Im Krzysiek and its my turn to post on the blog this week ;]
Easter holidays are over. Im wondering how many of you spent part of it in your car – traveling.
I have been driving a lot so I had a thought to focus on car related topics in my posts.
Im planning to divide topic to 3 parts as follows:
- Driving Etiquette
- Technical Condition Of Cars On Our Roads
- TV Shows connected with cars
Lets focus on Driving Etiquette today.
Ok, so whats that? From my understanding it is a set of driver behaviors which are described as positive or negative on the road.
In general im very calm person but stupidity of some drivers makes my eyes :)
It looks like some people just dont have imagination at all. Im talking about such things as:
- not using turning lights during overtake maneuver
- using horn constantly without any serious reason
- overtaking other cars in places where its not allowed
- throwing away various things out of car window while driving
- driving while drunk
- and many, many others
But I think that the most irritating are such called TIR drivers. Usually im driving a bit over speed limit outside of town (around 100-120) but in town I always slow down to 50-60 because i do care about others safety. When Im driving this 60 kmh and look in my rear mirror I see that big wall moving towards me at high speed and flashing its lights. Come on...
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I never had any car accident as driver but I have seen few. And maybe that is still stimulating my imagination.
How about you? Do you share my viewpoint? Or maybe you see it other way?
Dont be shy and share your opinion about it :) You can also share some history from your experience or tell what you find irritating on the road.
And what do you think about the “Driver from Warsaw” Stereotype? Is it true that these drivers are well known for their lack of imagination on the road?
Here are some links that I found connected to the topic:
Short article about some rules for proper driving
Here is some 5 min movie containing advices about safe driving:
And here is funny polish Hoop Cola commercial which we can watch quite often lately in TV
Well.. I have written about negative behaviors. But of course there are also some positive ones.
Example is showing your intentions with your lights:
- short flash of right turning light – left line is free, go ahead with overtaking
- both turning lights flashing – thanks!
- short signals with your driving lights – warning (police or danger on the road)
- halogen lights turned on when there is good weather – look at me im a jerk and you cant do anything about it
Ok maybe that last isnt fully true :) Do you know any other positive behaviors on the road?
- s3580
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ReplyDelete(s3572)
ReplyDeleteNever driven a car so can't tell :-P But 120km/h outside build-up areas? Hmmm don't you care about the wild animals? Those can be deadly.
Yeah they sure can, but it really depends on region. If there is a lot of forests around and view is reduced.. than of course i would reduce speed. But if view is clear and road conditions are fine than i think that 120 isnt that much.
ReplyDeleteSo suming up im usually driving at 120 only when conditions on the road are good, otherwise i end up at 90-100 :)
I shouldn't say anything because You may think I'm a road pirate :-) but I never had a road accident and my licence is now 7 years old.
ReplyDeleteI took part in some fun courses with racers, police instructors, been testing my vehicle on police training tracks and so on...But I think that only one person made a real driver out of me and this person is my dad. But let's get to the point. When it comes to "warsaw drivers" I say: "Yes", it's true. Sometimes I'm amazed how stupid people are... Trucks? That's also true. Give them a nice greeting over the cb-radio and they'll bug off. The last point really tells that the driver is a jerk or is completely blind and thinks that halogen lights will help his stupidity. Some positive behaviours: When You're making a traffic jam then just drive a little to your right, so everybody can take you by the left side. Don't drive near the right side when you have a continuous line on the right, it's for some purpose there. Don't overtake and step on the brakes after the manoeuvre. Be kind and think & concentrate on the road.
he he p0rn0 is right, you must watch for animals because on speed km/h 120 even 100km/h it could really damage your car.
ReplyDeleteI remember my accident on road No. 7 with an animal and unfortunately it was a dog which crossed a road.
It was dark night(about 11 p.m.)and it was raining. I was driving about 110 km/h but before left turn I lost speed to about 80-90.. Road was slick.. On the top of turn i noticed something jumped into the road. I hit breaks a little and made gentle move with wheel. It was not enough to avoid this animal. It hit in my front lower bumper (spoiler) and broke it. When it hit me speed was about 60-70 but after I saw dead dog and my broken lower bumper i understand that even this speed was too high.
From now at night when road is in forest I keep on the center of the road to have more space from right and left.
I'm concerned about two cases: driving on buzz and using cell phones.
ReplyDeleteAt the begining I want to say that I'm not for nor against.
Firstly why not using cell phone when you're waiting in a traffic jam, nobody minds radio or tv in cars? During rush hours it's plenty of time wasted.
