How many converts here?

[Zimmerframe]

What's the average French driver's reaction to horses on the highway? Or do you just stick to trampling sunbathers on the beach?

The average "French" reaction to horses on the highway is the same as the average "French" reaction to anything on the highway ..

Snail ? lost baguette? Rock ? Coypu (we still have them)? naked person ? Horse ? Cow's ? Broken down car ? Small thermonuclear detonation ?

Eeeeet did not appen ! 99% of French drivers are either smoking and so doped up they're oblivious, have never been taught too look out of the front window thingy (watching French driving lessons could easily be televised as the next Monty Python where people who have absolutely no idea what a car is are then told to explain it to someone else) , are thinking about the next hour with their mistress.

It's not that the French are rude when they tailgate, it's just that for them .. You drive AS FAST AS YOU CAN until you arrive at the next obstacle .. then pass it at any impossible point no matter how dangerous because you have no idea of speeds, danger, lines, vehicular dynamics, It's just - you must be in front .. and then for some mysterious reason .. light a fag, make a call .. and drive at 30mph and slow everyone down you just overtook - because in France, there is no hurry ...

 

[DrStupid]

The average "French" reaction to horses on the highway is the same as the average "French" reaction to anything on the highway ..

Snail ? lost baguette? Rock ? Coypu (we still have them)? naked person ? Horse ? Cow's ? Broken down car ? Small thermonuclear detonation ?

Eeeeet did not appen ! 99% of French drivers are either smoking and so doped up they're oblivious, have never been taught too look out of the front window thingy (watching French driving lessons could easily be televised as the next Monty Python where people who have absolutely no idea what a car is are then told to explain it to someone else) , are thinking about the next hour with their mistress.

It's not that the French are rude when they tailgate, it's just that for them .. You drive AS FAST AS YOU CAN until you arrive at the next obstacle .. then pass it at any impossible point no matter how dangerous because you have no idea of speeds, danger, lines, vehicular dynamics, It's just - you must be in front .. and then for some mysterious reason .. light a fag, make a call .. and drive at 30mph and slow everyone down you just overtook - because in France, there is no hurry ...

I had no idea there were so many French driving around Kentucky, unbelievable!

 

[Gary]

It's not that the French are rude when they tailgate, it's just that for them .. You drive AS FAST AS YOU CAN until you arrive at the next obstacle ..

Eeeeet did not appen ! 99% of French drivers are either smoking and so doped up they're oblivious

You just described my (French) ex's driving to a tee

 

[Jackware]

The average "French" reaction to horses on the highway is the same as the average "French" reaction to anything on the highway ..

Snail ? lost baguette? Rock ? Coypu (we still have them)? naked person ? Horse ? Cow's ? Broken down car ? Small thermonuclear detonation ?

Eeeeet did not appen ! 99% of French drivers are either smoking and so doped up they're oblivious, have never been taught too look out of the front window thingy (watching French driving lessons could easily be televised as the next Monty Python where people who have absolutely no idea what a car is are then told to explain it to someone else) , are thinking about the next hour with their mistress.

It's not that the French are rude when they tailgate, it's just that for them .. You drive AS FAST AS YOU CAN until you arrive at the next obstacle .. then pass it at any impossible point no matter how dangerous because you have no idea of speeds, danger, lines, vehicular dynamics, It's just - you must be in front .. and then for some mysterious reason .. light a fag, make a call .. and drive at 30mph and slow everyone down you just overtook - because in France, there is no hurry ...

I wasn't expecting that!
Whenever I've driven across France, on various trips to Brittany, Paris or the Alps I never experienced any problems, in fact I've always been impressed with the lane discipline on motorways where others overtake quickly and then pull back in. Though around the Périphérique you have to be assertive and not hesitate to take a space, but that's no different to driving in London.
Even on local roads we've never had an issue.
Maybe coming from British roads where so many drivers seem to be aggressive but generally clueless to what's happening around them, the lower French traffic density seems easier to deal with.

