Now none of us are infallable, and like to think I am a confident driver, but I am incredibly concerned at the nutters that are driving around France, and how on earth some of the french manage to pass their test. I have just driven to town this morning and was nearly wiped out on 3 occasions! One of which didn't have a clue what they had done, despite the fact I beeped them! One was driving on the wrong side of the road up to a junction, then decided to pull straight out at a junction in front of me? He did acknowledge his mistake. The other person I caught out of the corner of my eye pulling in towards me on a dual carriageway. Luckily with my peripheral vision I saw her and could move over before getting sandwiched by a lorry! She was pulling into me along side my drivers door, so she wasn't even ahead of me! I know Switzerland has a law which allows you to report bad driving, but having got home in one piece (just) I am incredibly concerned as I can see it is only a matter of time before my car is written off by these TW@TS! What is being done about these nutters by the gendarms? I know they are clamping down in the UK on this. I have to say, my awareness of what's ahead on the roads has improved immensely since moving to France, and have to say my views on driving in Italy or the UK makes me realise they actually aren't that bad compared to the French...and as for roundabouts...well that is something else

They're Kiwis mate.

This reminds of something I read which we all need to be aware of and it concerns the infamous STOP sign which the French put even where a simple GIVE WAY would do. Anyhow the implementation of the law if the STOP is not respected has changed in two ways:-

Firstly, you don't need to be physically stopped by a gendarme or policier anymore, they can just note your number and the amende will arrive in the post.

Secondly, the definition of stopping has changed - previously the wheels had to just stop turning - now they need to stop turning for 3-4 seconds.

It seems the French traffic police have been given targets for revenue-raising and this offence has been identified as one which is under-enforced.

As far as I am concerned the 'Brits' are among the worse drivers of French roads.

Their arrogance in believing RHD cars are as' safe when driving on the left and their complete utter disrespect for speed limits on Motorways.

In part this is because the UK government has not signed up to mutual enforcement of European traffic offences. It means you could drive like a nutter in the UK and not pay for the consequences....but then everyone drives like nutters in the UK anyway.

Well Brits living in France are respectful to the speed limits on the whole as they have to think way ahead for when the incidents mentioned above happen, which is incidentally most of the time. Plus, the number of speed traps here are another factor. I cannot speak for tourists, but then that is the case anywhere in the world, not just France. One thing is for sure, you can guarantee it isn't these nutters on the road that get pulled over...it's everyone else trying to obey the law! The laws on drink driving may well be very strict in France, and I for sure do not drink at all if I am driving, but I do know that some of these incidents don't just happen from careless driving, I have no doubt that drink has alot to do with these incidences on the road.

No, I stand by my comments. I have Brit reg cars travelling at 130/140 mph bearing down on me every other day through a 90 stretch of a motorway that passes nearby where I live. I don't even have the time to read their stupid personalised number plates. Also the same stretch of motorway has Frances most busiest speed camera. These wank2rs are not being caught are they ?.

Brits and their cars give me the hump. They think they own the show. Like I said they still maintain they are safe even though their steering wheel is on the wrong side. Tourists I can cope with, those who live here should be banned until they get a LHD car, CT, French Insurance and start respecting the rules.

Leave the French alone.

Just my two pence worth.

130/140 mph every other day, are you sure??
I’m with you jvc.
I was nearly written off yesterday by some oncoming young lady on the phone driving on my side of the road.
Why does oncoming traffic enter your lane at bends?
Years ago, I was severely B*ll@cked by the gendarmes in Cherbourg for crossing the road without using the pedestrian crossing. I told him, ‘what is the point, the driver’s don’t stop anyway’ His blood pressure went off the scale at that point.
I have to say that around here drivers are much better and do stop at crossings, unlike Paris. Recently I was using a pedestrian crossing with a flashing warning outside the US embassy with a large gathering of gendarmes, a speeding biker did not stop after nearly hitting me and a couple of seconds later a car tried to run me down, he stopped and gave me a load of abuse for crossing the road and delaying him. All this 10 yards from the cops who did absolutely nothing. I asked one who saw this if this sort of thing was permissible, they ignored my request. How pedestrians survive in Paris is beyond my comprehension.

The majority of 'Brit' drivers IMHO on French roads are dangerous. When I went back to the UK last time I would say that driving in the UK was more dangerous than France. It was scary.

I agree that France 10 years ago was worse, but today the tables have turned. The standard of driving in the UK and the level of 'Brit' drivers in France is truly awful.

The roads in the UK are worse I admit, however the reason for this is the shear volume of traffic and size of the UK relative to population compared to the size of France. I certainly feel vulnerable going back on UK roads after a long time driving in France. However, over here drivers are dangerously slow and much more eratic and this alone causes accidents. It's what you get used to. My driving has improved immensely since moving here I am much more alert to the dangers of lets say "unpredictable drivers" !!!!!!!

Hopefully Touraine means kilometres (which is bad enough), not miles!
Driving while using the phone is severely sanctioned and, as a potential victim, I would have reported your young lady....
I must live in a very laid-back area, the only problem I have with other drivers (of French cars) is when they don't indicate their intentions on a roundabout. I suspect this "courtesy" isn't taught in Auto-Ecoles....

DMU- driving with mobiles over here is beyond ridiculous. I thought the UK was bad with that. In fact, I think the UK is much better now as the laws are so heavy on anyone doing so. I can be pretty confident now that when I am behind a car that is driving erratically and not indicating at roundabouts that they will be on their mobile phone. I am sorry but the state of the gendarm cars I see driving around don't look capable of overtaking a bicycle, let alone stopping a speeding motorist. The laws in the UK are much more severe now, and think France needs to look at dangerous driving on a grand scale.
Whilst I am on a rant why is there no consistancy in the start of a "give way to the right" sign. I may see an "end of a give way to the right", but there is never any "start to a give way to the right", so nobody (especially tourists) stand a chance of understanding the french highway system. BTW, next time I am at a stop sign I will make time for a cup of tea if I am now expected to wait 3 or 4 seconds before pulling away???

Touraine,

I just love (not) your baseless sweeping generalisation about Brit drivers. No doubt your one of those that supports other baseless generalisations such as all Irish are thick Micks, all the Scots are a bunch of tightfisted so and so's, all Romanians and Bulgarians are crooked gangsters etc etc etc.

No difference to the sweeping generalisations about French drivers made by 'Brits'. Read the first post.

Dear oh dear. You can do better than that.

Well in his reply, he did not answer my question to his IMHO exaggerated claim.
Reporting the lady, well on a 90km limit the offending car would be some distance away after you stop to note the reg. If you were able, it would be just your word against hers and no further action taken.