French drivers

[keithchesterfield2]

Oh to be able to cruise along at 90kphwe can only dream

The French drivers must be living the dream - they still haven't got the message that the limit was reduced last July.

 

[Val 3 dogs]

Highway Code "Use only while your vehicle is moving and you need to warn other road users of your presence." ....... seems to fit with your use. Other than to let someone know you are there what other use is a horn?

Thank goodness my horse riding days are a thing of the past.
Approaching a blind corner on a single -track road on horseback and hearing an approaching vehicle sounding his (invariably) airhorns is enough to put the fear of the God's in any brave heart equine or human.
What is one supposed to do? levitate? sprout wings, a la Peasus?

 

[gus-lopez]

Approaching a blind corner on a single -track road

I'm only doing it on two -way roads that were formally the main road before the new one was built. single track I expect hores etc; to be about.

 

[Guigsy]

Only bad experience I've had in France was on the mountain roads climbing up towards Charmonix. Approaching a blind right bend with my mirror kissing the wall of rock on the inside. 70km/h limit and I'm doing half that. When a coach comes barrelling through on the wrong side of the road. Julie is sure it grazed the mirror. It left a cloud of gravel and dust on the exit. I may have dusted my underwear.

 

[Val 3 dogs]

I'm only doing it on two -way roads that were formally the main road before the new one was built. single track I expect hores etc; to be about.

I trust that "hores " was just a typo?

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[tonyidle]

Thank goodness my horse riding days are a thing of the past.
Approaching a blind corner on a single -track road on horseback and hearing an approaching vehicle sounding his (invariably) airhorns is enough to put the fear of the God's in any brave heart equine or human.
What is one supposed to do? levitate? sprout wings, a la Peasus?

It's not intended a a 'Get out of my way' blast! It's just a toot to let someone know that they're about to meet you on a blind bend. It is exactly what a horn is intended for.

 

[gus-lopez]

I trust that "hores " was just a typo?

should have been hor says-

 

[Val 3 dogs]

I don't have a solution - unfortunately it is still necessary in the UK for horseriders to use roads, both main and quiet rural.
Sometimes it is the only way that links two parts of a bridleway ,or to get from A to B.
Riding in traffic is the only way to accustomed a young horse to being ridden in traffic - for the safety of both the horse and other road users it is sometimes necessary to ride two abreast.
This is not generally appreciatedon't by "car" drivers.
Not only do vehicles coming into contact with animals cause horrendous damage, frequently fatal, to both horse and rider, but collision with a sizeable animal will make a
considerable mess of most vehicles and possibly it's driver.
For everyone's sake a far greater degree of patience and tolerance is required .

 

[Hilewaychile]

I


Looks a good young driver, it’s just a pity he is French

He is not French. He is Monagasque. It may be no more than a town with very favourable tax regime, a bunch of racing drivers and others taking advantage of same, but it is a country.

 

[Lawrencep]

What about Charles Leclerc, he is getting Vettal worried.

He’s Monagasgue.

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[Wellington]

Forget the drivers for a moment - bl**dy cyclists.

Have you ever caught up with about 50 of them in France and tried to pass them ?

A ruddy nightmare as you probably haven't got the horsepower to get passed them in one go and they're all two or three abreast.

I hate them.

Rant over.

x

In the U.K, cyclists are advised by police to ride two abreast, because means fewer overtaking manoeuvres for motorists, and it’s safer for the cyclists. Generally speaking, you need to enter the oncoming traffic lane to overtake safely, so you may as well overtake two in one go. Single cyclists are advised to cycle in the middle of the lane for the same reason. The police are now using cycling officers and stopping motorists who over take unsafely and updating them. Most cyclists I know are now wearing helmet cams and report people who don’t give them enough space.

 

[keithchesterfield2]

Most cyclists I know are now wearing helmet cams and report people who don’t give them enough space.

I presume this guy would film his own stupidity ?

 

[Khizzie]

In the U.K, cyclists are advised by police to ride two abreast, because means fewer overtaking manoeuvres for motorists, and it’s safer for the cyclists. Generally speaking, you need to enter the oncoming traffic lane to overtake safely, so you may as well overtake two in one go. Single cyclists are advised to cycle in the middle of the lane for the same reason. The police are now using cycling officers and stopping motorists who over take unsafely and updating them. Most cyclists I know are now wearing helmet cams and report people who don’t give them enough space.