Drinking. Car drivers are called killers and go to jail because they drove a car after one beer, but sick drivers who can't see, driving with their their eyes shut when sneezing etc. drive freely.
Another thing drunk pedestrians following snake on their way home... their co innocent ;-)
As I heard drinking and driving is bad... because much is spilled ;-)
Would anyone agree with me?
Your examples are quite good but i think that some of it are debatable. For example overtaking in places where its not allowed. For example: its good weather, you are going about 50 km/h. It's long straight road and you must slow down becouse of a tractor which have 20 km/h. You can't overtake becouse of straight line even if you know that is nothing on the other side of the road. What are you doing in this situation?
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand i know about crazy people driving. Horrible Ukrainians drives 18 whells on stell, etc.. In this case you have right.
First of all I'm from Warsaw and I'm a driver. This stereotype you have mentioned is... let's just say it's stupid.
ReplyDeleteI'm not saying that everyone from Warsaw is an excelent driver... but when I see some stupid behavior or even accidents on the road I also see that most of them are caused by people from out of town.
And one more thing... Warsaw is so great that many people from other cities come here and begin to live in Warsaw... They aren't really from Warsaw but on the road no one knows about it(when they register their car in Warsaw of course).
I have one great example of negative behavior...
I have a kindergarten in the building next to mine. There are few places to park a car jsut next to the building but there are more on the other side of the next building(not far really). In front of my house there are garages and signs on the road and on the wall that say: "no parking". And what are parents doing everyday when they want to get their kids to the kindergarten?
That's right they are blocking garages and just walk their kids to the kindergarten. And when they are asked why are they doing so they just answer that "it was only a second", "nothing happened" etc. And they wont park few meters farther where there are many parking places...noooo it would be to simple...
driving while drunk is the worst problem.
ReplyDeletehmm... Driver from Warsaw stereotyp... I don't know if we can say such thing. Many people think that people from Warsaw are big-headed, selfish and they act on the road like it's belong only to them, but... in warsaw live many people that come here from all Polen, and they create the picture of Warsaw.
ReplyDeleteAnd when we talk about driving etiquette... well, we aren't so kind on the road like in other countries. For instance in Germany everyone on highway drives on the right side - he can overtake on the left, but he returns on right. The left side of the road is always empty that you can drive as fast as you want. In Polen everyone drives on the left and you have to be very patient, because women and old men think that they can drive where they want.
I can talk and talk about irritating things on the road but it's better to think that it isn't so bad :)
generally speaking I think polish drivers are quite good drivers, but there is one thing that really bugs me, when two lanes merge into one, the best way to merge is like a zip, one vehicle from left lane and one from other lane, but in Poland drivers in big trucks blocks merging lane 10km earlier, I have no idea where that came from
ReplyDeleteOh no, the second film is extremely feeble… ;)
ReplyDeleteWhen I drive I never use mobile phone. Furthermore, I switch my mobile to quiet mode and put it in the hiding place. I want to be 100% focused on the driving.
There is only one thing I can say about driving etiquette in Poland. It doesn't exists. I think that what we see on road is reflection of how polish society functions.
ReplyDeleteBe honest, we are greedy, selfish, rude, bigheaded ... and so on ... people. If we really want to change something, we should start from ourselves and if possible pass it to our children.
I wand to add that many of cars driver just won't see anything in back mirrors.. Or they are worry to see some thing on a road with right of way.. 3 weeks age my friend almost died because of such jerk... He was driving a motorcycle, he is a calm rider, but all of this is worthless because most of car drivers are distracted with mobiles, radio etc. :/ My colleague have now 3kg of steel in leg and hand.. he will not walk for almost year.
ReplyDeleteI am during my A driver licence curse and I am worried about my health, there is big risk of meeting some jerk, road pirate in his shiny 20 year old BMW or Audi:/
And something more: There is something like lanes which is ending like this: ||\ and most of Polish drivers are just changing this lane 100m. before its ends! They forgot about old manner of changing lane as zip at the end of this short lane, like one from left lane, one from right then left etc.. they just peddling they throttle:/ Another similar to this manoeuvre is driving through "god lane" (like: /////) I hate this.. Polish drivers always ignoring sings painted on the road surface:/ It's really danger situation especially for motocyclist:/
Maciej Bielski said...
ReplyDeleteThere is only one thing I can say about driving etiquette in Poland. It doesn't exists.
Wow, take it easy :] I don't think that there is so bad on our roads, especially on express ways and highways. I was on few trips abroad as a driver and I must say that in Poland it's not so bad, maybe in large cities where is high level of stress the driving etiquette isn't obey, but it's anouther problem ;]