driving in California/California drivers, the end of a myth : a French driver's experience (Orange: inspection, live)

[zombocom]

Originally Posted by bhcompy

it is discriminatory. a crime is worth a single punishment, whether you are rich or poor. do you give a rich murderer the death sentence and a poor one 25 years to life?

EDIT: back from the dead, nm...

[Curmudgeon]

Originally Posted by zombocom

EDIT: back from the dead, nm...

You're talking about yourself, right?

[Ruth4Truth]

What kind of a French name is Gil Dos Santos? Is that Basque? Just wondering.

Wow, I thought it was just New Mexico where everyone did all that stuff you describe! I haven't driven much in CA, though I have done some long-distance driving from Bay Area through Bakersfield to Vegas and through Needles to Arizona another time, and highway driving was pretty calm and sedate. People signal their lane change, and though some may speed, there's a method to the madness, and it's not a problem. I think the issues the OP ran into are in and around the urban areas, where the roads are crowded, so people get stressed. The same is true in NM; half the drivers don't signal anything, even a sudden left turn in the middle of the block, when in town. Out on the highways and rural roads, people may speed, but they're more polite, generally. Less stressed.

As for superior driving skills in Europe, of course they're superior! Some European countries require a lot more driver training, and a series of exams of increasingly more advanced skill level, for people to get a license. In the US, they just teach the bare minimum, and turn you loose on the roads. It's irresponsible. Then if someone gets into an accident, the court may tell them to take a defensive driving course. But there is no course that teaches how to handle hazards on the road, and unexpected or unusual situations. The kind of things that are included in driver training in Europe.

There was a time when driving in CA was more polite, but that was back when the state had maybe 1/2 the population it does now. I'd like to hear from the OP what he thinks about driving in Paris. Wow! I've never seen people drive on the sidewalk to get around other drivers, or get out of their cars at an accident and get into a physical fight, in California. Paris is wild! The French invented road rage, imo. When it eventually came to America, though, it was more dangerous, because Americans can be armed.

[Fontucky]

Don't hold your breath for an answer: "Not a member"

Must have been a trouble making troll, as this opening post of his indicates.

[CaliforniaGal]

I speak the truth here... I am approaching 64 yrs old in July of this year and I was born and raised in SoCal. Let me tell you who the culprits are...the little Honda's with tinted windows - in fact all the little cars owned by the young folks who drive with total disregard for others on our freeways. I watch them on the 91 Freeway and the 405. I always know when I look through my rear view mirror and see a car coming up from behind fast - that it will be a small car with a younger person in it driving.

I usually drive over the speed limit by a little to keep with the flow of traffic. My husband was hit from behind on the 105 Freeway in his Toyota Tundra. The traffic came to a halt and this wacky guy comes hauling down and slams right into my husband. The bumper on his truck was damaged BUT you should have seen the guys car. It looked like an accordion.

I mean no disrespect here but since the Illegal Immigrants have been able to get drivers license in Los Angeles - there have been more accidents. I do not believe they can read the signs and they do not pay attention. They tend to do whatever they like when it comes to driving and it is scary. They will swerve over from the right lane to the left - no signals. They have no problem making a left turn from a far right lane. SCARY!

Look out for the little Honda Civics - and other small cars as they are speed demons. SUV's are not the problem. I drive one...but I have respect for the road.

[CaliforniaGal]

Ut oh, we were duped by the OP? Here I wrote out this post...lol

[AlongTheI-5]

Originally Posted by CaliforniaGal

I speak the truth here... I am approaching 64 yrs old in July of this year and I was born and raised in SoCal. Let me tell you who the culprits are...the little Honda's with tinted windows - in fact all the little cars owned by the young folks who drive with total disregard for others on our freeways. I watch them on the 91 Freeway and the 405. I always know when I look through my rear view mirror and see a car coming up from behind fast - that it will be a small car with a younger person in it driving.

I usually drive over the speed limit by a little to keep with the flow of traffic. My husband was hit from behind on the 105 Freeway in his Toyota Tundra. The traffic came to a halt and this wacky guy comes hauling down and slams right into my husband. The bumper on his truck was damaged BUT you should have seen the guys car. It looked like an accordion.

I mean no disrespect here but since the Illegal Immigrants have been able to get drivers license in Los Angeles - there have been more accidents. I do not believe they can read the signs and they do not pay attention. They tend to do whatever they like when it comes to driving and it is scary. They will swerve over from the right lane to the left - no signals. They have no problem making a left turn from a far right lane. SCARY!

Look out for the little Honda Civics - and other small cars as they are speed demons. SUV's are not the problem. I drive one...but I have respect for the road.

Of course you have the police statistics to back this up. Amirite?

[TheGoodUsernamesWereTaken]

Originally Posted by Ultrarunner

I and just about everyone that I know with European Driving Experience have found European Drivers, as a group, to be superior in skill level and European Vehicles tend to be better maintained.

I can't say that I know anyone that finds average California Drivers superior to average European Drivers...

Well said.

Californians have horrible stigmas on the road and they are all true, so are the racial stereotypes but I don't want to derail the thread with those.

And yes, have you been to Germany? REAL driving happens over there, I took a cab and the driver had professional tracking type skills behind the wheel. The autobahn? Impressive. People really know how to drive over there, a night and day difference.

People in California I find generally rude and snobbish, and thanksfully i'm not one to road rage, but it's few and far between when I'm not shaking my head and/or making "really?" faces at someone through their mirror.


Too often people forget - driving is a skill. Just because you got your license doesn't mean you are a good driver, and driving for 20 years doesn't make you a really better driver unless you make a concious effort to improve and expand your knowledge.

[aewan68]

I moved here from SoFla last year and by far the drivers here are way better by leaps and bounds. I use to commute 2 hours a day to and from work in SoFla in bumper to bumper traffic of varying speeds, road rage, tail gating and finger flipping were a daily occurence, horns being blown constantly, often if at a stop light as soon as it turns green, within a second or so, people will blow their horn if you don't launch off the line at a high rate of speed. Aggresive drivers, Seniors who cannot drive, illegals without insurance a common daily occurance there. So far here, I see the occasional a$$clown but nothing like back home.

[aewan68]

Originally Posted by TheGoodUsernamesWereTaken

And yes, have you been to Germany? REAL driving happens over there, I took a cab and the driver had professional tracking type skills behind the wheel. The autobahn? Impressive. People really know how to drive over there, a night and day difference.

I agree, I have been to Germany for business and worked with Germans in the past and driven on the Autobahn, it's night and day not only the quality of the drivers but the roads, it's also illegal to flip the finger and can result in a hefty fine, insults are not tolerated by the Polizei.

Also in Germany, it's a lot of work in study time and also very expensive to get, a drivers license. Trucks have to follow strick laws on staying in lanes and speeds, you will see placards or stickers on back noting this in km/h that must be followed unlike here you have trucks speeding and riding in the passing lane for way too long of a time.