Maybe that's a good idea, however cyclists need to use the cycle lanes provided.. Newbury for example has built a brilliant two way cycle lane protected by a low barrier from the motor traffic.. So where do the lycra brigade ride...... Certainly never ever lower themselves to use the brand new safe cycle way.... Yep as usual in the middle of the road.

 

[tonyidle]

I don't have a solution - unfortunately it is still necessary in the UK for horseriders to use roads, both main and quiet rural.
Sometimes it is the only way that links two parts of a bridleway ,or to get from A to B.
Riding in traffic is the only way to accustomed a young horse to being ridden in traffic - for the safety of both the horse and other road users it is sometimes necessary to ride two abreast.
This is not generally appreciatedon't by "car" drivers.
Not only do vehicles coming into contact with animals cause horrendous damage, frequently fatal, to both horse and rider, but collision with a sizeable animal will make a
considerable mess of most vehicles and possibly it's driver.
For everyone's sake a far greater degree of patience and tolerance is required .

No solution needed. Horses and their riders were around long before the car and I suspect will be around long after its demise. As you suggest it simply needs car drivers to be aware that they might be around the next corner on country roads.

 

[Val 3 dogs]

I would not seriously advocate horse and riders sharing cycle paths as many horses are very wary of cycles ( I think because cycles approach swiftly and silently, horses do not understand what sort of creature they are). When encountering cyclists on "green roeads" and what used to be known as RUPP's (roads used as public paths) and more recently on forestry tracks I would always call out to the cyclists providing I spotted them in time asking them to speak, as hearing thiem seemed to help reassure the horses that they were not some alien life form!
To this day it gauls me (certainly in the Highlands ) to see many miles of virtually unused cycle paths.(As has been said elsewhere the cyclists frequently choose to ignore them), whilst I believe it is illegal for horseriders to venture on them, so they are forced to either risk themselves and their mounts on our already overcrowded and unsuitable roads or at great personal expense lay a "manage " on expensive and hard to come by agricultural land and kid themselves that they are doing dressage and be doomed for ever more to ride in ever decreasing circles until the inevitable happens and they vanish up their own ****!

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[nicholsong]

Maybe that's a good idea, however cyclists need to use the cycle lanes provided.. Newbury for example has built a brilliant two way cycle lane protected by a low barrier from the motor traffic.. So where do the lycra brigade ride...... Certainly never ever lower themselves to use the brand new safe cycle way.... Yep as usual in the middle of the road.

Some cycle lanes are not fit for purpose.

One near my house in London is drawn on the pavement alongside a main road and crosses side streets approximately every 50-70m. The side streets have 'Give-way' signs and road markings, but these are positioned for the main road and do not protect the cycle lane.

Therefore a cyclist has to stop/slow at each side road in case a car is exiting or turning into it.

What an abomination.

In London and most Victorian or older cities/towns it is not possible to provide cycle lanes.

I cycle there on the main road at 20mph, but not in lycra.

Geoff

 

[Khizzie]

Some cycle lanes are not fit for purpose.

One near my house in London is drawn on the pavement alongside a main road and crosses side streets approximately every 50-70m. The side streets have 'Give-way' signs and road markings, but these are positioned for the main road and do not protect the cycle lane.

Therefore a cyclist has to stop/slow at each side road in case a car is exiting or turning into it.

What an abomination.

In London and most Victorian or older cities/towns it is not possible to provide cycle lanes.

I cycle there on the main road at 20mph, but not in lycra.

Geoff

Sorry, but the brand new cycle lanes which have cost a fortune to the Newbury rate payer are being ignored by the holier than thous.. As for your comment that the cyclists have to slow down or stop at a side road junction..???

 

[2x2camper]

Maybe that's a good idea, however cyclists need to use the cycle lanes provided.. Newbury for example has built a brilliant two way cycle lane protected by a low barrier from the motor traffic.. So where do the lycra brigade ride...... Certainly never ever lower themselves to use the brand new safe cycle way.... Yep as usual in the middle of the road.

I don't know Newburys cycle lanes but alot of cycling infurstructure is not very good. What a driver would define as briliant a cyclist, who would be using it, might think is crap

 

[2x2camper]

.. As for your comment that the cyclists have to slow down or stop at a side road junction..???

