US Drivers (FLUFFY)
Deborah Reeks
By the way, does anyone have any comment on how US drivers compare with
others worldwide? When Armin visited last year, he could hardly believe
how many accidents we passed (we even witnessed one small
fender-bender). He said there's a law in Austria which requires you to
stop at the scene of an accident to see if help is required. I replied
that if I stopped at every accident scene I pass, I'd never get
anywhere! Maybe Louisiana really is worse than other states, but I'm
not sure.
(btw, if I _see_ an accident happen, I do stop, but if it's already
being attended to, or if it's just a person apparently stuck on the side
of the road, I never stop for paranoia reasons: "What if it's some kind
of a set-up for a robbery or worse? *shiver*)
I guess this is on my mind tonight because I nearly had an accident
myself this afternoon. I was traveling about 40 mph along a busy 2-way
road when I noticed a car coming out of a McDonald's on the right hand
side, waiting to cross. Just as I got within about 15 feet, the suckers
pulled out. I guess those antilock brakes really do work! Still, the
only way I was able to avoid hitting them was by veering sharply to the
right at the last possible moment, pulling into the same driveway they
were pulling out of. I got so close I literally saw the whites of the
rear passenger's eyes. The car was full of people, they didn't appear
to be wearing seatbelts, and all the windows were open. It could have
been really messy. And you know, it barely got my adrenaline up. This
sort careless driving is almost commonplace.
So, I guess what I'm saying is: K1ers, if it's the same in your state,
please don't let your foreign-born fiance(e) start driving here without
cautioning him/her about the different driving style he may encounter.
Just because he's a whiz-bang driver on the Autobahn, that doesn't
necessarily mean he's totally prepared for the kind of drivers he may
encounter here in the the States. Armin pooh-poohed my cautions when he
arrived, but first-hand observation made a believer out of him within
about 1 week.
Deb R.
TROUTY
MMMMmmmm this is a good one,
I am English, and I will be living in Lousiana, when I went there I found
the standard of driving to be so much better to ours here in England,
having said that I was acctually involved in a car wreck when I was there in
January, some woman jumped a red light and hit me and Brany, it wrecked her
car, but that is beside the point, I personaly think that US drivers are
better than English, they leave more space between the car infront and drive
in a more casual mannor.
But even this does not change the fact that I am scared stupid about having to
learn to drive on the wrong side of the car and on the wrong side of the road.
There that is my thoughts on the subject anyway.
Chris.
Guido Schlabitz
Deborah Reeks wrote in message <3574FD63...@communique.net>...
>By the way, does anyone have any comment on how US drivers compare with
>others worldwide?
Yes. 8)
I'm coming from Berlin, Germany, the holy land of the car and Adolf's
Autobahn. And if you ever drove in Berlin, you know you're ready for
everything, ask Amy. 8)
Anyway, when I visited the US last year in summer, I got the impression,
that the traffic is _much_ more calmed and slower than over here. I also got
the impression, that not only you have more space on the street (the usual
US factor of "times 1.5" almost applies to everything, does it? 8) but the
signs are just idiot proof!
*driving in IL, corn on the left, soy on the right, street straight since an
hour*
Guido: "Hey look a traffic sign, hnnn!"
Sign: "Bump"
Guido: "Bump?"
*bump*
I mean for what was that? Not that Bill in his Suburbian would notice the
bump at all, if the sign wouldn't tell him...
After an hour the scenery changes drastically. All of a sudden the corn is
on the right, while the soy disturbingly appears on the left. But I didn't
saw any warning for that!
Sign: "Stop ahead"
a little later...
Sign: "Stop"
Guido: "In the middle of f* nowhere? Don't you have yield signs?"
Amy: "I think I saw one when I was 16..."
So it came, that I was desperatly waiting for a sign saying "Stop-ahead-sign
ahead"! Really strange to me, cause in Germany it is really common, to put
no signs at all on smaller crossroads and have the rule, that the car on the
right has the right of way...
Anyway, Amy's uncle got all scared, when I passed a truck and there was a
car coming towards us on the lane I was driving. He kept yelling at me "Push
the pedal, push the pedal!". He was also calling me "city driver", because I
changed lanes when a car in front of me was turning into a Denny's.
I expierienced the same calmness in AZ and CA. In fact the only time I got a
little nerveous, was when we where trying to get up a upward road (like 20%
or so) in Santa Barbara or somewhere and the Aspire couldn't get our fat
butts up the hill after stopping for another useless stop sign! The guy in
the 400 HP Dodge just grinned and just drove past me...
