I know that most of our latest blogs have been on the subject of driving, our collective lack of skill and the need for more education. Well, I've got a suggestion: On your next trip, go to Paris (you were thinking about it anyways), rent a car and drive around the city of Love. You'll see what real driving is all about.
Your eyes will open wide! And not only because of all the sights to behold but because of the organized chaos throughout the streets of the city.
First thing you have to realize is that everyone has the right of way, so long as you remember that the priority goes to those coming from the right. Next, scooters and motorbikes will pop into sight at the absolute last second and you need to be mindful of this fact. Then, lanes are generally considered suggestions and the sooner you can get your nose into a gap, the more likely you'll make it in.
And then, there are the roundabouts. Oh yes, the roundabouts. I challenge you to go to l'Étoile, where the Arc de Triomphe is, and do a full loop and try and get out. Good luck.
What all this has taught me is that, in Paris, there are rules but a certain “anything goes” attitude exists. The principal guideline is “no speeding” but it is countered by “get to where you need to go by any means necessary”.
For example, at some of the busiest intersections, where three cars should-to-shoulder would normally fit, the Parisians will nearly successfully wedge in six.
Evidently, traffic is insane but, somehow, because it is not caused by stop signs at every intersection and traffic lights at every other corner, cars, scooters, trucks and motorbikes manage to flow, albeit at a snails pace.
I came away from my Paris driving experience with an appreciation for roundabouts and the challenge they pose. Drivers must be attentive and on their toes if they do not want to get into a scrap. And this is also true for narrow streets and blind intersections. Contrary to North America, where straight lines and stop signs, the organized chaos makes better drivers out of the average person.
Go to Paris and tell me about it. Or, if you've been, leave your comments below.
Your eyes will open wide! And not only because of all the sights to behold but because of the organized chaos throughout the streets of the city.
First thing you have to realize is that everyone has the right of way, so long as you remember that the priority goes to those coming from the right. Next, scooters and motorbikes will pop into sight at the absolute last second and you need to be mindful of this fact. Then, lanes are generally considered suggestions and the sooner you can get your nose into a gap, the more likely you'll make it in.
And then, there are the roundabouts. Oh yes, the roundabouts. I challenge you to go to l'Étoile, where the Arc de Triomphe is, and do a full loop and try and get out. Good luck.
What all this has taught me is that, in Paris, there are rules but a certain “anything goes” attitude exists. The principal guideline is “no speeding” but it is countered by “get to where you need to go by any means necessary”.
For example, at some of the busiest intersections, where three cars should-to-shoulder would normally fit, the Parisians will nearly successfully wedge in six.
Evidently, traffic is insane but, somehow, because it is not caused by stop signs at every intersection and traffic lights at every other corner, cars, scooters, trucks and motorbikes manage to flow, albeit at a snails pace.
I came away from my Paris driving experience with an appreciation for roundabouts and the challenge they pose. Drivers must be attentive and on their toes if they do not want to get into a scrap. And this is also true for narrow streets and blind intersections. Contrary to North America, where straight lines and stop signs, the organized chaos makes better drivers out of the average person.
Go to Paris and tell me about it. Or, if you've been, leave your comments below.