Norman Dunn's 'Hebburn and our Neighbours Forum'

Norman Dunn's 'Hebburn and our Neighbours Forum'
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Driving in the UK. Looks like we get some things right - (and left)

Posted by George on 25/3/2026, 11:09 am

This may be a rather long video but it does give a good feeling for being who we are. See it through.

Re: Driving in the UK. Looks like we get some things right - (and left)

Posted by Steve in Australia on 25/3/2026, 10:40 pm, in reply to "Driving in the UK. Looks like we get some things right - (and left)"

I was on the Island of Guam a few years ago, my host said ""I have 4 cars, there are the keys, if you need to go anywhere just take one"" Guam is an American Protectorate, U.S. Road rules, U.S. sized vehicles and U.S. quality roads.... I declined politely and let him drive me everywhere !!

Re: Driving in the UK. Looks like we get some things right - (and left)

Posted by George on 26/3/2026, 8:55 pm, in reply to "Re: Driving in the UK. Looks like we get some things right - (and left)"

I have no experience of driving in the USA. The reason why diving licences are obtained so readily in that country is very interesting. One thing for sure, it has never been easy in the UK. It is more than 60 years since I passed my test (at the second attempt) and it was agony. Although people of my age had to learn to use hand signals which is no longer a requirement, I do think the driving test today is much more difficult than it was in my day. My driving experiences abroad have lead me to believe we in the UK are very disciplined compared with many other places. The worst was Egypt followed by Portugal. Egypt was easy to consider as it is totally out of control. (Cairo anyway), Portugal was different. Most people drive on the right and are reasonably disciplined. However, there is something terrifying about their desperate need to drift onto the left on every blind bend - and no, I don't think they were just Brits on holiday. I do love touring Portugal but always so relieved to eventually get to my destination.

Re: Driving in the UK. Looks like we get some things right - (and left)

Posted by Norman on 27/3/2026, 7:31 pm, in reply to "Re: Driving in the UK. Looks like we get some things right - (and left)"

On a 1980s holiday in Malta where they drive on the left like us, we had a car thrown in as part of the deal so we drove all over. My joke was 'I might get picked up for good driving'.

Re: Driving in the UK. Looks like we get some things right - (and left)

Posted by AJG on 27/3/2026, 9:44 pm, in reply to "Re: Driving in the UK. Looks like we get some things right - (and left)"

When I moved to California in 1999 I was amazed at how easy the driving test was, having taken three attempts to pass my test in London.

We went out and drove around for about 20 minutes and that was it! I remember telling the examiner how the UK test was an hour long and covered all sorts of things. She said that they just wanted to see that people could drive safely and obey traffic laws and signs.

Driving in the USA etc.

Posted by Mac Cummings on 28/3/2026, 12:59 pm, in reply to "Re: Driving in the UK. Looks like we get some things right - (and left)"

I have driven in many parts of the USA including the big cities like NY,Boston LA and SF. Never a problem.
My biggest frustration in the US is how slow they are. Although to be fair the limits have increased from some of the pedestrian levels of 55 on rural highways to much the same as the UK. I recall using the I10 for much of the way from Tampa to New Orleans about 700 miles. Probably 20 years ago. I ached to put my foot down.
Another time driving to Palm Springs from Las Vegas I was inevitably stopped by a Trooper in the Megeve Desert area for a slightly enthusiastic speed! All went well when he asked me if I was a Limey. When I said Derbyshire it transpired that he had just married an English lady from Leicestershire. We had a great chat. That was it. The infraction was overlooked!!
I have got to say that driving in Europe I find Portugal is fine once you have worked out that they wait for a totally blind bend before overtaking. Italy can be frantic..... the idiots there are matched by our own home-grown half wits!!
The Cypriots can be a bit crackers even on the left.

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