Of sharks and French drivers...
There was a time when, as far as Brits were concerned, to drive in France was to take your life in your hands. Well, I have been driving in France several time a year for the last 21 years during which I have covered something like 75,000 kilometers, probably a lot more. In all that time, whilst I have seen several shunts, a couple of fires and a car (with caravan attached) nose-first down a riverbank and only prevented from falling into the Loire by a sapling not up to the task on a long-term basis, I have never seen a genuine blood-and-gore-complete-with-assorted-strewn-body-parts-type accident.
From a quick Google of the data, in 2001 there were 13.8 road deaths in France per 100,000 of population; twice as many as the UK but still half as many as in Portugal (Spain had the same total as France, subjective appearances to the contrary). Source: UK Dept. for Transport.
By 2003, the number of French road deaths had dropped by nearly 21% over earlier figures. Parenthetically, road deaths in Azerbaijan increased by 11.8% over the same period, but I believe that the absence of a legally-mandated correct-side-of the-road-on-which-to-drive may have something to do with this. Source: Conférence Européenne Des Ministres Des Transports.
So, driving in France is - according to our friends the statisticians - not so bad, and my experience is very much the same. But, and it's a very large but, French drivers do have one really annoying habit: tailgating at speed.
It's a bit like sharks: when a shark bites, the pressure of biting stimulates nerve endings situated below the roots of the teeth. As a result the animal is stimulated to bite more and harder. Which, of course, only stimulates the nerve endings more, so more biting follows. End result: the classic shark feeding frenzy.
I have considered this point on many occasions, mostly while being tailgated at over 90kph by a French driver who is attached, magnetically it would seem, to my rear bumper, on a road which provides absolutely no realistic possibility of overtaking. (Totally irrelevant note: The French for 'magnet' is aimant as in 'loving', with all the imagery that conjures up).
The outcome of my considerations is that I believe Frenchmen, like sharks, have specialised nerve endings, not under their teeth, but in the front bumpers of their cars. As soon as another car is detected, speed increases until the bumpers of the two cars are almost touching.
Sadly, there seems no way to detach the following driver unless (a) he manages to overtake, (b) he turns off or (c) you pull on to the hard shoulder and let him go. Then, of course, it's just a matter of time before the same thing happens again.
And, to my particular surprise, female French drivers are just as aggressive as the men; once they get behind the wheel you can forget all that care and nurturing baloney. It must be something in the tarmac ...
From a quick Google of the data, in 2001 there were 13.8 road deaths in France per 100,000 of population; twice as many as the UK but still half as many as in Portugal (Spain had the same total as France, subjective appearances to the contrary). Source: UK Dept. for Transport.
By 2003, the number of French road deaths had dropped by nearly 21% over earlier figures. Parenthetically, road deaths in Azerbaijan increased by 11.8% over the same period, but I believe that the absence of a legally-mandated correct-side-of the-road-on-which-to-drive may have something to do with this. Source: Conférence Européenne Des Ministres Des Transports.
So, driving in France is - according to our friends the statisticians - not so bad, and my experience is very much the same. But, and it's a very large but, French drivers do have one really annoying habit: tailgating at speed.
It's a bit like sharks: when a shark bites, the pressure of biting stimulates nerve endings situated below the roots of the teeth. As a result the animal is stimulated to bite more and harder. Which, of course, only stimulates the nerve endings more, so more biting follows. End result: the classic shark feeding frenzy.
I have considered this point on many occasions, mostly while being tailgated at over 90kph by a French driver who is attached, magnetically it would seem, to my rear bumper, on a road which provides absolutely no realistic possibility of overtaking. (Totally irrelevant note: The French for 'magnet' is aimant as in 'loving', with all the imagery that conjures up).
The outcome of my considerations is that I believe Frenchmen, like sharks, have specialised nerve endings, not under their teeth, but in the front bumpers of their cars. As soon as another car is detected, speed increases until the bumpers of the two cars are almost touching.
Sadly, there seems no way to detach the following driver unless (a) he manages to overtake, (b) he turns off or (c) you pull on to the hard shoulder and let him go. Then, of course, it's just a matter of time before the same thing happens again.
And, to my particular surprise, female French drivers are just as aggressive as the men; once they get behind the wheel you can forget all that care and nurturing baloney. It must be something in the tarmac ...
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