S2KRAY

We have the same problems here. Our traffic death toll this year has already exceeded the total death toll of 2023. People driving like maniacs and distracted drivers are the main cause of most accidents. I was rear ended by a distracted driver 2 years ago and my car was totaled My car was pushed into the rear of a new BMW X7 who then rear ended another vehicle and then he rear ended another vehicle.. I was lucky to escape death and suffered no severe injuries. She was flying and was distracted. Probably on her phone. I got out and asked her WTF were you doing driving so fast. She replies that her brakes failed and her car suddenly accelerated. I told her BS. You have ABS brakes and that sudden acceleration was also BS. I got a lawyer. So, I found a 2011 BMW 328i convertible with low miles in pristine condition.I was stopped at a light and got rear ended again. It was a young girl driving Mommy’s Mercedes. My rear bumper was damaged and my paint was cracked. She got out bawling. We were in heavy traffic so we pulled over to the side of the highway. I asked her if she was using her phone because I saw her holding it just before impact. She admitted she did. She calls her Mom still bawling then her Dad and started bawling again. I tried to be understanding but it was difficult. I got the car repaired and it looks fine now. This is problem with these f’ing people driving like maniacs and being distracted. I see no solution as a state trooper I know said it is a rampant problem and we cant stop everyone.
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robb

The consequences are too light for offenders. A few years ago we had a woman here in Vt high on drugs driving, she crossed the center line and crashed into a car with a young couple in it killing both of them. The woman received 13 months in jail, not years, month’s. Recently had a guy driving a trailer truck who hit someone head on killing them, he had to have a translator provided to him for court as he didn’t speak or read English. If you can’t read/ understand English how the F can you drive a trailer truck in a country with signs displayed in English?

robb

Had another one today. I’m driving up a mountain road that has two lanes in the direction I’m going. I consider the right lane the slow lane and the left lane the passing lane. I was in the slow lane the car in front of me moves into the passing lane one would presume he or she were doing this to pass the car in front of them but they don’t they stay in the passing lane with a gap of about a half a car length between them and the car in front of me and stay at that speed and then actually slow down a bit so I end up passing them while still in the slow lane and as I am the guy just lays on his horn. So really dont get what goes through peoples minds.

zeroptzero

I think the idea of a passing lane in the USA is just a figment of our imagination, no one likes to give up that lane no matter how slow they drive lol. The American drivers continue their bad habits and do it here when they cross the border into Canada too . We have our share of bad drivers here, but Americans love to own the passing lane, it is a very distinctive trait I notice.

robb

That’s why when people say they should raise the speed limit in the U.S. I laugh. People need to learn how to drive there is no traffic flow anymore.
On a somewhat related note in the resort town next to me someone crashed into the front of the bookstore. It is not right on the road so I dont know what happened, there is a rotary by it so maybe that caused it or could of been a medical event. Luckily no one was seriously injured. It’s one for the books anyways.

cosmomiller

I have to admit I am not conversational in French, Dutch, German, or Italian but I have been driving in Europe since the 70s. I do know my signs as well as menus, LOL! You can get by pretty well even if you are not fluent but I also study the road rules and signs to keep up when I go. Some of the German street parking rules are downright confounding if you don't understand the very, very specific signs.


The autobahn is strict driving experience and you had better understand how to drive it and importantly how NOT to drive it. No texting at 130mph. The Germans even have badging removed from the back of cars so as not to distract other drivers. All you have is the symbol for the manufacturer.

zeroptzero

There is something to be said of countries that have strict driving regulations and vehicle inspection regimens, it pays dividends in driver and vehicle quality - Germany and Japan seem to be at the forefront. Drivers in my country get their licenses out of cracker-jack boxes.

robb

I think it is a little different when someone is driving a trailer truck professionally 40 plus hours a week.
As far as driving on the Autobahn I completely agree and I would imagine that the police enforce the move over for faster traffic laws.
The cell phone use while driving in this country is just ridiculous. One of the many ignorant idiotic things I saw last week was a guy sitting at a light that was green with about 5 cars behind him, the reason he wasn’t going was because he had his head down looking at his phone while he was texting.

cosmomiller

I mostly agree but have to quibble on some of the so called "safety" inspections that ensnare victims for many hours and cost a lot of dough fixing endless problems. In Germany cloudy headlights must be replaced, not sanded and restored. Try that with an S2000 or vintage car. Guess what? You buy a new car! In Beijing a car is finished (must by law be dismantled) in only 10 years. Makes you think twice about that new Bently.

Here in California we have bienial smog checks but no safety checks. That is for law enforcement to see obvious safety problems.

This is not to be confused with driver license issuance. A German DL is a serious undertaking and you must prove language proficiency. In California anyone can take a written test and get a license with voter registration and no one asks if you are a resident or alien or citizen.

zeroptzero

Yes for sure 100%, the cost factor in strict vehicle inspections is a bit over-bearing, while I appreciate the system I don't want to dole out the money either , lol. The Premiere of our Province did away with vehicle registration fees a couple years ago, it was a brilliant move which saved me $300 a year, you still have to register your plates but it is zero cost. They did away with smog checks a couple years back too saving me more money, and it was a useless program as everyone just cheated and paid shops to lie.