So after having driven in the US I really can't understand how there could
be accidents. I mean, there is always some lines on the road, virtually
every crossroad is a four-way-stop and additionally to that you got those
neato "ahead" signs 8)
Another theory of mine is, that driving an automatic makes you a calm driver
somehow. And since it is such a high automatic percentage in the US...
But then slow can be dangerous too, like the nearly-accident of Deborah
shows...
Anyway, I look forward to drive in the US (Mesa, AZ).
Guido.
______________________________
10 Dim Daze2Go = 22
20 For i = 1 To Daze2Go
30 Print "Calm Blue Ocean..."
40 Next i
50 GoTo America
______________________________
Nigel Reed(Non-HP)
A week last Thursday my wife and I could have died. I was in the left
lane of a busy interstate (I-45) going south to Houston, We were rattling
along fairly well at about 65 and coming up on a truck. All of a sudden
said truck slams on the brakes...
I slam on my brakes and looked in the rear view mirror, all I could see was
the radiator grill of another truck and it was getting larger VERY VERY
quickly. There were vehicles in the right lane so my only option was to
dart onto the shoulder.
Just as I did I saw this truck sail past me and come to a halt...it could have
been no more than half a foot from the truck which was in front of us.
The moral of this story...truck drivers think they're on a moped, that
they can stop on the space of a pin-head. If it wasn't for my quick reaction,
I would not be here to post this message today.
Also, every day there is an accident reported on I-635 and I-35...Oh my
god, you think you've finished with all the I-xxx's and then you come to
the US and see more of them!!!!! AGHHGHGHGHGHHHHH
Regards
Nigel
In article <3574FD63...@communique.net>,
Deborah Reeks <dre...@communique.net> writes:
> By the way, does anyone have any comment on how US drivers compare with
Stuart G. Gill
My experience has been that American drivers (or maybe I should say person
who sits behind the steering wheel because it often seems like they aren't
really driving) have _no_ concept of lane discipline on a highway. The
left hand lane is for passing not for cruising at sub-speed limit rates.
I have also begun to wonder whether turn signals are options that many don't buy
for their cars. I was almost sideswipped by some idiot last night who
merged into my lane about a foot ahead of my car without using their turn
signal.
Stuart
In article <6l3l8p$7ap$1...@news.rsn.hp.com>, nig...@rsn.hp.com (Nigel
Reed(Non-HP)) wrote:
------------------------------------------------------------------
Stuart G. Gill - a Canuck adrift in the San Francisco Bay Area
recently of the University of Waterloo, Waterloo Ontario, Canada
sggill AT neumann DOT uwaterloo DOT ca
shorten CANADA to CA to reach me
Rebecca
Hiya all...
I've only been to Europe twice so I am not sure how qualified I am to answer
this question but here in NY everyone drives the same.. very defensively.
We all EXPECT an accident so thats what we constantly watch for. Im in
Staten Island, one of NY's 5 boroughs and its worse here than in the city..
probably because there isn't a stop light at every corner like the city.
Everyone thinks they have the right of way. When Garry is here he drives and
says its much easier to drive on the right side of the road... even though
when we took the car to the city he scared me witless, saying it was just
like driving in the main part of Manchester. (Btw rush hour here realllly
sucks) All in all, its not really that bad. I've had my license since 1984
and have only been in one accident, someone failed to slow down at a yield
sign. The worse state I have encountered is Virginia close to Washington
DC.. thats where all the loonies drive.. best advice I could give is to
drive defensively.. if you're watching and staying alert you'll be just
fine, dont worry. And Nigel, you're right about the trucks.. the basically
DO own the road being so large and love to move people out of their way..
this thread brings up a good question.. when you first move here can you
just drive on your license or must you apply for 1 right away?
Rebecca
mich...@my-dejanews.com
In article <3574FD63...@communique.net>,
Deborah Reeks <dre...@communique.net> wrote:
>
> By the way, does anyone have any comment on how US drivers compare with
> others worldwide?
The most annoying and most stupid rule (in my own opinion) is that right turns
are allowed when the light is red (unless a sign says something else). I
always walk from work to my bus stop and have to cross the street at a very
busy crossing. I am always looking forward to drivers who just ignore my green
light and turn anyway. I shouldn't generalize. Many drivers are really good
drivers and yield but there are at least as many drivers who just, well, in
Germany we would say "won their license in the lottery."
