For many years on vacation I’ve been driving myself on the roads of Europe. Riding an autobahn is not a job but a pleasure there.
During this time I learned a few lessons that I want to share with those who are only going to plow the expanses of Europe.
1. Do not signal.
Signaling here is considered to be a bad tone. Click on the dial tone only in the most extreme cases, for example, when you are clearly not noticed and can be hurt. At the traffic light the rear drivers can wait patiently when you will wake up even after 5 seconds after the green light was on. So it is not necessary, as in Kazakhstan, at 0.001 fraction of a second after the green light is on to honk the horn.
2. Keep the distance on the track.
You should not approach too closely to the car ahead on the road. This is also considered to be rude. At first, I remember that I habitually settled back behind. And I noticed that the local drivers were scared off, moved to the right and let me pass through. Apparently they were not used to such a close contact. In general, Europeans highly appreciate human life, so they avoid the slightest danger and threat to it. Of course, there are riders who approach too close behind and even those who cut off. But if you look closely at their numbers and faces, you will understand that these are mostly tourists from the CIS or Eastern Europe.
3. Do not occupy the left row unnecessarily.
We are accustomed to travel along the routes by the principle: “The more left the row I occupy, the more I am cooler”. While they drive by the principle: “I do not occupy the left row without need”. Therefore, at first I was amazed that even with a free left row drivers use only the middle or right rows and are rearranged to the left only for overtaking. And then, after overtaking, again return to the middle or right row.
4. Skip the others.
If you drive out of the habit along the left row, and the car catches up behind you, move to the right row and skip it. Of course, that car will not signal, and will patiently go after you, or at most it will turn on the left turn signal, as if letting you know that it wants to overtake you but cannot. They do not know that in our country when someone overtakes you, it is tantamount to personal insult, so we would better die, and we not give the way. In the eyes of Europeans, you will simply look like an ill-mannered person. Moreover, if you are driving along a narrow, winding road (which is very common in Italy) and you have a “tail” of 2-3 cars behind you, do not be selfish, go to the right in the nearest “pocket” and let them go forward. It will be the right thing to do.
5. Warn others of danger.
If you quickly brake on the road, then immediately turn on the “emergency”. This way you warn in advance the people going behind to get ready for a sharp braking. Here, everyone does that.
P.S. Europeans lagged behind us in one thing. They have not yet thought of thanking each other with the inclusion of “emergency”. This is purely our invention. I have not seen this in any country in Europe. And it’s a pity because sometimes I really want to say “thank you” when someone gives me a way.
COMMENTS