Exporting level crossing stupidity

[33056]

To Davos, Switzerland ; someones holiday turned out to be a bit more expensive than they had bargained for :roll:

 

[Oswyntail]

"But that's how we drive at level crossings in GB"

 

[Ferret]

Ah, a Brit abroad. What a chuffing surprise.

 

[WestCoast]

Glad there were no injuries though. A warning to all UK drivers in the Netherlands, stop immediately at the signal, because it's barriers down and whoosh here comes the train!

 

[deltic1989]

Glad no one was hurt.

 

[the sniper]

Ah, a Brit abroad. What a chuffing surprise.

Because the driver of this car is the first and only non-Swiss national to ever be involved in level crossing accident in Switzerland? Or because we're inundated with stories of British drivers being involved in level crossing incidents abroad?

Going by these statistics you'd have to say that Swiss level crossings are much more likely to invite accidents then UK ones: http://www.uic.org/IMG/pdf/presspack_ELCAD250609.pdf Or as a generalisation, the Swiss don't know how to use level crossings? Now that is a chuffing surprise.

 

[185]

The real surprise is that the British are amongst the worst drivers in Europe, slowly dropping down towards Eastern European countries standards.

Ignorant, impatient, selfish, dangerous, on the phone, fixing the radio, texting 'Chanelle', risk taking - these ought to be the categories for UK license holders nowadays. The current test is an embarrassment - much of the test is things like tyre tread depth and a knowledge of first aid techniques whilst the simple basics of driving are often overlooked.

The hazard perception thing is a total load of......

 

[Ferret]

Because the driver of this car is the first and only non-Swiss national to ever be involved in level crossing accident in Switzerland? Or because we're inundated with stories of British drivers being involved in level crossing incidents abroad?

My quote was a generalisation really, aimed at the stupid behaviour of brits abroad, of which this is yet another example.

 

[Bungle73]

The real surprise is that the British are amongst the worst drivers in Europe

Do you have evidence to back that statement up, because I don't think it's true.

 

[Ferret]

Do you have evidence to back that statement up, because I don't think it's true.

I can only go on my experiences of driving here and abroad. And I have to say the standard of driving here is far worse than in the likes of Germany & Switzerland. I think we're still some way behind Italy's standard of woefulness though!

 

[Anon Mouse]

The real surprise is that the British are amongst the worst drivers in Europe, slowly dropping down towards Eastern European countries standards.

Ignorant, impatient, selfish, dangerous, on the phone, fixing the radio, texting 'Chanelle', risk taking - these ought to be the categories for UK license holders nowadays. The current test is an embarrassment - much of the test is things like tyre tread depth and a knowledge of first aid techniques whilst the simple basics of driving are often overlooked.

The hazard perception thing is a total load of......

Off topic, but while in China we went on a tour and one of the drivers was the worst I've ever had. Speeding, overtaking on tight corners, overtaking on blind summits, tailgating and hooting to intimidate drivers in front to get move out the way. On a mini bus, no seat belts, unfenced embankments, mobile phone on the go.........it was bloody scary! Worse than any bus driver in the UK!

 

[90019]

things like tyre tread depth

Something plenty of people have no idea about.

 

[michael769]

Off topic, but while in China we went on a tour and one of the drivers was the worst I've ever had. Speeding, overtaking on tight corners, overtaking on blind summits, tailgating and hooting to intimidate drivers in front to get move out the way. On a mini bus, no seat belts, unfenced embankments, mobile phone on the go.........it was bloody scary! Worse than any bus driver in the UK!

We had a taxi driver in Beijing who worked on the basis that he did not have to give way if he could not see the other guy. On a couple of occasions he drove through junctions with his eyes closed!

We got him to stop in a busy area and got out to find a more tourist friendly taxi, that driver told us that such behaviour was the norm in more rural areas, but less so in the city where such drivers tended to to survive very long.

 

[Yew]

I would guess the scandinavians would be at the top of the table, as their dirivng test includes how to control a sliding car as it snows a lot over there, something that is less of a problem here.

Then probably the germans and swiss, us, then the italians, french and spanish.

That would be my call anyway. I think the main problem here is 'this is a 60 road, i must be going at 60 no matter what road conditions are'

 

[185]

I would guess the scandinavians would be at the top of the table, as their dirivng test includes how to control a sliding car as it snows a lot over there, something that is less of a problem here.

Then probably the germans and swiss, us, then the italians, french and spanish.