Another thing: rush hour. Traffic is not bad during off-peak hours. But during
rush hour, boy, you better have a good car insurance. People are driving
crazy. They try to squeeze in as soon as they see the possibility (even if it
takes to cross a solid white line) or change lanes without signaling. Streets
are way bigger here in the US than what I am used to from Germany. But traffic
over there is more organized than here (i would say). My dad who came over for
the wedding last October got almost in an accident twice because he sticked
to his habit to always change to the very right lane. That caught other
drivers in surprise :).
My advise: be careful especially in the big cities. Things are different.
- Michael
PS: Of course, I am only talking about the Seattle area.
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Duncan
>By the way, does anyone have any comment on how US drivers compare with
>others worldwide?
Over the last 2 years I have driven over 20,000 miles in the US across
about 15 states... these are my thoughts...
Indicators are not used by 90% of the drivers on the road. This in
comparison to 90% of people in the UK who DO use them. This alone can
take time to get used to.
Four way stops at rush hour are the most ridicules thing I have ever
come across on the road. Three way stops are even worse. I once came
across a 3 way stop but the signs had been worn away and I did not know
it was a 3 way instead of a 4 way... :)
The speed limits on the North East are a nightmare.. 65 at best..
compared to 75 in the south west.. I once drove from Dallas to Tuscon
which is about 900 miles.. about 600 of those miles is on roads that you
do not see another car or even pass any exits for a long time.
Drivers as a whole are not as considerate as drivers in the UK.. but
then cars and the 'relationship' people have is also very different in
the US.
I imagine that there is a lot more DUI cases and people without
insurance than anywhere else.
There seems to be a lot more dangerous cars in the US... the ones that
look as if they are going to fall apart any moment. There is a lot to be
said for the tough MOT in the UK.
Most interstates do not have a barrier in the center.. so police can
catch you speeding and turn around to stop you.. :(
Miami is the most dangerous place I have ever driven.. even the police
ignore the laws and jump red lights even if they are not on a call. No
matter how small the gap people will force their way in, I have seen
things on the Miami roads that have left me stunned.. and wanting to buy
a gun ! :))
One advice to new drivers.. never jump a red light and never pull away
quickly on a green. There are large number of crashes as a result of
people jumping red lights. In Miami after the New Year the police
installed a camera at a busy junction (very common in the UK). In one 24
hour period they expected to catch 30-40... they caught 800+
Good things about the US... cheaper cars, VERY cheap petrol, a/c as
standard, cruise control, DRINKS HOLDERS !!!!! :))
Overall driving in the US when you are out of the cities is a more
pleasurable experience. I thought nothing of driving 500+ miles in one
day but lucky ever to drive more than 300 in the UK... and at the end
you are knackard !!.
and I hate to say this... but trusting no one is not bad advice. There
are a large number of car jackings in the US.. when you travel on long
distances make sure you have supply and tools as you could end up a long
way from any services... and I would advise people to buy a mobile phone
as they do not have emergency phones every half a mile as in the UK.
Happy driving...
Duncan.
--
http://www.deeper.co.uk/k1homepages.html
Don't attempt to teach a pig to sing,
it wastes your time and irritates the pig.
Duncan
In article <199806031253...@ladder03.news.aol.com>, TROUTY
<tro...@aol.com> writes
>I personaly think that US drivers are
>better than English, they leave more space between the car infront and drive
>in a more casual mannor.
Come and drive down in Miami and then say that !.. :)
TROUTY
>
>>I personaly think that US drivers are
>>better than English, they leave more space between the car infront and
>drive
>>in a more casual mannor.
>Come and drive down in Miami and then say that !.. :)
>
>Duncan.
Thanks for the comments Duncan, Like I said in my original posting to this
question, I was involved in a car wreck when I was in Lousiana, but I still
maintian that the standard of driving is better on the whole caertianly in
Louisiana, than in the UK, but I take your point.
Is it just me or is this question getting some people's back up ??
Chris.
Duncan
In article <199806031753...@ladder01.news.aol.com>, TROUTY
<tro...@aol.com> writes
>Is it just me or is this question getting some people's back up ??
Not at all... notice the smiley at the end of my line ! :)
Nigel Reed(Non-HP)
In article <6l3q9d$mrc$1...@camel15.mindspring.com>,
"Rebecca" <wtknig...@mindspring.com> writes:
> this thread brings up a good question.. when you first move here can you
> just drive on your license or must you apply for 1 right away?
In Texas you can drive on your license for 30 days so that you can get
your State license. This is very very easy. paralell park (as if you need
to do that in Dallas!) Do a few left and right turns, reverse up about
10 feet and you're done. No hill start, no reverse around cornerd, no
emergency stop...It is frightening to think that 15 year old kids can
get behind the wheel of a car too.
Regards
Nigel
Nigel Reed(Non-HP)
In article <6l3ujl$mfc$1...@nnrp1.dejanews.com>,
mich...@my-dejanews.com writes:
> The most annoying and most stupid rule (in my own opinion) is that right turns
> are allowed when the light is red (unless a sign says something else). I
Oh yeah, of course. And you can also turn left on red IF all the lanes are
going from right to left (ie, one way street). Every major intersection has
a stop light (usually timed so that you catch every red light no matter which
way you go!) or a stop sign at each minor intersection.
All sorts of strange stuff!
Regards
Nigel
Nigel Reed(Non-HP)
> Good things about the US... cheaper cars, VERY cheap petrol, a/c as
> standard, cruise control, DRINKS HOLDERS !!!!! :))
Very true, I got Toyota Corolla, 95 (Got it back in April) with 10K
miles on it, it was a show model, for about 11K or something like that
and it includes a/c, cruse, drink holder etc...But the disadvantage is
the insurance costs. My wife and I pay about $600 every six months.
If they reduced the cost, I'm sure there would be more people who would
obtain insurance. It is just so uneconomical.
> Overall driving in the US when you are out of the cities is a more
> pleasurable experience. I thought nothing of driving 500+ miles in one
> day but lucky ever to drive more than 300 in the UK... and at the end
> you are knackard !!.
Agreed. I must admit I like driving at night. Drove from Dallas to Topeka,
Kansas it's about 500 miles, in one go. Very nice.
> and I hate to say this... but trusting no one is not bad advice. There
> are a large number of car jackings in the US.. when you travel on long
> distances make sure you have supply and tools as you could end up a long
> way from any services... and I would advise people to buy a mobile phone
> as they do not have emergency phones every half a mile as in the UK.
Yup, In the UK, if someone flags you down, you slow down to see if you
can help (usually). In the US you run them over...just in case *grin*.
My wife and I have a mobile phone...just in case...they're more useful
than you can image.
Regards
Nigel
Quest
>It is frightening to think that 15 year old kids can
>get behind the wheel of a car too.
In NJ theres a written exam - multi-guess. Ridiculously easy I thought
(I read the manual the night before) although I know lots of NJ Yanks that
have failed it repeatedly.
When they unfolded my British Licence the guy said is this one of those
International Licences - well, of course I said YES, so no practical exam
for me!!
In NJ, if you are a resident, you must have an NJ licence to drive, NJ
plates on your car, insurance, and a valid inspection sticker (USA MOT). I
don't know what the rest of the country is like but round here the cops
have got nothing better to do than stop cars all day...
Interestingly, in NJ a circle (roundabout) has no rules on right of
way, it just depends on what has become the local 'tradition' - how you
are supposed to know what this is before you get to each and every circle
still alludes me...
Johnny Was
--
InfoSeek, and ye shall InfoFind.
Duncan
In article <6l4bda$ahu$4...@news.rsn.hp.com>, Nigel Reed(Non-HP)
<nig...@rsn.hp.com> writes
>Agreed. I must admit I like driving at night. Drove from Dallas to Topeka,
>Kansas it's about 500 miles, in one go. Very nice.
I did the Dallas to Tucson in one day.. 13 hours.. it was a lovely day
and a great drive (I-10 I think) the views was stunning and the time
just flew... so did I.. 100mph :)) been stopped twice in the US and I
just am really nice and they take one look at my licence and let me go
with a warning :))
>> and I hate to say this... but trusting no one is not bad advice. There
>> are a large number of car jackings in the US.. when you travel on long
>> distances make sure you have supply and tools as you could end up a long
>> way from any services... and I would advise people to buy a mobile phone
>> as they do not have emergency phones every half a mile as in the UK.
>
>Yup, In the UK, if someone flags you down, you slow down to see if you
>can help (usually). In the US you run them over...just in case *grin*.
hahahaha... good one !!
>My wife and I have a mobile phone...just in case...they're more useful
>than you can image.
One of the first things I will get.. and then one for Yvonne.. Had one
in the UK for 18 months and they are just to useful to be without.
Rebecca
and I would advise people to buy a mobile phone
>as they do not have emergency phones every half a mile as in the UK.
>
>Happy driving...
>
>Duncan.
>
On Route 80 and many of the major turnpikes there are emrgency phones about
1 mile apart... just they dont always work...lol.
Rebecca
IsaBellA
On 3 Jun 1998 20:05:19 GMT, nig...@rsn.hp.com (Nigel Reed(Non-HP))
wrote:
>In article <6l3q9d$mrc$1...@camel15.mindspring.com>,
> "Rebecca" <wtknig...@mindspring.com> writes:
>
>> this thread brings up a good question.. when you first move here can you
>> just drive on your license or must you apply for 1 right away?
>
>In Texas you can drive on your license for 30 days so that you can get
>your State license. This is very very easy. paralell park (as if you need
>to do that in Dallas!) Do a few left and right turns, reverse up about
>10 feet and you're done. No hill start, no reverse around cornerd, no
>emergency stop...It is frightening to think that 15 year old kids can
>get behind the wheel of a car too.
Hah! Ok, I took my driving test 3 times (yes, 3 times). First time,
I got a hill start, behind a big dump truck and before I knew it,
there was a yield right sign. Needless to say, the testing lady
grabbed the wheel before I had time to even try and move to the right.
I failed. Second time I failed because, while waiting in the 100
degree weather, in a hot car for 20 minutes, i took off my glasses
(usually wear contacts, tore them or something). I forgot to put them
on when she came back (same lady...go figure). Didn't even get out of
the parking lot and she failed me. But I think I just had a bad
experience. Hehe. If you live in the DFW area, Jacksboro Hwy DMV is
NOT better.
Btw Nigel, you mentioned that you were given a work authorized SS
number. Do you have to get special permission to also use this SS
number to get a drivers license?
Isa
>
>Regards
>Nigel
"Hope is the pillar that holds up the world
Hope is the dream of a waking man"
-- Pliney the Elder
Guido Schlabitz
Nigel Reed(Non-HP) wrote in message <6l4aic$ahu$3...@news.rsn.hp.com>...
>a stop light (usually timed so that you catch every red light no matter
>which way you go!)
Ahck! Yeah, that's what I'm gonna hate too! I mean, I thought the concept of
a "green wave" was common to most traffic systems, at least in big cities.
It also is fun to me, to find out the speed pattern and then never need to
shift around for half the way home. 8) Ah, well...
Guido.
Amy and Guido Schlabitz
Honey, (oh, and everybody else)
you still won't be shifting around half the way home, because my Saturn is
an automatic. Well, that is assuming that I let you drive MY car. =)
But seriously, the traffic lights in the Phoenix Metropolitan area are
synchronised, so that if you travel just a little under the speed limit on
major streets you can get a green wave. However, I tend to notice that at
the city limits the pattern changes. So you drive Broadway west from Mesa
and have a great green wave, after you pass Dobson Road and start to get
into Tempe, it is over =(.
Amy
Guido Schlabitz schrieb in Nachricht <6l5ut5$g8t$1...@unlisys.unlisys.net>...
Starwind
On Wed, 03 Jun 1998 08:14:50 -0700, sgg...@neumann.uwaterloo.canada
(Stuart G. Gill) wrote:
>I have also begun to wonder whether turn signals are options that many don't buy
>for their cars. I was almost sideswipped by some idiot last night who
>merged into my lane about a foot ahead of my car without using their turn
>signal.
I have come to learn that functional turn signals are $10,000 options
in many US states [including Texas, especially in DFW!]. Further,
while they are required on trucks, if they break, it is about a
$20,000 *option* to replace them! :)))))))))
In reality, Having been in every province and all but 4 US states [AK,
AZ, NM, HI], it is my impression that **in general** US drivers are
CONSIDERABLY worse than Canadian drivers. In general, I have observed
of US drivers:
- using turn signals is rare
- using the wrong turn signal is common if turn signals ARE used
- there is no such thing as "following distance"
- if you try to leave a following distance in front of you,
someone will shove their car into the space and take it,
especially if you are driving in a city like Dallas or San
Francisco; on open interstates it isn't quite so bad
except in heavy traffic; hence YOU have trouble
maintianing a following distance even if you want to!!
- the left lane is used for driving not just passing
- seatlbelt use is uncommon
- people tend to not pay attention to what they are doing as they
are driving
- using headlights at the right time is uncommon
- driving at 75+ on a 65 mph highway is perfectly acceptable; and
most LE won't even ticket you if you are going between 65-74; their
radars are usually set at 10 mph over
- design of highways:
- many states have poor signage in terms of advance warning
- on-ramps tend to be SHORT; you have to merge *quickly*
which can be very difficult, especially in heavy traffic
- pedestrian right of way is typically non-existent in practise
- you are *weird* if you walk somewhere or take public transit
Yes, there are absolutely exceptions! There are some great drivers
here; and some states are better than others. TX and CA are
particularly *bad*.
SW.
Voni
Duncan wrote:
>
> In article <199806031253...@ladder03.news.aol.com>, TROUTY
> <tro...@aol.com> writes
>
> >better than English, they leave more space between the car infront and drive
> >in a more casual mannor.
> Come and drive down in Miami and then say that !.. :)
out checking to see if they have their own bullet proof vest. :P
Voni
Guido Schlabitz wrote:
> I mean, there is always some lines on the road,
comment: We have lines on the road in Miami too... :)
question: What are they for?
Voni
28 days to go
Voni
> Most interstates do not have a barrier in the center.. so police can
> catch you speeding and turn around to stop you.. :(
for the police! :P
Voni
28 days
Duncan
In article <35769e4a....@news-s01.ny.us.ibm.net>, Starwind
<star...@ibm.net> writes
>- design of highways:
> - many states have poor signage in terms of advance warning
> - on-ramps tend to be SHORT; you have to merge *quickly*
> which can be very difficult, especially in heavy traffic
This was one of the things I found hard to get used to.. you have one
sign, I-40 (20 miles) and then nothing until you are actually passing
the turn itself.
and the off ramp can be either left or right lane.. very important to
realise this if you are from the UK...
>- pedestrian right of way is typically non-existent in practise
Except in Canada.. Pedestrians seem to have legal right of way even if
they step out blindly on a freeway !! :)
In the US what makes being a pedestrian so dangerous is the right turn
on red. Drivers seem to get very upset if you get in their way. The
light to let pedestrians know they can cross is not saying it is safe to
do so, only that the next 10 seconds is the safest it is ever going to
be. :)
Voni
> and the off ramp can be either left or right lane.. very important to
> realise this if you are from the UK...
information like the town or the street you would be exiting onto) that
says Exit 29 (for instance! :P). The little sign is supposed to be in
the upper corner (of the larger sign) on the side that the exit is on.
> In the US what makes being a pedestrian so dangerous is the right turn
> on red. Drivers seem to get very upset if you get in their way. The
> light to let pedestrians know they can cross is not saying it is safe to
> do so, only that the next 10 seconds is the safest it is ever going to
> be. :)
and honey, when you come back here, I will take you to downtown Coconut
Grove at night and show you where the pedestrians assume YOU will get
out of the way! he he... very annoying... just cross the street
anywhere! and then get ticked off if they bump into your car!
I was driving to work the other day and in preparation for an upcoming
left, changed into the left lane directly behind another vehicle. The
car in front of me, slowed down, and put on their left turn signal.
Thinking they were going to switch to the center turning lane, I slowed
down waiting to pass them. A car passed on the right, and they
immediatly took a hard right turn into a driveway. I drove on. The
funny part, was not what they did. But that I did not even bat an
eyelash or think "What idiots!" It was par for the course!
Now, a comment on driving from a Miami news columnist.
Renting a car offers many attractive advantages to the traveler in
Miami: independence, convenience, dependability, and a sudden massive
lowering of the IQ. I know what I'm talking about here. I live in
Miami, and every witner we have a huge infestation of rental car
drivers, who down seeking warm weather and the opportunity to make
sudden left turns without signaling across six lanes of traffic into
convenience stores. (no, not into the parking lots. into the STORES)
My wife and I have affectionately nicknamed these people "Alamos",
because so many of them seem to rent their cars from Alamo, which
evidently requires that every driver leave several major brain lobes as
a deposit. We'll be driving along, and the driver in front of us will
engage in some maneuver that is boneheaded even by the standards of
Miami (official motoring motto: "Death before Yielding"), and we'll
shout, "Look out! Alamos!"
The most well known city in Florida is Miami(official tourism slogan:
"Maybe you won't get shot."). The major industries are tourism,
obtaining senior-citizen discounts, and not having automobile
insurance. Miami is a richly diverse cosmopolitan metropolis where
people from many different cultures live and work together while
continuing to observe the traffic laws of their individual countries of
origin.
Well, I found it funny, but then again, I LIVE here! (Help! help!
Ayude Me!!!!)
Voni
28 days encounting
Nigel Reed(Non-HP)
In article <6l5ut5$g8t$1...@unlisys.unlisys.net>,
"Guido Schlabitz" <gschl...@teracom.de> writes:
>
> Nigel Reed(Non-HP) wrote in message <6l4aic$ahu$3...@news.rsn.hp.com>...
>
>>a stop light (usually timed so that you catch every red light no matter
>>which way you go!)
