Driving Habits of the World

[EZM]

I travel every second or third week, usually out of the country, and sometimes overseas, and I get to see the driving habits of people in other countries, but one thing in particular drives me nuts .....

California drivers (on highways outside of the city in particular).

It is 100% "normal" for no one to move to the right is they are travelling slower, it's not even a thought - it's completely normal that if you want to pass someone, go around them, and often times that means waiting for an opening and passing them by overtaking them on the right lane (instead of the left lane). ANY LANE, ANY SPEED, ANY TIME.

There is zero "unwritten rule", "courtesy", let alone law for slower vehicles to move to the right lanes.

I even was speaking to people in our branch in California, and they had NO CLUE this was a courtesy, let alone a practice in most jurisdictions outside of California.

In Europe this is AN ABSOLUTE RULE and you will RARELY ever see any vehicle in that lane unless they are moving faster than other traffic and every driver there is alert and will IMMEDIATELY move over to right as you approach and often times they do it PROMPTLY and you don't even have to touch your brakes.

[walleye guy]

road signs are just a suggestion,and at a 4 way stop intersection, first one to blow his horn has right of way!

[Twisted Canuck]

You should try driving in Santa Cruz Bolivia, especially at night on New Year's Eve....That was something. I lived in Mexico for a year, drove through Tijuana and all over the Baja, and over to Juarez. Nothing like Santa Cruz, seriously easy peasy by comparison. I thought I was gonna die. And yet, I never saw an accident....just accident leftovers usually .... 2 lane traffic circles that had as many as 5 vehicles side by side, using the two lanes. You signal (they don't), and start pulling into the side of the vehicle next to you. What a game of nerves. I lost every time.
Wish I could post a video of that .

[Dean2]

South Africa, most drive 30-80 over the speed limit. When they pass they IMMEDIATELY return to the lane missing the front bumper of the passed vehicle by inches. No one even honks, they think that is perfectly normal.

Germany, Austria et all. You can use the left lane to pass but if you see headlights in the mirror get your butt back over one lane because the guy coming up behind you may well be doing 300K. You cannot believe how much ground gets covered when they are doing 100K faster than you are.

Australia - farm country is just like here, guys will pull out at 20K into 100K traffic with no where near enough room for you to slow down, you have to steer around them, road side or ditch, doesn't matter. You see someone coming off an approach in farm country do NOT expect them to wait till you go past.

Italy, everyone thinks they are an F1 race driver, despite driving bagged out pieces of crap and having next to no driving skills.

Ukraine - guys will park so close to you you have to get in through the sunroof or rear hatch. They think this is perfectly normal. Big trucks all over Eastern Europe are REALLY badly maintained, most the brakes are pretty much non-existant so do not count on them being able to stop, or even slow down much.

[sns2]

Worst drivers I have encountered was Ukraine. My driver thought he was Gilles Villeneuve. I thought I would die on multiple occasions. Didn't help there are no shoulders to speak of on most of the highways, and horse drawn buggies didn't help either. LOL.

[liar]

Originally Posted by walleye guy

road signs are just a suggestion,and at a 4 way stop intersection, first one to blow his horn has right of way!

lol , solid line means pass carefully and double solid means hurry up and pass .

[calgarychef]

Originally Posted by walleye guy

road signs are just a suggestion,and at a 4 way stop intersection, first one to blow his horn has right of way!

In England it’s called “undertaking” to pass in the slow lane and it’s totally frowned on ...and for good reason too.

[Redrider]

Just got back from New Zealand, it common curiosity to pull the the left to let faster traffic by, this includes large trucks too. They call them “slow vehicle bays”.

[JohninAB]

Colombia was unbelievable. Street signs were mere suggestions. Motorcyclists passed whenever wherever. Pass going between two lanes of traffic. Bus ride from Bucaramanga to San Gil is a winding road that goes up thru a Valley. Bus driver passed on hair pin blind corners with out a concern and this road, though paved, was narrow for a two lane highway. Cab rides were always fun. They darted in and out of the lanes with ease. Pass going thru intersections, change lanes part way thru a traffic circle and just go. I was going to rent a car there but after the ride from the airport to my friends house I decided for my longevity best to utilize cabs and buses as I would have been in a major wreck in no time.

Only saw one accident though my whole time there.

[jpohlic]

India... the biggest vehicle has the right of way, families of 5 or 6 on a single 125cc bike, passenger vehicles weaving in and out of traffic without a care in the world, people driving on the wrong side of the road until a larger vehicle comes the opposite direction. I rented a Royal Enfield 350cc bike for a day and it was the scariest ride of my life. And every time I took the bus it was the second scariest ride of my life.