That would be my call anyway. I think the main problem here is 'this is a 60 road, i must be going at 60 no matter what road conditions are'

Ha, the test is quite intense but there are so many bad drivers in Norway. Sort of like Marmite - either excellent drivers or utterly terrible with no-one in the middle. One watched a car overtake me going sideways.... brilliant.

 

[Ferret]

Ha, the test is quite intense but there are so many bad drivers in Norway. Sort of like Marmite - either excellent drivers or utterly terrible with no-one in the middle. One watched a car overtake me going sideways.... brilliant.

My favourite moment in Italy was being overtaken by a Ferrari on an Autostrada. I'd watched the guy in my mirror lane-weaving and driving like a dick. Imagine my amusement therefore when 20 minutes later I saw said Ferrari utterly tished, facing the wrong way and the driver looking very unhappy, having seemingly piled his pride and joy into the central reservation!

 

[deltic1989]

Doing 100mph on a German de-restricted Autobahn, a fellow in a Mercedes-Benz totally forgets what his mirrors are for and pulls out in front of me, to overtake a lorry, after much standing on the brakes and turning my seat brown, said p*ick decides to hog the outside lane at 40 mph.

 

[WestCoast]

Stupid/reckless/careless drivers exist in every country, even in those with supposedly tough checks in place.

Having said that, the worst driving I've seen has been in Egypt, Morocco and the UAE, the word dangerous is very much an understatement. Makes the Southern European standards look very high in comparison.

 

[swj99]

I think the standards of driving vary in different parts of the UK. A recent visitor from Manchester commented on all the 'bits of car' in the middle of roads around the south coast (broken glass, door mirrors etc). Portsmouth seems to have more than its fair share of bad driving. Specsavers could probably open up a few more shops. Oxfordshire in contrast seems much better in terms of standards of driving and levels of courtesy.

 

[richw]

As someone who does the majority of driving down Cornish lanes, it always amuses me that the majority of tourists from the rest of the uk seem to think their vehicles are double the width they actually are, and will not get in close to the hedges to let others past.

 

[Anon Mouse]

We had a taxi driver in Beijing who worked on the basis that he did not have to give way if he could not see the other guy. On a couple of occasions he drove through junctions with his eyes closed!

We got him to stop in a busy area and got out to find a more tourist friendly taxi, that driver told us that such behaviour was the norm in more rural areas, but less so in the city where such drivers tended to to survive very long.

There is some really scary driving in China, the amount of times I've been in a clapped out VW Santanna with no seatbelts and I've had a taxi driver drive as if he was in the Fast & Furious makes me really think I should consider some form of life insurance. The Wife however, being Chinese thinks nothing of them speeding, driving recklessly and using mobile phones, myself on the other hand would rather use the bus (and even some of those in rural areas are just as bad)

Talking of Beijing, I remember the first time I went and got a taxi from the Airport to my Hotel, he had two mobile phone calls on the go, was weaving in and out of traffic and he had to ask at a Police Station for directions to my Hotel, that was a canny welcome to China!

 

[LE Greys]

Because the driver of this car is the first and only non-Swiss national to ever be involved in level crossing accident in Switzerland? Or because we're inundated with stories of British drivers being involved in level crossing incidents abroad?

Going by these statistics you'd have to say that Swiss level crossings are much more likely to invite accidents then UK ones: http://www.uic.org/IMG/pdf/presspack_ELCAD250609.pdf Or as a generalisation, the Swiss don't know how to use level crossings? Now that is a chuffing surprise.

That is rather surprising, considering that when I was in Geneva, I was once yelled at for crossing an empty road without using the officially-marked section. They seem to respect the rules in Switzerland. Having said that, there seem to be a lot of open crossings, so I suppose accidents are more likely.
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My favourite moment in Italy was being overtaken by a Ferrari on an Autostrada. I'd watched the guy in my mirror lane-weaving and driving like a dick. Imagine my amusement therefore when 20 minutes later I saw said Ferrari utterly tished, facing the wrong way and the driver looking very unhappy, having seemingly piled his pride and joy into the central reservation!

Once in France, I was overtaken by an Italian-registered Ferrari. Thing is, I wasn't on the Autoroute, I was in a Eurostar at full speed on LGV Nord! hock:

 

[scotsman]

Try driving in the Western Isles - not had the pleasure myself, but I've witnessed plenty of it. They're mad out there, but they know their limits