driving standards(again)
Discussion
had a little rain last night-driving along fast(ish)well surfaced cv road this morning and come across(ooo er) 3 damsals in their s
tron who have obviously just skidded off the road,they had the obligatory tri-angles out and were ok and had called for help so on my way-glanced my rear view mirror 150 metres or so after leaving to see another myopic/drunk/talentless driver smash thru their well placed warning tri-angles, oh dear,one of my best spanish pals still insists they are the best,safest drivers in europe if not the world(based i think entirely on alonso,lorenzo et al).i have tried many times to inform him of his delusion and pointed out he would probably be beaten to a pulp in mutiple road rage attacks if he were to drive in the uk.oh well,back to living the dream-cold innit!
tron who have obviously just skidded off the road,they had the obligatory tri-angles out and were ok and had called for help so on my way-glanced my rear view mirror 150 metres or so after leaving to see another myopic/drunk/talentless driver smash thru their well placed warning tri-angles, oh dear,one of my best spanish pals still insists they are the best,safest drivers in europe if not the world(based i think entirely on alonso,lorenzo et al).i have tried many times to inform him of his delusion and pointed out he would probably be beaten to a pulp in mutiple road rage attacks if he were to drive in the uk.oh well,back to living the dream-cold innit!
No no no, it's the wet roads that cause the accidents. Didn't you know?They are driving Gods. Despite the fact they can't drive a stick into a piece of s
t!I watched a guy spin his car one day, on a dry smooth road. I clearly saw him steer with the slide. he managed a 180!
Just got back from 10 days in Blighty.
First two people I met after walking off the plane where rude. Customs, and the man in cafe at airport while I waited for my pick up.
I thought, welcome home.
Back to defensive driving mode now.
Edited by mickrick on Saturday 27th November 10:51
mickrick said:
Ahh that one. Stay in the outside lane to turn left.
Another annoying one is indicating left to exit the roundabout.
And then turning right, in front of you without a care in the world.Another annoying one is indicating left to exit the roundabout.
All driving instructors here in Spain should have their teaching licences removed and then be sent to the U.K. or Germany to be taught the correct way to drive.
^what you said,amazing really that the lengthy studying and cost of obtaining a spanish license then turns out possibly the worst driving standards in europe,does say somthing about those who implement and then teach their system-been to portugal recently and they were piss poor too.on the subject of roundabouts why oh why did they just not copy our flawless,logical and well proven method-how the fk would anyone in their right mind decide the right lane is to turn left-sounds mad even typing it!
k would anyone in their right mind decide the right lane is to turn left-sounds mad even typing it! The right lane isn't for turning left. It's for turning right, and straight ahead. The left lane is for turning left, and straight ahead. Same as the rest of Europe.
If you're in the left lane, and want to exit, you indicate right, and if there's someone in the right lane, you go around again.
They showed it on the TV recently.
I think they stay in the right lane becuase they have right of way if they have a knock.
If you're in the left lane, and want to exit, you indicate right, and if there's someone in the right lane, you go around again.
They showed it on the TV recently.
I think they stay in the right lane becuase they have right of way if they have a knock.
mickrick said:
The right lane isn't for turning left. It's for turning right, and straight ahead. The left lane is for turning left, and straight ahead. Same as the rest of Europe.
If you're in the left lane, and want to exit, you indicate right, and if there's someone in the right lane, you go around again.
They showed it on the TV recently.
I think they stay in the right lane becuase they have right of way if they have a knock.
I like your logical and correct thinking, but we are in Spain and the majority of Spaniards never will go round again, your last line is correct.If you're in the left lane, and want to exit, you indicate right, and if there's someone in the right lane, you go around again.
They showed it on the TV recently.
I think they stay in the right lane becuase they have right of way if they have a knock.
The other thing that always amazes me is that if they hit you which they do, they normally never report it and make a claim, I can see why look at the majority of their cars all dents and battered in the 1st few months.
And Portugals driving standards are far far worse, I refuse to go there these days, the other thing is that the majority of Spaniards & Portuguese are 1st generation drivers so no standards have ever been set.
I think parking and driving by braille may be regional - it seems to be bad in Andalucia but as you go North the cars seem a lot less battered. In fact a mate of mine left his parked outside a hotel in the Plaza Major and a lady backed into it ( did no damage we could see) but came to find him in the hotel and make sure all was well, give him her seguro etc
Maybe it's worse on the Islands
Maybe it's worse on the Islands
mickrick said:
The right lane isn't for turning left. It's for turning right, and straight ahead. The left lane is for turning left, and straight ahead. Same as the rest of Europe.
If you're in the left lane, and want to exit, you indicate right, and if there's someone in the right lane, you go around again.
They showed it on the TV recently.
I think they stay in the right lane becuase they have right of way if they have a knock.
agree totally,i was just saying what acctually happens in reality day in day out.If you're in the left lane, and want to exit, you indicate right, and if there's someone in the right lane, you go around again.
They showed it on the TV recently.
I think they stay in the right lane becuase they have right of way if they have a knock.
cabbron said:
^what you said,amazing really that the lengthy studying and cost of obtaining a spanish license then turns out possibly the worst driving standards in europe,does say somthing about those who implement and then teach their system-been to portugal recently and they were piss poor too.on the subject of roundabouts why oh why did they just not copy our flawless,logical and well proven method-how the fk would anyone in their right mind decide the right lane is to turn left-sounds mad even typing it!
