Things I like about America

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Where's my avatar gone???! I spent ages choosing just the right one.
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Is that the man with the hat? I wondered where he had gone!

Well five times/visits zipping up the inside and the outside on all sorts of roads and now to find it's illegal.

You do learn something new every day.

I too thought this was fair game out there until I got pulled over in Feb on the I4 (although I was speeding a little bit).[msnembarrased] It was on the last day of our holiday and after giving me a really thorough telling off and threatening to impound my car and make us get taxis for the rest of our holiday (thought it best not to mention that the only journey I had left was a trip back to the airport) the policeman sent us on our way[msneek].

The worst bit was that the officer was telling me off through the passenger window on the hard shoulder and my wife (who was sitting in the passenger seat) nodded along and kept on peppering the conversations[chatter] with comments like "i keep telling him you are not allowed to undertake" and the one that I thought was especially helpful " i keep saying for him to slow down, perhaps he'll listen to you". My kids just sat in the back eating popcorn enjoying the show, although at one point my 8 year old decided that she should offer the policeman some popcorn as well.

i am sure he felt sorry for me

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Robert5988
If you are in a queue of vehicles in the outside lane waiting to overtake slower vehicles, unless you tailgate the guy in front and sit a car length from his rear bumper(fender) you will be undertaken and cut up.
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Please don't take exception Robert, I was only quoting your statement?
Anyway I stand corrected - you are quite right, technically it's not legal to overtake on the right in most States. However, when you look at all the exclusions it's must be very difficult to police, especially when the traffic is heavy or moving below the speed limit. This is probably why it's generally ignored and so many sites mistakenly say imply it's legal. Even our own uscarhire.co.uk states: "Vehicles can overtake on both sides of you on highways, look in both mirrors before changing lanes."

I also totally agree with you that driving in the USA is much more dangerous than in the UK and all the statistics show it. When you consider how many cars we have crammed onto a tiny little island then it does seem as though our driving standards have to be higher.

Surprise, surprise, my friendly traffic policeman down the pub has just told me that there is no law in the UK which prohibits overtaking on the left !!! Apparently, it's part of the highway code but if they want to prosecute it's usually done under careless or dangerous driving - so that's two things I've learnt today.

So I'll get back on topic and amend my original post to:

7 - The fact that the Police generally ignore overtaking either side on multi lane roads

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by crews

Quote:

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Originally posted by Robert5988

Surprise, surprise, my friendly traffic policeman down the pub has just told me that there is no law in the UK which prohibits overtaking on the left !!! Apparently, it's part of the highway code but if they want to prosecute it's usually done under careless or dangerous driving - so that's two things I've learnt today.

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There's no specific provision saying you can't run over a pedestrian either, but that doesn't mean you aren't breaking the law!

I also like that they try to protect their workers as well on the road, most roadworks have a Sherriff positioned there and speeding fines are doubled when workers are present.

Also if the Highway Patrol or Sherriff has stopped a car, all other cars should move over a lane and leave a clear lane where possible.


I like the mail system as well where they will take mail to be delivered from your mail box. Saves a trip back to post the postcards after sitting by the pool writing them.

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by steph_goodrum
I also like that they try to protect their workers as well on the road, most roadworks have a Sherriff positioned there and speeding fines are doubled when workers are present.
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Usually because the roadworkers are from the local prison.:D

The Weather
The Diners
The Shopping Malls (Millenia)
The Parks
The Lifestyle
List is probably endless

[msncool]

I agree the manners are a lot to be desired in the UK if someone does something polite we say what do they want .
We came back from Lytham near Blackpool last week and a family were crossong the road we waited and then 2 x 15 year olds boys who were not with them came to the pavement to cross as we set of to go one of them walked straight in front of us and give no eye contact and walked so slow to stop us again ( it was not on crossing so he had no right of way ) the other one waited .
It was the atitute of him that was apppalling that got us and of course no police around as usual tp report it .
It seems no one smiles in the UK anymore .
That is why we are here in Florida again[msnsmile2]
MAUREEN
www.onlinefloridavillas.com/villas/1683.aspx

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by FraserLynn
I too thought this was fair game out there until I got pulled over in Feb on the I4 (although I was speeding a little bit).[msnembarrased] It was on the last day of our holiday and after giving me a really thorough telling off and threatening to impound my car and make us get taxis for the rest of our holiday (thought it best not to mention that the only journey I had left was a trip back to the airport) the policeman sent us on our way[msneek].

The worst bit was that the officer was telling me off through the passenger window on the hard shoulder and my wife (who was sitting in the passenger seat) nodded along and kept on peppering the conversations[chatter] with comments like "i keep telling him you are not allowed to undertake" and the one that I thought was especially helpful " i keep saying for him to slow down, perhaps he'll listen to you". My kids just sat in the back eating popcorn enjoying the show, although at one point my 8 year old decided that she should offer the policeman some popcorn as well.

i am sure he felt sorry for me

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My husband does rolling stops and it give us a great laugh for him to be pulled over..he is a bit of a great I am and thinks rules are not for him..but rolling stop are major crimes where I live..he was lucky to get off with a telling off..