Aussie drivers are more prone to mixing the speed with very dangerous manoeuvers.
I see it every week on the Bruce Highway. A two lane highway being congested because one person wants to sit on 95kmph in the overtaking lane (not fast lane! Please don't be a spreader of this incorrect term). This then makes people waiting to overtake more and more worked up with having to wait for their moment to be forced to undertake. Some people get so worked up that they end up making the manoeuvre in such a dangerous way that you shake your head and wonder how you didn't just witness a fatality. Yet you know full well that the cops would be on the TV that night blaming it on speed rather than the original cause of the accident
The question is, were you actually overtaking anyone at the time, or were you just sitting in the "fast lane" thinking "well I'm going fast, so I have every right to be here"?
I think the UK's mortality rate on the roads shows that speed isn't the main factor in road deaths. I remember being shown the international figures at a work conference a few years ago showing how Australia was in the top 5 road deaths per capita in the 30 odd first world countries they researched. Yet the UK was 14th off memory. But I do agree that UK drivers seem to speed a lot more than Aussie drivers. I just think Aussie drivers are more prone to mixing the speed with very dangerous manoeuvers.
I see it every week on the Bruce Highway. A two lane highway being congested because one person wants to sit on 95kmph in the overtaking lane (not fast lane! Please don't be a spreader of this incorrect term). This then makes people waiting to overtake more and more worked up with having to wait for their moment to be forced to undertake. Some people get so worked up that they end up making the manoeuvre in such a dangerous way that you shake your head and wonder how you didn't just witness a fatality. Yet you know full well that the cops would be on the TV that night blaming it on speed rather than the original cause of the accident
I was overtaking at the time. I am not a lane hogger, I have been driving for almost 25 years and think I am a good driver. The reason I put fast in inverted commas is because I don't like the term either but it is a term most people understand. I can never quite grasp inside lane, outside lane. I get middle lane but the others terms confuse this old woman!
For the record all I said was that I felt during my experience last year that people drive faster in the UK. I know speed isn't the only factor in road deaths but for ME I felt unsafe with all the cars around wanting to go faster.
Jul 6th 2011, 6:08 pm
#17
Rhino with a big horn!
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 3,117
Re: Standard of driving
Not sure where you see he was trying to
The question is, were you actually overtaking anyone at the time, or were you just sitting in the "fast lane" thinking "well I'm going fast, so I have every right to be here"?
I think the UK's mortality rate on the roads shows that speed isn't the main factor in road deaths. I remember being shown the international figures at a work conference a few years ago showing how Australia was in the top 5 road deaths per capita in the 30 odd first world countries they researched. Yet the UK was 14th off memory. But I do agree that UK drivers seem to speed a lot more than Aussie drivers. I just think Aussie drivers are more prone to mixing the speed with very dangerous manoeuvers.
I see it every week on the Bruce Highway. A two lane highway being congested because one person wants to sit on 95kmph in the overtaking lane (not fast lane! Please don't be a spreader of this incorrect term). This then makes people waiting to overtake more and more worked up with having to wait for their moment to be forced to undertake. Some people get so worked up that they end up making the manoeuvre in such a dangerous way that you shake your head and wonder how you didn't just witness a fatality. Yet you know full well that the cops would be on the TV that night blaming it on speed rather than the original cause of the accident
The question is, were you actually overtaking anyone at the time, or were you just sitting in the "fast lane" thinking "well I'm going fast, so I have every right to be here"?
I think the UK's mortality rate on the roads shows that speed isn't the main factor in road deaths. I remember being shown the international figures at a work conference a few years ago showing how Australia was in the top 5 road deaths per capita in the 30 odd first world countries they researched. Yet the UK was 14th off memory. But I do agree that UK drivers seem to speed a lot more than Aussie drivers. I just think Aussie drivers are more prone to mixing the speed with very dangerous manoeuvers.
I see it every week on the Bruce Highway. A two lane highway being congested because one person wants to sit on 95kmph in the overtaking lane (not fast lane! Please don't be a spreader of this incorrect term). This then makes people waiting to overtake more and more worked up with having to wait for their moment to be forced to undertake. Some people get so worked up that they end up making the manoeuvre in such a dangerous way that you shake your head and wonder how you didn't just witness a fatality. Yet you know full well that the cops would be on the TV that night blaming it on speed rather than the original cause of the accident
1) Higher urban speed limits.