Whilst they do have their moments, I wouldn't put the Spanish at the bottom of the 'driving standards league' until you consider how appalling the average driver is in the UK. Portugal, Greece, Croatia and a few others to name but a few.k would anyone in their right mind decide the right lane is to turn left-sounds mad even typing it! JCW said:
cabbron said:
^what you said,amazing really that the lengthy studying and cost of obtaining a spanish license then turns out possibly the worst driving standards in europe,does say somthing about those who implement and then teach their system-been to portugal recently and they were piss poor too.on the subject of roundabouts why oh why did they just not copy our flawless,logical and well proven method-how the fk would anyone in their right mind decide the right lane is to turn left-sounds mad even typing it!
Whilst they do have their moments, I wouldn't put the Spanish at the bottom of the 'driving standards league' until you consider how appalling the average driver is in the UK. Portugal, Greece, Croatia and a few others to name but a few.k would anyone in their right mind decide the right lane is to turn left-sounds mad even typing it! As someone who lves in Spain, remember that these so-called Spanish 'drivers', were only driving donkeys and carts a few years ago.
Another Spanish 'trait' is their total inability to mantain a steady speed. They follow you for miles, overtake and then slow down.!! (I'm sat there with cruise control on)
Their passion for overtaking - for whatever reason - holds no bounds. The favorite is to overtake as near as possible to an 'exit', cut across as close as possible and then off up the slip road they go.!
Idiots.!
Another Spanish 'trait' is their total inability to mantain a steady speed. They follow you for miles, overtake and then slow down.!! (I'm sat there with cruise control on)
Their passion for overtaking - for whatever reason - holds no bounds. The favorite is to overtake as near as possible to an 'exit', cut across as close as possible and then off up the slip road they go.!
Idiots.!
Yep! Wot e said above.
In a taxi from the airport once, I had to ask the driver if he had something wrong with his foot.
Constantly up and down on the accelerator It was as if he couldn't hold his foot in one position.
I've noticed it loads of times since.
Shocking really when you think your life is in their hands!
In a taxi from the airport once, I had to ask the driver if he had something wrong with his foot.
Constantly up and down on the accelerator
It was as if he couldn't hold his foot in one position.I've noticed it loads of times since.
Shocking really when you think your life is in their hands!
A few weks ago I was pulled over by the Guardia (one of their infamous roadblocks) at the exit of a roundabout whilst en route to the AP7.
I was then 'told off' for not using my indicator to show that I was exiting the roundabout.
I pointed out that I WAS THE ONLY VEHICLE ON THE ROUNDABOUT AND NO OTHER VEHICLE COULD BE SEEN ANYWHERE - except for them, and they were stationary.! In which case, who would I have indicated my intentions to?
They smiled - and waved me on.!
I was then 'told off' for not using my indicator to show that I was exiting the roundabout.
I pointed out that I WAS THE ONLY VEHICLE ON THE ROUNDABOUT AND NO OTHER VEHICLE COULD BE SEEN ANYWHERE - except for them, and they were stationary.! In which case, who would I have indicated my intentions to?
They smiled - and waved me on.!
cabbron said:
JCW said:
cabbron said:
^what you said,amazing really that the lengthy studying and cost of obtaining a spanish license then turns out possibly the worst driving standards in europe,does say somthing about those who implement and then teach their system-been to portugal recently and they were piss poor too.on the subject of roundabouts why oh why did they just not copy our flawless,logical and well proven method-how the fk would anyone in their right mind decide the right lane is to turn left-sounds mad even typing it!
Whilst they do have their moments, I wouldn't put the Spanish at the bottom of the 'driving standards league' until you consider how appalling the average driver is in the UK. Portugal, Greece, Croatia and a few others to name but a few.k would anyone in their right mind decide the right lane is to turn left-sounds mad even typing it! Sure the Spanish lack an understanding of roundabouts but I don't see much evidence of arrogance inland although I'd agree driving standards are not great on the coastal areas but I put that down to the amount of foreigners as much as anything else.
Blimey! I've just come back from 11 days in U.K and I didn't see any of that.
Do you think it's your driving that's making folks blow their horn and flash lights?
If you think the majority of Spanish are O.K then that's probably the case!
I've been around the world two and a bit times over the last 18 years, and the only places I've seen worse driving than here, is Sicily, Malaysia (Butterworth, the mainland near Pennang) and Sri Lanka.
In fact I felt safer in the back of a Tuk Tuk there than I do taking a Taxi from Palma Airport!
Do you think it's your driving that's making folks blow their horn and flash lights?
If you think the majority of Spanish are O.K then that's probably the case!
I've been around the world two and a bit times over the last 18 years, and the only places I've seen worse driving than here, is Sicily, Malaysia (Butterworth, the mainland near Pennang) and Sri Lanka.
In fact I felt safer in the back of a Tuk Tuk there than I do taking a Taxi from Palma Airport!
Funnily enough, I did think it might be something I was doing but not having experienced any of the same issues in the rest of Europe, Australia or the States this year I can only agree with what the general trend seems to be. Having read some of the threads in General Gassing it seems I'm not unique.
Maybe the Islands are worse. I see you're up in the hills, out of the madness.I spent abou 4 years in Sabinillas, just outside of Estepona, and I have to say, the only thing that bothered me where the "Morro's" with the massive roofracks, pulling over to the side of the N340 to get the prayer mats out!
Wouldn't mind living up in the hills myself to be honest. I allways liked it around Ronda.
Have to stay where the work is though. For now.
Edited by mickrick on Tuesday 14th December 11:56
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