Your Favourite Country
Discussion
I was reading the Your Favourite Road thread and thought 'See, living in the UK ain't so bad after all'.
But what is the best country for driving? Ok, we haven't got the Alps or autobahns or the outback to enjoy. But looking at the bigger picture: we get looked after if we crash; breakdown recovery no matter where you are; road surfaces not so bad (and some potholes / gravel makes us feel like McRae anyway); and you can find empty roads with minimal effort.
So add in all the great UK roads in the Your Favourite Road thread, is British still best?
But what is the best country for driving? Ok, we haven't got the Alps or autobahns or the outback to enjoy. But looking at the bigger picture: we get looked after if we crash; breakdown recovery no matter where you are; road surfaces not so bad (and some potholes / gravel makes us feel like McRae anyway); and you can find empty roads with minimal effort.
So add in all the great UK roads in the Your Favourite Road thread, is British still best?
A4069 said:
But what is the best country for driving?
Germany, by a country mile.Name me another country in the civilised
world where you can pass a copper in a 318
doing maybe 150 kmh, when you are
doing 250 kmh and he'll be more interested
in the quality of your driving than the
speed you are doing.
Not only are the autobahns a textbook example
of a high speed transport system, the drivers
are on average some of the best in Europe.
Each time I go there, I am impressed by the
consistently excellent driving standards.
Certainly not something I could say of the
UK or most of the other countries I've driven through
in the last 24 years.
dcb said:
A4069 said:
But what is the best country for driving?
Germany, by a country mile.Name me another country in the civilised
world where you can pass a copper in a 318
doing maybe 150 kmh, when you are
doing 250 kmh and he'll be more interested
in the quality of your driving than the
speed you are doing.
Not only are the autobahns a textbook example
of a high speed transport system, the drivers
are on average some of the best in Europe.
Each time I go there, I am impressed by the
consistently excellent driving standards.
Certainly not something I could say of the
UK or most of the other countries I've driven through
in the last 24 years.
NOT Ukraine!
The roads have potholes you can lose small children in, the drivers are lunatics (although taxi drivers in Kiev have an un-nerving ability to, mostly, know the width of their car to the nearest millimetre
) - most of them have bought their licence rather than actually sat a test & there is everything on the road from the latest Merc/BMW/Audi etc through ratty Lada's to horse and cart.....
Personally - have generally enjoyed driving in France - even the Peripherique was an entertaining variant on the M25 when I was travelling it regularly. Favourite ares: the Pyrennes and South West in general.
The roads have potholes you can lose small children in, the drivers are lunatics (although taxi drivers in Kiev have an un-nerving ability to, mostly, know the width of their car to the nearest millimetre
) - most of them have bought their licence rather than actually sat a test & there is everything on the road from the latest Merc/BMW/Audi etc through ratty Lada's to horse and cart.....Personally - have generally enjoyed driving in France - even the Peripherique was an entertaining variant on the M25 when I was travelling it regularly. Favourite ares: the Pyrennes and South West in general.
Austria - Its just amazing, its the only country in the world(that i've been to, so quite limited) that doesn't make me want to speed, I am more than happy to dordle along in Austria, the roads are smooth and twisty, the other road users are nice and friendly and the scenery is simply stunning.
If you want long motorways with little police action the UK and Germany win out right.
Britain also has the best and most varied range of cars on the road, by a long long way.
If you want long motorways with little police action the UK and Germany win out right.
Britain also has the best and most varied range of cars on the road, by a long long way.
The Crack Fox said:
Fave ?
I'll take Norway's scenery with Germany's speed limits, Italy's love of cars, the UK's tracks, and then put it all somewhere warm like Greece.
Couldn't agree more!I'll take Norway's scenery with Germany's speed limits, Italy's love of cars, the UK's tracks, and then put it all somewhere warm like Greece.
Although I could be tempted to substitute Norway's scenery for Austria (we once entered Italy through the Tyrol, over the top past Oetz and Obergurgl - breathtaking).
GBS2K said:
Does the Isle of Man count as a country?
If not, Italy. Some great roads, but also for the sheer lack of rules, yet complete lack of aggression that you get over here.
why wouldn't it, there just a crown dependency, anyway who cares, they have some fantastic roads, especialy the Slock and back to Douglas through the plantation, proper rally stuff and mostly empty other than people up there doing the exact same thing as you are. With the added benifit of an unrestricted speed limitIf not, Italy. Some great roads, but also for the sheer lack of rules, yet complete lack of aggression that you get over here.
Just stay off the TT course, its crap unless big MPH's is all your after, not to mention its full of bikes and Muppets.
That said ive not driven an awful lot round Europe so probably not the best qualified to say, but the North of England up across the borders into Scotland, round Keilder through Jedburgh way.
I can't agree with those who said France. France used to be my favourite, but now there are cameras and traps nearly everywhere, and you can't make decent progress on the Autoroute anymore. Getting banned is all too easy for the sort of thing that would warrant no more than a ticking off here in the UK, let alone a FP and 3 points.
Germany now gets my vote. I was blown away by how well everyone drives, and the extreme fundamentalist attitude by everyone to lane discipline on the Autobahn. Makes even the French (who are rather good at it) pale into insignificance.
Germany now gets my vote. I was blown away by how well everyone drives, and the extreme fundamentalist attitude by everyone to lane discipline on the Autobahn. Makes even the French (who are rather good at it) pale into insignificance.