>
> Ahck! Yeah, that's what I'm gonna hate too! I mean, I thought the concept of
> a "green wave" was common to most traffic systems, at least in big cities.
> It also is fun to me, to find out the speed pattern and then never need to
> shift around for half the way home. 8) Ah, well...
At least they dont have roundabouts (or islands or circles or whatever
they're called). I can imagine that would be a nightmare!
Also, a lot of the interstates have service roads. I cant rememeber how
roads are constucted in Germany, but in the UK when you have a junction
in a motorway there is an exit ramp which leads up (or down) to a
roundabout and then you take your road off there...Nope, not in the US.
You take an access road which (for some interstates) go quite a distance.
You have to give way on these service roads for vehicles leaving the
interstate.
And even worse...There can even be addresses which you can't even get to
drop the service road! You have to come off the freeway, turn left, go
over the freeway, turn right, take another right and you're there! Wheee.
It takes some getting used to working out how to find places, but it
goes come easier...Unless you come to Dallas and want to find a place
on Belt Line Road...it circles the city!
Regards
Nigl
k1...@nelgin.flame.org
Howdy,
1. When I got old enough to drive (up in Illinois), I remember seeing the signs
"Frontage Road" wherever I went on the Interstate, I thought it was the longest
damn road in the world. Then I moved to Texas, and I found out that "Access Road"
was actually the longest road in the world.
2. When I purchased my most recent vehicle for cash (a used pickup) I was given a
card which says, "Congratulations, you now OWN the left hand lane of the highway".
It's a Chevy...Fords aren't real trucks.
3. We don't use our turn signals, cause if we wear them out, it lowers the
trade-in value of the vehicle.
Just trying to add some clarity here.
FAQ Guy
Guido Schlabitz
Nigel Reed(Non-HP) wrote in message <6l700j$1aa$1...@news.rsn.hp.com>...
>At least they dont have roundabouts (or islands or circles or whatever
>they're called). I can imagine that would be a nightmare!
Nightmare? Hnnn, I just thought:
'A roundabout with a three-way-stop, having two pedestrian crosswalks,
located in downtown Miami...'
=8O
>You take an access road which (for some interstates) go quite a >distance.
>You have to give way on these service roads for vehicles leaving the
>interstate.
Do you mean those strange "business routes" which actually have the same
number as the interstate you try to get on after a potty break in a city?
Those ticked me off, especially in the night (I like to drive at night),
where you easily miss a sign and then have to drive through the boonies for
an hour to get back on the freeway...
Of course, after you're on the fricking highway again, the kids start
whining around, that they hafta go potty AGAIN! Note: These weren't ours!
Although I don't have high hopes, that ours will be any different. 8)
Guido.
Starwind
On Thu, 4 Jun 1998 17:32:28 +0100, Duncan <Dee...@nopost.co.uk> wrote:
>
>and the off ramp can be either left or right lane.. very important to
>realise this if you are from the UK...
The exit sign for the exit tells you which side the ramp will be on:
the "Exit XYZ" number sign that sits above the bigger sign is on the
side of the road that the exit lane is on. Confused? So, sign that
look like these:
XX XX
XXXXXXX XXXXXXXX
XXXXXXX XXXXXXXX
righthand lane exit lefthand lane exit
>>- pedestrian right of way is typically non-existent in practise
>Except in Canada.. Pedestrians seem to have legal right of way even if
>they step out blindly on a freeway !! :)
In both the US [I THINK in every state] and Canada pedestrians have
the right of way, PERIOD, even if they step out into the middle of the
road. Whicch means you must stop or slow down for them. Which means
if you hit one you are in LOTS of trouble unless there is NO WAY you
could have NOT hit them [something which happened to my mom... there
was simply no way her car could come to a stop in X feet, so the
stupid idiot girl who decided to jaywalk without looking and without
warning got hit, and my mother was not at fault at all].
However, in practise, US drivers in many areas will NOT stop for you
or slow down, so you as a pedestrian darn well better realize this,
even if you are attemptiong to cross an intersection or crosswalk
fully legally!!! ALWAYS make sure the cars have STOPPED before you
walk onto that road!!
>In the US what makes being a pedestrian so dangerous is the right turn
>on red. Drivers seem to get very upset if you get in their way. The
>light to let pedestrians know they can cross is not saying it is safe to
>do so, only that the next 10 seconds is the safest it is ever going to
>be. :)
Yep!! And about a week ago I came within a foot of getting hit by
just such a driver...
SW.
