Near miss has made me think. (3 Viewers)

[bernardfeay]

Once you are out and about in the flow of traffic life is easy. It's the first thing in the morning, or pulling out of Aldi that gives me trouble.

Even worse is my ability to cross the road as a pedestrian. I have learned to expect traffic coming at me from anywhere whether I am in England or Europe. I just can't get my head round where they are going to come from.

 

[vin0114]

dashing around, low on fuel at St Lo, spotted a sign up the road beyond roundabout....yep wrong way round and met a very nice French man coming the other way beaming all over his face cos he new wot an utter twot I was

 

[Jandek]

I keep saying to myself... keep in the gutter. If I am nearest to gutter I'm on the correct side

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[s20hymer]

I'm kept right by my SatNag

 

[SMB]

Bought mine on the ferry to Santander

 

[Forestboy]

Most people who drive any length of time abroad will have done this once I think.
Personally driven several hundred thousand miles abroad motorbike, motorhome and 4x4.

In Tennessee a few years ago we were going hiking on a trail on Rattle Snake Pass
Got out of our truck put the hiking boots on, waiting for Jan I stood on a rock looking at the view. Something moved by my foot, it was a snake lying in a crack in the rock I was stood on it came out of the crack up past my boots hissing like mad. One of my phobias is snakes so I literally jumped off the rock through the truck window shaking like a leaf, white as a ghost and sweating buckets refusing to get back out, while my sympathetic wife was on the floor in hysterics at my misfortune.

That was the end of our hiking trip, I made her get back in started the truck and headed back down the mountain road as fast as I could in total panic. After half a mile I spotted a truck behind flashing his lights rapidly, after a few seconds I suddenly realised we were flying around these hairpin bends on the wrong side. A quick manoeuvre got us back on the correct side just as a huge truck came flying around the next bend where we would have been.
That's the closest we've come to disaster. We're always careful at junctions especially if there's no other traffic about as a guide, I don't care how much you've driven abroad its such an easy mistake to make.

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[JockandRita]

clipped.........I don't care how much you've driven abroad its such an easy mistake to make.

Absolutely Rory. I too am one of the fallible ones. Nobody's perfect, after all.

Cheers,

Jock.

 

[Peter & Elaine]

Done it a few times
In car on bike and in van
Once did it with a crane weighing about 150 ton coming out of docks at le trait
Scary stuff and so easy to forget

 

[TerryL]

Bloody hell, after all these years I've just gone and done it myself! Distracted when faced with a diversion close to the Gravelines aire.

I blame you lot!

Terry

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[JockandRita]

Bloody hell, after all these years I've just gone and done it myself! Distracted when faced with a diversion close to the Gravelines aire.

I blame you lot!

Terry

Have you got this thread on a "heads up" display screen whilst you are driving then? .......................

Gravelines Aire? Usually the end to most of our Euro holidays.

Cheers,

Jock.

 

[g8ysn]

Bought mine on the ferry to Santander

same here

 

[GWAYGWAY]

Years ago I worked for a Transport company that worked on the Continent all the time. One day a petrol Transit blew it distributor in France so the best way to fix it was for me to take the Morris minor, service van and take a new dissy. I found the van in a garage forecourt at night, fixed it and tested everything OK.
The driver who spent most of his time in France then drove out turned right and I followed him on the LEFT side of the road for about 6 miles until we met a local coming the other way, great consternation and swerving , we all missed each other. The thing is neither of us realised what we were doing at the time, it seemed correct, until we met the other car. It is pulling out from the forecourt without the usual clues that did it, at night, and all roads look the same at night. The force of habit is great, add in a bit of tiredness and the scene is set.

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[MattR]

I've heard of people wearing a single glove on the hand on the side of the road that they should be driving on.

 

[Wyaye wires]

I've heard of people wearing a single glove on the hand on the side of the road that they should be driving on.

Yes, but they are usually Wa**ers...

 

[Sixbows]

Also having lived in France for 10 years I have done this, 3 times now. One in Dover and twice upon my return to France.
The first tine was in Dover, came over on early ferry, stopped in the town to use a cashpoint and rejoined via a roundabout to be met by an angry motorcyclist, I said to my kids "what the hell is his problem." Swifltly followed by "don't tell your dad, he will never let me come back on my own again". In my defense I did have other things on my mind as my Dad had just died, I had thrown my stuff into the car and driven to Calais.
The 2 times in France I have no excuse!

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[Sixbows]

Also having lived in France for 10 years I have done this, 3 times now. One in Dover and twice upon my return to France.
The first tine was in Dover, came over on early ferry, stopped in the town to use a cashpoint and rejoined via a roundabout to be met by an angry motorcyclist, I said to my kids "what the hell is his problem." Swifltly followed by "don't tell your dad, he will never let me come back on my own again". In my defense I did have other things on my mind as my Dad had just died, I had thrown my stuff into the car and driven to Calais.
The 2 times in France I have no excuse!

 

[Sixbows]

Sorry posted twice, i'm an airhead

 

[newtonz]

Related to this theme, I am always amused by the sign on the A2 a couple of miles out of Dover, but facing the drivers approaching Dover which says 'Drive on left' in several languages. Presumably this is for foreign drivers who got this far and made a quick U-turn, having seen enough of the UK already?!

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[Hughman]

I've heard of people wearing a single glove on the hand on the side of the road that they should be driving on.

Didn't Michael Jackson do that?

 

[jimlagos]

I lived on my boat in Portugal for 10 years, and owned a left hand drive car there. I couldn't afford to stay there so bought a left hand drive camper from a dealer in Belgium (much cheaper than UK!)
Ever since I drive many miles in my Right hand drive car, my left hand drive camper, and my right hand drive Austin A40 Farina.
Most holidays are on the continent, using the van.........confused?.....Me?