2) More high risk/low control junctions (e.g. right hand turns through medium strip).
Jul 6th 2011, 6:11 pm
#18
Rhino with a big horn!
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 3,117
Re: Standard of driving
What did you use for your comparison?
Last edited by Rambi; Jul 6th 2011 at 6:13 pm.
Jul 6th 2011, 6:15 pm
#19
Chan eil aon chà nan gu le
Joined: Feb 2009
Location: On the ning nang nong
Posts: 22,437
Re: Standard of driving
I can't really do an apples and apples comparison because they didn't have the written test when I passed in the UK. However the written test here was hard enough. It was no shoo-in. I also did a truck test here and it wasn't any easier than the car test I did in the UK.
What did you use for your comparison?
What did you use for your comparison?
I have known lots of people who couldn't pass in the uk and went off to America to get their licence there, then swapped it once back in the uk.
Jul 6th 2011, 6:20 pm
#20
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Jul 6th 2011, 6:22 pm
#21
Rhino with a big horn!
Joined: Feb 2011
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Re: Standard of driving
Well my sis in law failed her uk test twice after having squillions of lessons, then came here and over the course of time took lessons here and said they skipped an abundance of common sense rules, then took her exam and said it was a joke, she even made the mistake of not giving way in a supermarket car park and nearly smashed into someone, and still passed 1st time.
I have known lots of people who couldn't pass in the uk and went off to America to get their licence there, then swapped it once back in the uk.
I have known lots of people who couldn't pass in the uk and went off to America to get their licence there, then swapped it once back in the uk.
Jul 6th 2011, 6:23 pm
#22
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Apr 2009
Location: Burns Beach and loving it!
Posts: 830
Re: Standard of driving
I don't think the driving here is that bad......but then I lived in Singapore for 14 years and would have several brushes with death daily.
Agree with NB about the UK - some people drive WAY too fast there.
Agree with NB about the UK - some people drive WAY too fast there.
Jul 6th 2011, 6:24 pm
#23
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Re: Standard of driving
When I was in the UK last year it was an absolute revelation and a pleasure to drive there. It is very true that British drivers are faster but obviously also much safer. Driving on the motorway was a wonderful experience as I knew nothing would try to undertake me and by and large drivers would be in the correct lane most of the time. The higher standard must account for the lower fatality rate in the UK.
Jul 6th 2011, 6:25 pm
#24
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Jul 6th 2011, 6:34 pm
#25
Rhino with a big horn!
Joined: Feb 2011
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Re: Standard of driving
When I was last in the UK I wish I had the chance to drive fast on UK roads. The M4 in Wales was the only free flowing motorway I experienced in the whole month. One of the trips was 6 hours to travel 150miles. Imagine what it would have been like if it had actually been snowing instead of just being cold.
And I don't know what happened to the courtesy
And I don't know what happened to the courtesy
Jul 6th 2011, 6:40 pm
#26
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Re: Standard of driving
I guess as with everything we see what we want to see. My father in law wouldn't even drive here as the drivers were so bad.
I was only in the UK for 3 weeks this last trip but motorway driving especially really was a pleasure and on all roads other drivers would actually flash to let you out rather than risk death to not allow you out.
I'm not sure exactly how far it was but it took me way less than 6 hours to get to Doncaster in Yorkshire from Bath.
I was only in the UK for 3 weeks this last trip but motorway driving especially really was a pleasure and on all roads other drivers would actually flash to let you out rather than risk death to not allow you out.
I'm not sure exactly how far it was but it took me way less than 6 hours to get to Doncaster in Yorkshire from Bath.
Jul 6th 2011, 6:41 pm
#27
your fair weather friend!
Joined: Jan 2011
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Re: Standard of driving
When I was last in the UK I wish I had the chance to drive fast on UK roads. The M4 in Wales was the only free flowing motorway I experienced in the whole month. One of the trips was 6 hours to travel 150miles. Imagine what it would have been like if it had actually been snowing instead of just being cold.
And I don't know what happened to the courtesy
And I don't know what happened to the courtesy
Jul 6th 2011, 6:42 pm
#28
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Jul 6th 2011, 6:50 pm
#29
I'm Old Gregg!
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Jul 6th 2011, 6:52 pm
#30
I'm Old Gregg!
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Re: Standard of driving
I was too afraid of driving over the speed limit in the UK last time I was there. The amount of average speed cameras that were about made me think it was impossible to get away with it anyway