Scotland. Road surfaces are better than in England, average driving standards are higher, relatively lightly policed, and the variety of routes and scenery is a match for anywhere in the world.
Outside of the mountains I find a majority of continental roads a bit too straight, wide and sweeping for my personal taste - you have to be hitting silly speeds to have real fun, whereas one of the best driving days of my life was spent on the single-track roads in the far north of the Highlands where you're doing well to hit 60.
Outside of the mountains I find a majority of continental roads a bit too straight, wide and sweeping for my personal taste - you have to be hitting silly speeds to have real fun, whereas one of the best driving days of my life was spent on the single-track roads in the far north of the Highlands where you're doing well to hit 60.
Balmoral Green said:
Getting banned is all too easy for the sort of thing that would warrant no more than a ticking off here in the UK, let alone a FP and 3 points.
This sounds a bit Jackanory to me.In the UK, the coppers don't start to bother in practice until
90 mph and ACPO guidelines are a day in court for 96 mph and above, which seems a tad harsh for motorway driving.
Anything over about 110 mph and they'll probably shoot you ;->
OTOH, in France, they don't start to bother until somewhere
north of 100 mph and you will get ticketed up to about 120 mph IIRC, then above that you can have your day in court.
Of course, the France network has much less congestion than the UK network because it is so much bigger and the lane discipline is much much better too.
GBS2K said:
Does the Isle of Man count as a country?
If not, Italy. Some great roads, but also for the sheer lack of rules, yet complete lack of aggression that you get over here.
I always think of Italy as being a wonderful country with a multitude of rules - most of which are roundly ignored. Love the place, the people, the food, the wine, (some of) the cars. If not, Italy. Some great roads, but also for the sheer lack of rules, yet complete lack of aggression that you get over here.
Next for me is Germany for reasons already stated elsewhere, then probably Arizona...............O.K., it's not a country but it's bigger than some.
As for France and Scotland ? Love both countries; just not keen on the natives despite our two "weans" being born in Stirling.
Balmoral Green said:
I can't agree with those who said France. France used to be my favourite, but now there are cameras and traps nearly everywhere, and you can't make decent progress on the Autoroute anymore. Getting banned is all too easy for the sort of thing that would warrant no more than a ticking off here in the UK, let alone a FP and 3 points.
Germany now gets my vote. I was blown away by how well everyone drives, and the extreme fundamentalist attitude by everyone to lane discipline on the Autobahn. Makes even the French (who are rather good at it) pale into insignificance.
Have to agree about this. France is blessed with the best roads I think, and I dont think there is another country , certainly in Europe, that has such a spectacular variety of world class scenery.Germany now gets my vote. I was blown away by how well everyone drives, and the extreme fundamentalist attitude by everyone to lane discipline on the Autobahn. Makes even the French (who are rather good at it) pale into insignificance.
Its got 1,000s of kms of beautifully surfaced usually empty roads and a fast if pricey motorway work to get to the interesting bits. Its also got the best restaurants in the world and a total dedication to the finest things in life.
Shame its getting almost impossible to travel at high speeds without fear of the rather too efficient Gendarmerie.
The difference between the UK police and the french is that the Gendarmerie routinely use radar on the autoroutes and set up constant and effective traps. The UK has a much less strict policy and nothing like the penalties.
So of the other contenders. Germany is as crowded as the UK across most of its network and if the standards of lane discipline are better, then the number of unbelievably long roadwork sections spoil it for me. Also, its not about just going fast surely, thats only fun for so long.
Italy is a candidate with a lot less aggresive policing policy but the condition of the roads and the rubbish signposting is a minus.
Wales or Scotland then.
"Germany, by a country mile."
I live in Germany and what visitors who are not used to the country do not see are the numerous camoflaged speed cameras, covered in grass,in rubbish bins,under bridges,and do not forget there are no warnings and they are painted green ,then there are the camera cars both stationary and mobil, the derestricted parts of the autobahn are becoming less every year with numerous speed restrictions from 80,100,120,130kmph and you can almost gaurantee there will be a speed camera 100m after the restriction starts.If you ask a German driver he things that driving in Germany is a nightmare and having been here since 1989 I tend to agree.The new sections of A4 from Eisenach to Dresden can be best described as a race track its not unusual to have cars pass you at well over 300kmph day and night,we used to have a cannonball run on Sunday mornings Dresden Chemnitz Dresden probably still run it but its to fast for me. For me one of the most enjoyable drives is in Scotland and thats the A9 from Perth to Wick going over the Struey.
I live in Germany and what visitors who are not used to the country do not see are the numerous camoflaged speed cameras, covered in grass,in rubbish bins,under bridges,and do not forget there are no warnings and they are painted green ,then there are the camera cars both stationary and mobil, the derestricted parts of the autobahn are becoming less every year with numerous speed restrictions from 80,100,120,130kmph and you can almost gaurantee there will be a speed camera 100m after the restriction starts.If you ask a German driver he things that driving in Germany is a nightmare and having been here since 1989 I tend to agree.The new sections of A4 from Eisenach to Dresden can be best described as a race track its not unusual to have cars pass you at well over 300kmph day and night,we used to have a cannonball run on Sunday mornings Dresden Chemnitz Dresden probably still run it but its to fast for me. For me one of the most enjoyable drives is in Scotland and thats the A9 from Perth to Wick going over the Struey.
Gassing Station | Roads | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff