the nationality of drivers most considerate of cyclists

mercsport

Ash_ wrote:

Despite the supposed 'latin temprament' and the battle-scarred cars you'll see in any towns, I've actually found the Italians to be very, very courteous to cyclists. It's no surprise really given cycling is so much a part of their heritage and culture.

Yup !

Out of all the countries of Europe I've trundled through on the bike , Italians appear to be the most concious of and considerate of cyclists . I always think it's because a fair proportion of able bodied italians are cyclists when away from their cars . I cannot recall any experience of car-psycho's in that country .

The only uneasy experiences are when sucked into some of the , all too frequent , long ( some , miles long ) tunnels , often enough unlit , that have been chiselled through obstructive terrain , and the accompanying sensory overload when it's all but impossible to tell whether a juggernaut is immediately up your backside or a mile away , approaching to or from you . Similarly , particularly the further south in Italy you go , it is all too easy to be sucked into a confusion of new and old roads and have no other option at all but to take your chances on an autostrada , and have pedalled many a mile on the motorways over there . The rozzers are very laid back about it all and , as often as not , cheerfully wave as they pass you by .

brainsys

Took my first trip to France last month and was astounded by the courtesy (which i hadn't seen when driving a car over there). Indeed I was sometimes worried they might be hitting the opposite kerb in leaving the maximum distance between us.

Whereas in blighty you nearly always get cut far too close even if there are acres to spare. I run a community forum where we have the annual 'cyclists shouldn't ride on pavement, have number plates, insurance etc' debate. None of the most virulent have ridden a bike and have no concept of why cyclists do what they do.

I really feel that possession of some sort of Cycle Proficiency Certificate be a pre-requisite for getting a motor bike licence which in turn should be a pre-requisite for a car licence. Mutual understanding of other road users is going to more for road safety then trying to 'tough-up' each in turn. But I'm going seriously off-topic ...

Stuck on a Giant

Italy is the only country I've been to where the traffic stops at roundabouts for cyclists, even when it's their right of way.

France is generally pretty good, a few idiots though. We were touring there this year and someone even stopped to ask if we were lost whilst we were looking at a map - pretty friendly.

Both millions of times better than here in the UK!

blorg

They have these sort of signs all over the country in France to remind drivers to pass safely: