Yank Driving Impressions of the UK

[Pete Kraus <Pete_Kraus@Emory.Org>]

>From Graham Thackrah's comments on Saturday:

>Glad you left with a good impression (though I'd like to know how you
>think the average M25 driver is a paragon of virtue as far as lane
>discipline is concerned), we like it too. 

Almost a year ago I spent ten days punting around England and
Scotland in a rented Fiat Punto (hey, it's okay, I'm used to
underpowered cars, I drive a stock 4KSQ).  I, too, had a great time and
enjoyed the driving (put nearly 2K miles on the car) except for the price
of petrol at the pumps.  True, I did not venture any closer to London
than the M25 on this trip.  Though traffic at times was congested on the
M25 (and elsewhere), it seemed no worse than what's encountered
around typical American cities.  The standard of driving, while perhaps
not exemplary, was dramatically better than what I'm accustomed to in
Atlanta.  Lane discipline is virtually unpracticed in these parts; by
comparison, M25 drivers may indeed be paragons of virture.

Remembering to keep to the left is not the hardest part of driving in the
UK for this Yank.  Finding the dadgum shift lever is.  The right hand
involuntarily gropes at the window winder when the clutch foot goes
down, while the left hand says, "Huh, who me?"

Pete
Pete_Kraus@emory.org
Stone Mountain, GA
'85 4KSQ
'89 F250 4x4 diesel
'95 Z28