Mauritania... not one vehicle has a working light bulb anywhere, no headlights, no tail lights, no brake lights, no marker lights, no dash lights, and definitely no signal lights. It's even worse because they have no street lights... at night you can't see anyone on the roads.

[saskbooknut]

My experience is very dated but Turkish taxi drivers in Istanbul from the airport - red lights optional, horn mandatory.
When we got a dedicated Taxi driver at the hotel, he was competent and safe with his vintage Plymouth sedan.
I am sure that Turkey has modernized since those days.

In North Cyprus, the traffic enforcement was firm, and the popular taxis were used Mercedes and BMW imported from Germany.

[darren32]

Zambia, Zimbabwe and Congo were pretty bad. Terrible roads, terrible vehicles and terrible drives. I actually drove a bus in Zambia for a few weeks. Slow down too much and you may get robbed. Some not so nice people will put out spike belts and rob you when you pull over to change your tire. I guy I worked with over there got killed because his vehicle rolled, his daughters survived but they still got robbed. Truly unbelievable.

Romania is pretty terrible to drive. My wifes family is there so we have thousands of km in that country. Very bad roads and no regard for any law at all. You really need to adapt to the super aggressive driving or you will not get anywhere in the big cities. Very high speeds mixed with very slow speeds (hose carts and really crappy cars), we have seem some real bad accidents. 95% of vehicles are crappy and the other 5% are Lamborghini's.

Coolest road I have ever driven was also in Romania. Unfortunately I was not is a supercar!!

https://youtu.be/Tq4ydUVgYTY

Next summer when we go back we are going to drive to visit her brother in Italy. Romania, Austria, Hungary, Italy on the way there and hit up Croatia, Bosnia and Serbia on the way back. Should be a nice family road trip.

[does it ALL outdoors]

I've been in Mazatlan the last three weeks, all street signs are just suggestions and if you stop at a stop sign your asking for trouble. And yet it seems to work for them, nobody honks or gets excited. Driving here is a complete free for all.

I'm staying with friends that live here all winter, their neighbor was involved in an accident and said both party's get cuffed and taken to a cop shop where someone is deemed responsible and if it's you, better hope you have the right insurance or your jailed until you foot the bill. And if your jailed they don't feed you, it's up to family to bring you food.

An Amaricano was just released after being jailed 4 days after causing an accident and not having proper Mexican insurance, even though most Mexicans don't have any themselves.

https://www.cbs8.com/article/news/lo...3-84563d7c66ff

Carnival is on right now, the fireworks were like nothing I've ever seen before, 5x better than Symphony Of Fire and that's an amazing production.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=e8tnzvlLgi0

[EZM]

Yeah, the "off the beaten path" and away from toursit travelled roads in Mexico can be bad. I spent some time setting up a new facility in Durango - Gravel roads in the City, chickens and stray dogs in the street, pot holes that would destroy your tire/wheel and trucks driving around going where they want, when they want and you have to stay out of their way. We was a 3 ton truck with wood reinforcing one of the rear axles which looked to be wrapped up with electrical wire to hold it on.

Every man for himself one you get off the paved roads.

[barbless]

And maybe that's why we have some awesome drivers right here in AB. Guess they must be watching a lot of YouTube on how to drive anywhere in the world. Give em a license and they will make up their own rules
Drives me nuts for the most part. But that's just Canada and States driving. Rush hour?

[270person]

Saskatchewan right turns means swinging way left before heading right. Because you're pulling 80' of cultivator behind your white Ford Taurus?

Great province for looking waaayyy up the road for cops while speeding, except every second car is white. Momentum killer.

[LOWA]

Originally Posted by barbless

And maybe that's why we have some awesome drivers right here in AB. Guess they must be watching a lot of YouTube on how to drive anywhere in the world. Give em a license and they will make up their own rules
Drives me nuts for the most part. But that's just Canada and States driving. Rush hour?

You nailed right...

[colvert]

Originally Posted by LOWA

You nailed right...

Quite often I see a car on the left lane of the three-lane Crowchild, not happy with the driver in the front, speeding to the right lane to pass and moving back to the left. Those drivers waiving through the traffic for no reason deserve a crash, just for themselves, without hurting anybody of course lane

[bat119]

Downtown Havana is insane the main streets are narrow two 58 Chev's have barely room to pass, the driver's all have one hand on the wheel and one on the horn. The passing lane is the sidewalk pedestrians have no rights at all except stay out of the way.
I didn't drive nor would I ever in that country, the tour bus drivers are impressive they really know how to thread the needle through some narrow spots.

