LL-L "Traffic" (was "Administrativa") 2002.04.02 (05) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

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 L O W L A N D S - L * 02.APR.2002 (05) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
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From: Anja Meyfarth <AMeyfarth at t-online.de>
Subject: LL-L "Administrativa" 2002.03.16 (03) [E]

Hello Lowlanders!

Ron worte:

> I am quite familiar with traffic conditions in Vancouver, which can be
> reached in only two and a half or three hours by car from Seattle
> (though the new security measure have made for longer waits at the
> border).  Seattle has now been ranked No. 1 on the list of U.S. cities
> with worst traffic problems ...  When I visited San Diego and heard
> people complain about their rush hour traffic, my reaction was "What
> traffic?"  In Seattle, bad and aggressive driving of motorcars is
> surpassed only by reckless riding of bicycles, the majority of bike
> riders apparently operating on the assumption that no rules whatsoever
> apply to them.

So there seem to be no lowlands-specific way of driving... At least not
in the USA. Or is there a difference, t.ex. between drivers in Edinburgh
or London, Hamburg or Den Haag? There is a difference between Northern
Germany and Southern Germany. There driving better up here (in my
opinion). And there is a difference between Schleswig-Holstein and
Danmark. We all love danish traffic. It`s far more kindly.

Greetings from Kiel,

Anja Meyfarth

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From: R. F. Hahn <sassisch at yahoo.com>
Subject: Traffic

Anja, you wrote:

> So there seem to be no lowlands-specific way of driving... At least
> not in the USA.

Not that I would know of ... and not that I would know what a
"lowlands-specific way of driving" is.

First of all, I tend to be cautious when anything smells of
generalization, for example with regard to Danish driving (which some
Europeans like to complain about while others praise it).  I have seen
all sorts of driving in Denmark as elsewhere, though I do admit that
Danish drivers on the whole tend to act less aggressively and more
sanely and considerately than most European drivers, but I see that as
part and parcel of the predominant Danish lifestyle and cultural
heritage, although the operative word here is "predominant."

The USA and Canada are very large countries with much geographic and
ethnic diversity, which makes generalizing even more difficult (though
the European media somehow have no problems generalizing anyway).
Traffic laws and regulations vary from state to state and from province
to province, even between counties and towns.  Predominant driving
styles differ greatly, depending on population density, topography,
climate, etc.  Even here in the Greater Seattle area it depends on the
neighborhood.

I don't know about any differences between northern and southern driving
styles in Germany, and I take any such claims with a large grain of
salt.  The closest you will get me to the point of generalizing is to
have me tell you that, even though I live in a US city that is very
densely populated and is currently ranked No. 1 in the country regarding
traffic problems (yes, worse than New York City, Los Angeles, Boston and
Honululu!), I live in constant fear everytime I experience North German
traffic, even as a passenger ... and I want no part of it.  A couple of
my North German visitors have complained about American drivers, even
here in Seattle, being _lahmarschig_ ("lame-assed").  Need I say more?

Regards,
Reinhard/Ron

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