 

[Zimmerframe]

I wasn't expecting that!
Whenever I've driven across France, on various trips to Brittany, Paris or the Alps I never experienced any problems, in fact I've always been impressed with the lane discipline on motorways where others overtake quickly and then pull back in. Though around the Périphérique you have to be assertive and not hesitate to take a space, but that's no different to driving in London.
Even on local roads we've never had an issue.
Maybe coming from British roads where so many drivers seem to be aggressive but generally clueless to what's happening around them, the lower French traffic density seems easier to deal with.

Ah yes, their lane discipline is far better than the UK - though it is deteriorating with the influx of the SUV "I'm more important than at least someone" mindset.

The Périphérique is just giant dodgems mixed with Russian Roulette and follows no known rules of law, the road or the universe.

The French in fairness are generally completely none aggressive on the road , just untrained. Remember roundabouts here are relatively new and one simple rule should always be followed "Always expect the unexpected".

They also for years had a simple system which caused more traffic deaths than anything else "Priority A droit" - priority to the right - so any numpty pulling onto a 60mph road, had right of way and didn't even need to stop or look .. BANG ! Most of this has now gone, but for many old folk, they just drive - there is no stop or give way anywhere .. I call is "Priority a moi" Priority for me - about 70% of French drivers, because they don't know how to drive - just use this method as you don't need to look or think.

 

[Gary]

The French in fairness are generally completely none aggressive on the road , just untrained.

While cycling through Valencia a few years back I had the realisation that the reputation Spanish drivers have for tooting their horns a lot is not actually through aggression either. it's just that the guy in front is generally stoned and needs reminding he's driving a car.

 

[steve_sordy]

............. I think you'll find that it they're a 16 year old boy/girl or a 50 year old experience rider either leading or riding their horse, they're basically connected to a 450kg-1000kg terrified rabbit that at any point may or may not panic and trample/kill/destroy anything in their immediate vicinity due to pure terror. ........................

Which is why I believe that they should not be on the public highway with such an unpredictable and dangerous steel-shod beast that can be startled by a paper bag moving in the breeze. They should be moving it in a safe manner. Safe for everyone, the horse, the handler and the members of the public that they put in danger. It was OK to do this 2000, 1000, 500, or 100 years ago, maybe even 50 years ago in rural environments. But it isn't now.

 

[Gary]

Which is why I believe that they should not be on the public highway with such an unpredictable and dangerous steel-shod beast that can be startled by a paper bag moving in the breeze. They should be moving it in a safe manner. Safe for everyone

You realise this is EXACTLY the argument a lot of stupid car drivers use about cyclists being on the roads?

 

[steve_sordy]

You realise this is EXACTLY the argument a lot of stupid car drivers use about cyclists being on the roads?

They are probably right. I try very hard to never drive on the road. I would absolutely hate to have to commute to work on a bike.

 

[Gary]

I try very hard to never drive on the road.

Steve on the commute

Thank christ he's retired

I would absolutely hate to have to commute to work on a bike.

I commute about 100miles a week into the City and back and it's actually on the whole a fairly pleasurable experience interupted by one or two stupid cunt car drivers per month. Oct/November is always worse while folk adjust to driving well in darkness

 

[Link]

When I first learned of e-bikes, I was opposed due to ignorance of what an e-bike actually was. I didn't understand the assist part and felt like riders were cheating.

Now that I have one, I realize my heart rate is just as high, I just cover more ground and have more fun in the same amount of time. I also find I want to go ride more often.

I ride in the US, so there is still a lot of ignorance here on e-bikes, most shops in my area (Texas) don't even carry them. The few shops that do, only have a couple in stock. I think they are catching on better in California and in the Rockies, so it is happening, just slowly.

yep totally agree, i come from a XC racing background and had really lost my desire to ride offroad in recent years, just felt like less and less fun, like such a slog for the fun return. Si I concentrated on road riding instead. Then I got my ebike a month ago and cannot ride it enough, like you i can get easily the same level of workout but just go further, i can ride trails which are a good distance away, spend hours there and ride back, at the end of the day my effort is the same as it was for less distance (and fun) on my analogue bikes. I haven't been on my analogue bikes since ! I can ride on really muddy days which before would have been so energy sappy you wold barlely go anywhere for the effort.

Ebikes are total game changer, i was sceptical, but its the best bike i have ever owned (and i have more than i can remember!)