Starwind
>
>It takes some getting used to working out how to find places, but it
>goes come easier...Unless you come to Dallas and want to find a place
>on Belt Line Road...it circles the city!
Belt line cuts across the top of the city and is divided into E and W.
635 is worse than BElt Line -- it circles half the city...
That said, If you are going to live in DFW, GET A MAPSCO. It is your
friend :))
SW.
Chris
Well, just some differences I've noticed when in the US to the UK
generally, some of which have been mentioned on here already:
Roads are worse (ok that's the roads not the drivers), but then poor old
America has alot more roads to cover :-) <--Having said this, it's nicer
to drive in America, maybe the scenery, or maybe the fact you don't have
to slow, clutch, gear every mile or so for a roundabout. (traffic
circle).
As has been said already, turn signals (indicators) aren't used as much.
Seat belts are apparently for wusses. The only person in the US of the
ppl I knew there who wore a seat belt was one of Heidi's friends who had
been in an accident before.
Getting into the car on the wrong side :-)
--
Chris Thurtle
(Email: radagast at thurtle dot demon dot co dot uk)
Voni
> In both the US [I THINK in every state] and Canada pedestrians have
> the right of way, PERIOD, even if they step out into the middle of the
> road. Whicch means you must stop or slow down for them. Which means
> if you hit one you are in LOTS of trouble unless there is NO WAY you
> could have NOT hit them [something which happened to my mom... there
> was simply no way her car could come to a stop in X feet, so the
> stupid idiot girl who decided to jaywalk without looking and without
> warning got hit, and my mother was not at fault at all].
corners and at marked crosswalks. There has been more than one time
where a pedestrian has been in the street and they have been arrested
for obstructing traffic. Or my favorite one, where a car hits a
pedestrian and apparently the car was damaged so the pedestrian is held
liable for the damage!
Voni
Raleigh has a beltline too, but we just referred the direction as to the
inner belt line and the outer belt line. That way there is little
confusion as to which way you are to go! :)
Duncan
In article <357803aa...@news-s01.ny.us.ibm.net>, Starwind
<star...@ibm.net> writes
>>and the off ramp can be either left or right lane.. very important to
>>realise this if you are from the UK...
>
>The exit sign for the exit tells you which side the ramp will be on:
>the "Exit XYZ" number sign that sits above the bigger sign is on the
>side of the road that the exit lane is on. Confused?
No.. but regardless of signs, in the UK you exit of the near side (cue
big argument about which is near side !! :) ) You never exit off the
right lane and with the signs sometimes few and far apart it is
something to remember....
Duncan
In article <4QE$SFAOP+...@thurtle.demon.co.uk>, Chris
<nos...@nojunk.com> writes
>Roads are worse (ok that's the roads not the drivers), but then poor old
>America has alot more roads to cover :-)
Ohhh... one thing that I really noticed when I drove around the US.. the
state of the road are appalling !!... construction is sometimes endless
and timeless. Some roads I was told have been under repair and conned
off for 18 months. Some road have 30+ miles of cones..
One thing I did notice is that it reminded me of the UK 10 years ago.
Miles of cones and no workmen. Then they changed it and put the work out
to contract for a fixed price. Bonus if they finished sooner and
plenties if late.. this resulted in some construction and repairs being
worked on 24 hours a day.. some repairs was shifted to between 9pm and
6am etc.. result was a massive change in road repair for the better.
>Seat belts are apparently for wusses. The only person in the US of the
>ppl I knew there who wore a seat belt was one of Heidi's friends who had
>been in an accident before.
Coming from the UK I will never drive without one on...
>Getting into the car on the wrong side :-)
I always did this after I had filled up with petrol... :)
Oh.. and having to pay for petrol before you fill up !!..
Plus.. unlike the UK you can keep the pump open with the catch..
Nigel Reed(Non-HP)
In article <357772DF...@nelgin.flame.org>,
k1...@nelgin.flame.org writes:
> Howdy,
> 1. When I got old enough to drive (up in Illinois), I remember seeing the signs
> "Frontage Road" wherever I went on the Interstate, I thought it was the longest
> damn road in the world. Then I moved to Texas, and I found out that "Access Road"
> was actually the longest road in the world.
We still have a "Frontage Road" here in Texas too...It must be a damn long
road if it goes all the way to Illinois!
> 3. We don't use our turn signals, cause if we wear them out, it lowers the
> trade-in value of the vehicle.
Ah, and I thought it was something to do with not wanting to build up those
muscles it takes to move the arm over to the turn signal stalk! Now we're all
informed and clued up!
Regards
Nigel