[Grizzly Adams]

Originally Posted by bat119

Downtown Havana is insane the main streets are narrow two 58 Chev's have barely room to pass, the driver's all have one hand on the wheel and one on the horn. The passing lane is the sidewalk pedestrians have no rights at all except stay out of the way.
I didn't drive nor would I ever in that country, the tour bus drivers are impressive they really know how to thread the needle through some narrow spots.

Was on a tour bus, when a women opened a window to shoot some video. guide had her by the shoulder and pulled her back, Right Now.

Grizz

[58thecat]

man I rent a scooter and drive on the bike paths....problem solved.

[Scott h]

Originally Posted by EZM

I travel every second or third week, usually out of the country, and sometimes overseas, and I get to see the driving habits of people in other countries, but one thing in particular drives me nuts .....

California drivers (on highways outside of the city in particular).

It is 100% "normal" for no one to move to the right is they are travelling slower, it's not even a thought - it's completely normal that if you want to pass someone, go around them, and often times that means waiting for an opening and passing them by overtaking them on the right lane (instead of the left lane). ANY LANE, ANY SPEED, ANY TIME.

There is zero "unwritten rule", "courtesy", let alone law for slower vehicles to move to the right lanes.

I even was speaking to people in our branch in California, and they had NO CLUE this was a courtesy, let alone a practice in most jurisdictions outside of California.

In Europe this is AN ABSOLUTE RULE and you will RARELY ever see any vehicle in that lane unless they are moving faster than other traffic and every driver there is alert and will IMMEDIATELY move over to right as you approach and often times they do it PROMPTLY and you don't even have to touch your brakes.

Isn't it nice driving in Europe? The drivers there drive. They don't drink their coffee and text. The drive fast and they move when appropriate. I've ridden my loaded touring bicycle in crowded Italian cities and felt more at risk on Elbow Drive in Calgary.

[Grizzly Adams]

Originally Posted by 58thecat

man I rent a scooter and drive on the bike paths....problem solved.

Did that once in the Bahamas. That left lane driving can be challenging after you've just toured the Bacardi distillery and you come to a clover leaf.

Grizz

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by Grizzly Adams

Did that once in the Bahamas. That left lane driving can be challenging after you've just toured the Bacardi distillery and you come to a clover leaf.

Grizz

yup...back pack on, swimmers, muscle shirt, flip flops....Mexico...was a blast...some places were congested with traffic but you sure can get around quick....Cozumel was laid back scooter going

[sjemac]

Most drivers here in rural Alberta. Treat every stop sign as if it's a 4 way.

[Grizzly Adams]

Originally Posted by sjemac

Most drivers here in rural Alberta. Treat every stop sign as if it's a 4 way.

The ones that get me are the Farmer's left turns. Usually on a highway, they come up to the intersection and switch to the opposing lane well before the intersection to make the turn. Could be a bummer if someone is coming. 4 way stops ? They seem to prone to changes, depending on how the county feels about traffic. You can never be sure.

Grizz

[Dynamic]

Originally Posted by Grizzly Adams

The ones that get me are the Farmer's left turns. Usually on a highway, they come up to the intersection and switch to the opposing lane well before the intersection to make the turn. Could be a bummer if someone is coming. 4 way stops ? They seem to prone to changes, depending on how the county feels about traffic. You can never be sure.

Grizz

Haha I didn’t know they had a name for that. I do that when going to work because I usually have a convoy of vehicles behind me travelling on. Obviously only if no one is coming. More of a courtesy thing I guess.

Been around south and Central America and it was pretty insane compared to here with regards to traffic laws but I was in Vietnam and that was in another league. Total chaos to me but after a couple weeks there I realized it was actually very much organized chaos.

[KinAlberta]

In Europe where a new right hand lane came on-stream we saw great (simple and very large) signs showing how many km ahead that that lane was going to be available.

Say the sign indicated the new right hand lane was 10 kilometres long, drivers would then move from what had become a middle lane into that new right hand lane. The two left lanes therefore became available to faster moving traffic. No one was ever forced to pass on the right.

[KinAlberta]

As an aside, for “zipper merge” situations I wish they’d put up advance signs saying:

Merge at the merge.
Not before.



Drivers Who Merge at the Last Minute May Be Annoying, But They're Right | HowStuffWorks
“ To most people, the first option seems more courteous and patient — less selfish. But study upon study proves ...”

https://auto.howstuffworks.com/traff...pper-merge.htm



.

[antlercarver]

All above post are how people disregard rules and laws, how will those attitudes work in controlling a pandemic. Not so much !!