I've just returned from a weeks touring holiday in Portugal.
WOW....I survived.... Just....
The standard of driving (and I use the term Driving with some caution) is in general atrocious....
Tailgating at 120+ kph is the norm...6" from your bumper
Overtaking on solid white lines seems to be compulsory....
The basic rule of the road seems to be... If there's something in front of you... overtake it... Even if you don't want to travel faster than it is travelling...
Oh and the signposting is worse than useless in most towns...
We did however have a great time and I would recommend midle and northern Portugal to anyone...BY COACH...

Had a bad experience in Belgium years ago.
Driving in Paris and Rome is also a life changing experience.

Can't remember it being bad in Portugal, though I just took a taxi from the airport in Lisbon.

It all pales into insignificance compared to places like India.

I would agree with you there!

The scariest journey of my life was in Portugal in the back of a 'rapid transfer minibus' between two hospitals. I honeslty didn't know a van could go that fast....

I was in Brussels a couple of months ago, with out doubt the worst drivers in the world.

Green means go
Amber means mmm, go
And Red means, oh f@ck it! just go!!!

If the side road's give way markings had worn away, that meant don't stop just plough on through the traffic.

There's an advert on the tv at the moment that show some cars coming up to a cross roads and they all just miss each other, that was filmed in Brussels!!!

Oh, you pussies

Must addmit that driving is a bit agressive in Spain, Portugal, Italy and Paris - more or less the same as here in Riga (I'm from Latvia). Normal speed in city 80 kmph (limit 50).

And I heard that Moscow is much much worse though never bee there (thanks God).

T.
PS. Yes, yes, I'm a bimmer driver - that's a diagnose


[Edited on 12/7/06 by Tigers]

I was in Tehran last year and the driving there scared me to death. It was as if everyone was playing dare against each other. But somehow or other they seemed to now when to stop. It was just very scarey for us foreigners who have no idea of the unwritten rules.

really looks the same as Italy

once you have understood how to drive in Italy all become easy

BUT

you have to overtake from the right (easy for you from UK) ... put 4 cars where there is place for 2 cars ... ignore signs and red ligfhts ... and drive bumper to bumper at over 160 Km/h on highways ... oh and you can overtake police cars at 130 km/h + without being chased

especially in the south and especially with foreign plates

But even in Italy driving is becoming safer since they can loose points on their licenses ... every time I go in Italy drivers seem more respectfull of the law and more prudent than the last time

;-)

Greece is just as bad too, in my experience.
Little shrines dotted along the mountain roads mark where people have died.....doesn't seem to slow them down though!!

It would seem that none have you have driven in Bangkok...

the Pet Shop Boys weren't talking about the night life, it was the drive to the hotel

Turkey

was ina tax before at a cross roads, lights change to red and cars just kept on driving and parking next to each other so in the end about 8 cars side by side ..... but they were all heading for 2 lanes - the lights changed and I just closed my eyes!

and then back to the air port, came across a horse driven .... on a motoroway and travelling in the oposite direction taxi had to swerve but didn't seem to phased like it is the norm

-Video-
Good or bad driving? I don't know where this is, just happy I'm not there

Try a Roman taxi ride. White knuckles or what.

MOSCOW is officially the SCARIEST!

I have been there several time - all old battered LADA's

SOLID ICE + VODKA the loons are driving like maniacs!

I had a female taxi driver (any car is a taxi in moscow) - she was doing 70mph on solid ice and then slid into a corner heel/toeing it with bagfuls of opposite lock. It was scary/amazing!

Our friend from Latvia is correct - MOSCOW is dodgy - but the women are sooooo sexy so it makes up for it

Having read through all the previous replies i think it is safe to say that we are officially the best drivers in the world?
According to us!