Britain's drivers 'most uptight'

Britain's drivers 'most uptight' (From the BBC NEWS website) A total of 87% of British drivers get annoyed with other drivers British motorists are the most uptight in Europe, the Belgians the most laid-back, and the French top the league for road rage, figures suggest. The survey comes as the Royal Automobile Club Foundation warns Britons driving abroad this summer to take care, with UK tourists in far greater danger on foreign roads. Death rates on Greek roads were five times higher than in Britain, it said. And UK drivers in Spain and Portugal were three times more likely to be in a fatal accident. It went on to say: British motorists are the most uptight in Europe, with 87% sometimes very annoyed by other drivers Belgian drivers are the most laid-back, with 55% annoyed by other people's driving A total of 60% of French motorists admit they have behaved aggressively to other road users German road-ragers are most likely to flash their headlights and tailgate, while UK motorists stick to hand signals. Greek motorists are the most likely to offer a few words of advice Italian drivers are most annoyed by motorists using their mobile phones and Greek motorists are most irritated by last-minute lane changers. So what do you all think of the states/countries you drive in? As a Brit moving to California, I have to say I was shocked by the poor standard of driving here. I was driven crazy 87% of the time, even in my 996! If Californian drivers tried the same crazy antics on UK roads, they'd get themselves a nasty shock - especially the tailgating and crazy lane changing to cut through traffic. They'd get some serious British hand signals - namely the two fingered salute! I find other states better - in fact AZ seems to drive below the speed limit 99% of the time! However, DC drivers are just insane - certifiable Chris.

the reason brit's are most likely to have accidents in the rest of the world (except for Japan, Australia and some other stupid driver countries!!!) is.....yes you getting warm....THEY DRIVE ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE ROAD!! I have driven in England (A lot) and driving on the left (or whatever you call it) is the most f''ed up I have ever driven!!! I have driven in Greece...they are crazy, Italians drive like they are...passionate..the French...arrogant and drunk (especially on their sub roads.....around 3PM..lot of accidents..after lunch!) BUT I rather drive in any of these countries including GB....than in the USA .....the biggest idiots on the road must be the americans ( except for NC and SC...because they stay on the right side and only pass on the left...like it supposed to be!!) here in CA it still is the wil wild west!!!......so many almost accidents and HUGE accidents!!....complete disregards for other drivers and everybody here thinks they are the only ones on the road!! Sorry for the rant...but it has been hot here and it looks like everybody gets even more retarded when behind the wheel!!

I'm with Nicolaas (although I might perhaps have stated it a little less emphatically, considering the number of US drivers on this board, LOL). I moved to California from London in 1997. I was born and raised in Belgium and have driven all over Europe. The first month on the road around L.A., I had a very hard time adjusting to the fact that nobody gets out of the way when you want to pass, even after you flash your brights or honk the horn. In Europe, the fast lane is used for overtaking only and if you see someone approaching in your rearview mirror, that means they're going faster than you and you get out of their way! Here, every day I get stuck behind some idiot in an SUV or a minivan, doing 67 and completely oblivious to what's going on behind him/her. Here's a tip folks: that mirror hanging down from your roof is NOT for adjusting your makeup or checking on your nosehair growth! Point it towards your rear window and have a look behind you. And if you see 10 cars bunched up behind you and a stretch of a half mile of empty road in front of you, you're GOING TOO SLOW and need to get out of the way!! And when you change lanes, would it kill ya to use your turn signals, so other people get a clue as to what you plan to do before you run them off the road? I think the sheer size of American gas guzzlers, combined with the gadgetry which removes the driver from the driving experience (like watching satellite TV on the drive to work in their Suburban), combined with the most lax and pointless driving test in the Western world, makes for the kind of drivers we face on California roads. There, rant over.

About 10 years ago I spent almost a year in England. One of the biggest differances I noticed between drivers in the US and England is that in England if I'm the last car in long line of cars and the traffic signal changed, I could hit the gas pedal almost immediately. In the US I have to wait almost ten seconds brfore I can proceed.

My theory: Americans are opportunists and can't pass up the opportunity to grab the space in the left lane when it's available. Even if they are going 15 mph slower than other traffic. They think they just got a fabulous deal and will not let anyway take it away from them. Lack of blinkers? Reflects complete decline in the consideration people show one another. Sad and, on many days, infuriating. My wife and I were in Italy last month and were amazed how rapidly ALL traffic takes the switchbacks and how considerate ALL drivers were to passing vehicles. Is there some reason drivers ed must stop at 15? Seems like yet another opportunity to tax. -- M

The most dangerous situation in the US is that no one gets out of the left lane. They just cruise along at or below the speed limit. Keeping pace with the 18 wheeler next to them. CA is the worst. This causes a lot of weaving lane to lane to get around the slow Polk's. The police are so hung up on enforcing the speed laws, why don't they stop those who don't keep right. There should be a law in this country that you can't pass on the right and you should only be in the left lane while passing. They should enforce that! There would be a lot less accidents. Also the idiots that want to make a political statement by going 55 in left lane at all times, really **** me off. No wonder we have so much road rage in this country. (Where are my blood pressure pills.)

I must be one of those British drivers who gets annoyed. The most irritating local custom here in CA is that whenever I leave a safe distance (say 2 seconds) in front of me on the freeway, somebody will cut into it. Sometimes they will enter the gap so fast that they have to stand on the brakes right in front of me. Grrr...

Ummm, California, is not the US.

LOl John... Not for long anyway.... rumble rumble rumble.(San Andreas)

John......maybe you are right...but than this goes for a lot of States...I drove from the NY to the CA and I have to agree a lot of States have better drivers....BUT a lot of them don't...and driving 45 MPH in the left lane drives me NUTS!!!! You are right Pvanosta..... since I am European I can be very blunt...I don't think that I offended any Porsche drivers however....I think most of them are as frustrated with the driving style of "the others" as I am.....If everybody kept to the right side of the road and would only pas on the left and go back to their right lane ...in CA......the traffic jams would be cut to a 3rd of what they are now!!

That really pi$$es me off too! I'm trying to: a) Give myself a safe stopping distance b) Avoid as many stone chips as I can But in CA it seems that a suitable safe distance is in fact an opportunity to cut in front of me. The other really annoying thing - that happened again today on the way to AZ, is the damn tailgaiting!! I'm following a truck in the faster of the two lanes on the I8 - the inside lane has the real slow stuff in - and we're heading out of the mountains towards the desert going East. It's all decent grades downhill, so the trucks are being careful. I'm being my typical patient Brit self, and crusing four car lengths back from the small truck in the fast lane, waiting for him to finish his overtaking and move over. Down the hill behind me barrels Mr PT Cruiser - right up to my tailpipe He sits there waving his arms, like I'm spoiling his day. the fact that I can't drive through the truck in front of me seems to annoy him None of us can pull into the slow lane as there's a big rig there. Despite my tapping my brakes to get this idiot off my tail, he continues to try and mate with my tailpipes! Eventually he cuts in front of the big rig to the right, powers forward, pulls over just inces in front of me, and now proceeds to try and mate with the tailpipe of the truck in front! He nearly runs this poor guy off the hill, then accelerates past him as he eventually pulls over, nearly running himself off the road on a tight downhill bend. I catch him up about a mile down the hill, and as I approach to overtake on the left, he pulls straight out and blocks me. IDIOT! I drop a gear, go inside him and watch him vanish in my rear view mirror Where's the cops when you need them! Chris.

As many US drivers don't know what foglights are, I'm starting to try a making a Christmas-tree of red lights by tapping the brakes at the same time as switching on the lights and rear foglights at once. Mature? Not really. Fun? Oh yes!