USA Drivers licences

[drake]

Heh...I have had the pleasure of seeing some of these numbunts actually pass cops in the breakdown lane. Needless to say the got busted and probably wont do it again

I fotunately don't do Boston on a daily basis, I go around the city on the way to work, but when I do go through, oh boy, its a mess. Its especially confusing because the roads and detours are in a different place every time.

[Provost Harrison]

Yeah, I've seen them on those shows with the police where they nick people doing that. IIRC, they got slammed with a dangerous driving charge, and that is a minimum 3 month disqualification Not really worth it, you see...

[Provost Harrison]

...it may even be minimum 6 months.

[Sarxis]

Originally posted by Caligastia
Americans are horrible tailgaters IMO

Do you mean America has horrible tailgaters, or that all Americans are horrible tailgaters?

Or do you mean that Americans can't tailgate worth of damn because they are horrible at it?

Aren't generalizations fun?!!

[Caligastia]

Originally posted by Anunikoba


Do you mean America has horrible tailgaters, or that all Americans are horrible tailgaters?

Or do you mean that Americans can't tailgate worth of damn because they are horrible at it?

Aren't generalizations fun?!!

Ok, Ill clarify:

I find americans in general tailgate more excessively than people in other countries Ive lived in.

Better?

[Rogan Josh]

Originally posted by Arrian
Man, it must be god-awful over there, because the only time I consider driving over here to be paradise is when traffic is really light, and I pretty much have an open road in front of me.

I was refering to driving in Chicago. I haven't really driven anywhere else much.

BTW, MoominP is right. Roundabouts (traffic Islands) work the same way in Germnay and France as they do in the UK.

Axi: The prioroty to the (left)right rule does not exist in the UK, so roundabouts seem perfetly logical.

And as for the breakdown lane/hard shoulder, the reason why people don't use that to overtake in Europe is because it is illegal to overtake on the right (left in UK) on freeways. I believe it is not on US freeways?

[Imran Siddiqui]

Yes, it is Rogan, which is why it is even more anoying .

[Sava]

In theory, a national system would be better; but in reality, its best left to the states. I live in Illinois, I've driven in Iowa, Michigan, Indiana, Missouri, Wisconsin, Kentucky, and Arizona without any problems whatsoever. Plus, I don't think there is a set of traffic laws that people could agree on.

It's just like a speed limit. You can't have one set limit for every single street. You can't have one set of licenses and laws for every single state because they are all different.

[Mihai]

The official rule in Romania = if you hit someone in the back, you are guilty. It’s your obligation to drive at a safe distance. The reason for witch the one in front of you brakes hard is simply irrelevant.

IMO drivers should take test every few years. I know from my own experience – not having a car of my own, I have long periods of time when I don’t drive at all and that it shows.

[Alinestra Covelia]

I took and passed my driving test in New York City in August 2001.

The NYC rules regarding driving licences are that driving penalties are DOUBLED for your first six months.

Well, immediately after I passed my test, I left the state and then afterwards, the country. During this time I have not touched a steering wheel once.

When I go back in July, I'm going to be the holder of a valid NYC driver's licence, but I will have forgotten how to drive a car. Any mistakes I make will not have any abnormally strict regulations concerning them.

An unusual (and rather amusing) way of sidestepping NYC driving guidelines.

[axi]

Axi: The prioroty to the (left)right rule does not exist in the UK, so roundabouts seem perfetly logical.

So when you are at an unsigned crossroad, who has the priority?

[Rogan Josh]

Originally posted by axi
So when you are at an unsigned crossroad, who has the priority?

There are no unsigned crossroads - simple as that. One road always has priority and is marked so (or there is a roundabout).

[Ethelred]

Roundabouts are rare in the US. I know of two in Southern California, both are called circles rather than roundabouts and are counter clockwise, and only one is similar in size to the ones in British film and TV. That one one is in a small city near me and people that don't drive it much have some problems.

The other is a monster called The Circle in Long Beach. Five different major streets, one a diagnal, meet in a huge circle. Its three lanes wide at the minimum and segments are four lanes. The center circle is large enough for at least a supermarket but it is empty as it would be pedestrian nightmare. Its fast moving and intimidating. People often refuse to follow directions that include taking The Circle, and people will often try to avoid it going miles out of the way. Only the experienced go on the thing without getting nervous.

[rah]

Originally posted by Ethelred
Roundabouts are rare in the US

Obviously you've never driven in the North East,
There aren't many around Chicago. (but a lot of sixway intersections). But whenever I drive in Mass, RI, there are roundabouts all over the place.

I'm sure you'll be hearing it from many other East Coast people.

RAH

[Sprayber]

Originally posted by axi
Mine is expiring in 2044. I guess that Greece has a 65yo expiry and the UK has it at 70yo...

damn. In my state we have to get them every 4-8 years. Although I don't have to pay for my car registration like everyone else does. Working for the state does have some privilages.


The circles in the US that I have seen tend to be bigger then the ones in Europe.

[Ethelred]

Ariel photo of the Long Beach Traffic Circle



Taken in 1977. As you can see its a circle within a circle.