As usual a driver not understanding cycling


Why would you want to stop at every side road. If cars had to do that it would be very slow progress. It's the same on a cycle

 

[Khizzie]

As usual a driver not understanding cycling


Why would you want to stop at every side road. If cars had to do that it would be very slow progress. It's the same on a cycle

Dear oh dear. I have Bern a cycler all my life.. However I am in the minority as I obey the highway code, and give way to pedestrians. Observe traffic lights, one-way systems and use cycle paths wherever they are for my safety. ..

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[2x2camper]

Dear oh dear. I have Bern a cycler all my life.. However I am in the minority as I obey the highway code, and give way to pedestrians. Observe traffic lights, one-way systems and use cycle paths wherever they are for my safety. ..

However not all cycle paths are safe. Ironically not all drivers obey the highway code. Quite a lot of them speed and dont like the consequences

 

[Khizzie]

However not all cycle paths are safe. Ironically not all drivers obey the highway code. Quite a lot of them speed and dont like the consequences

Might be a good idea if cyclists had to have registration plates on so that those that break the law can be identified and be prosecuted like motorists. Would be interesting.

 

[2x2camper]

Might be a good idea if cyclists had to have registration plates on so that those that break the law can be identified and be prosecuted like motorists. Would be interesting.

So does that stop motorist breaking the law. Does that stop drivers driving off after committing an offence. No of course it does not.

The fact is that motorist commit most of the offences on the road and the most serious ones of killing people. Yet we have a long thread about how hard done they are if caught and how sneeky the authorities are in the way they go about it.

 

[Khizzie]

So does that stop motorist breaking the law. Does that stop drivers driving off after committing an offence. No of course it does not.

The fact is that motorist commit most of the offences on the road and the most serious ones of killing people. Yet we have a long thread about how hard done they are if caught and how sneeky the authorities are in the way they go about it.

Thought we were discussing cyclists.. And how some won't use cycle paths... Oh well I shall leave it at that.

 

[2x2camper]

Thought we were discussing cyclists.. And how some won't use cycle paths... Oh well I shall leave it at that.

Well actually we were discussing how disgusting the French government are about prosecuting speeders in France. Then someone had a go at cyclists because I assume they think they are a greater menace on the roads than a speeding vehicle.

But if you want to discuss cyclist and cycle tracks why don't you start a thread on what you think is a good cycle track and why.

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[ctc]

Very little of the above describes the France that we live and drive in. Perhaps if you are being tail gated often then ask yourself if you are driving like an old fart.

Or a brexiteer?

 

[nicholsong]

Sorry, but the brand new cycle lanes which have cost a fortune to the Newbury rate payer are being ignored by the holier than thous.. As for your comment that the cyclists have to slow down or stop at a side road junction..???

As usual a driver not understanding cycling


Why would you want to stop at every side road. If cars had to do that it would be very slow progress. It's the same on a cycle

Becaused one is crossing the side road entering the main road.The 'give way' markings on the side road are positioned to protect the main road but not far enough back from it to protect the cycle path designed to keep the cyclists off the main road.

So a car on the side road has priority until it reaches the 'give way markings', which are after the cycle path not before as they should be.

Does that explain it? I cannot take pics as I am 1,000 miles away.

Geoff

 

[Quick Quick]

Funny mix of F1, and the facts about driving in France. I have always found the French quite tolerant, as the MH is the slower vehicle, and we are generally driving on the wrong side of the road. I did get tooted once, but that was to advise me not to follow the sat nav onto the TRAM lines. My dread is getting back to the UK to joust with the cars that hate MH, and of course the continental drivers who arrive in the UK, only to find WE drive on the wrong side.
I agree now with their "sleeping Gendarmes", bit lumps in the road, designed to bring you down to 50 and 30 KPH. They dare you to go too fast.
Did anybody mention how clear the roads are?

 

[keithchesterfield2]

There are some speed bumps on the way into the centre ville of Montmorillon that a Sherpa would flinch at.

Many French 'speeding gendarmes' don't take prisoners .......

 

[gus-lopez]

and how sneeky the authorities are in the way they go about it.

I have no problem with them being 'sneaky' I just object to them being upset & annoyed when we are far sneakier than them avoiding being caught.

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