orys:
rocky 7:
bigvern1:
I don’t mean cut slack to dangerous drivers. I mean for the best part they drive like us, good or bad. I just reckon it’s a tad more difficult driving over here on overcrowded, antiquated streets.
But should we take tests to drive over there…And would we be happy to do so?FORTUNATELY i MANAGED 20 ODD YEARS OVER THE WATER WITHOUT INCIDENT BUT IF i HAD BEEN REQUIRED TO DO SO i WOULD HAVE GLADLY TAKEN A TEST.
i DROVE MAINLY RIGHT HOOKERS BUT THE FIRST TIME I DROVE A LEFT HOOKERi IT TOOK ME SOME TIME AND A FEW NEAR MISSES BEFORE I GOT THE HANG OF IT, IT WAS MORE GOOD LUCK THAN GOOD JUDGEMENT THAT I DID NOT HAVE AN ACCIDENT FOR QUITE A WHILE, AND ANYONE WHO SAYS THEY CAN JUMP OUT OF ONE INTO THE OTHER WITHOUT THINKING IS A BLOODY LIARPS I wasn’t shouting ,my cap lock got stuck LOL
So I am the bloody liar then
When I visit my mate in germany I drive there in my RHDcar, but If we go out anywhere i share the driving in his LHD,and it takes me a little while to get used to it again…
I read your post regularly Orys, and I am sure you are a competent driver on a RHD truck and as such you would not mind taking a british test.
Dont get me wrong I have some polish friends who are drivers , some are good some not so good, my argument is not a drivers nationality, but his ability to drive,to british standards.I drive my friend’s or falimy cars every time when I am in Poland no problem.
i agree, there is western europe who have the same standard, but go east they havent, we have always had western europeans driving in this country, look at the reg plates of the trucks parked up on the hard shoulder, need i say more!
rocky 7:
(When I visit my mate in germany I drive there in my RHDcar, but If we go out anywhere i share the driving in his LHD,and it takes me a little while to get used to it again…
Well, I have not a problem to drive car (although I feel weird doing some maneuvres like reversing into the garage etc.) but this is not a problem.
Worse is that it still happens to me for example to take roundabount wrong side or start driving on the right in UK or on the left over the water 
But that have nothing to do with on which side of the car the steering wheel is.
I read your post regularly Orys, and I am sure you are a competent driver on a RHD truck and as such you would not mind taking a british test.
Dont get me wrong I have some polish friends who are drivers , some are good some not so good, my argument is not a drivers nationality, but his ability to drive,to british standards.
Well, thanks for the nice words about my driving. I surely would not mind to go for a British test, as it’s bloody easy compared to Polish one. The question is: who should pay for it? Why me? I already passed my test and paid for it. And it’s valid in most countries of the world who signed mutual agreement about respecting each other driving licenses (and Britain respects Polish for much much longer than EU even exists…). So why should I? And if not me, who will? Will you like to pay me for resitting my test?
And as for “British standards”: as you said some drivers are good and some are not so good, I think you are right and it’s true about all nationality. I don’t really get this bit about “British standards”. If you mean some slight differences in Highway code and (the biggest of them) driving on the left, well, I’ve been driving in most countries of Europe and also in Asia, if the country regulations are up to Vienna Convention standards, the slight differences should not be an issue (as long as you drive on correct side of the road off course).
If you mean “British standars” as something that British drivers are somehow superior to other nations, well, I am sorry but I have to disagree with that. They are just like the other nations, although you can draw some generalisations. From my observation they are amongst the most polite drivers of all European countries and I really like it. But they are also one of the most negligent people when it comes to keep their vehicles in shape. The amount of the cars/vans/trucks running with incomplete lights for example. The only worse country on that matter I’ve been to is Bulgaria.
I am Polish and at the beginning I used to let the other drivers know about that their lights are not working - for example when we stopped on the traffic lights. I used to do it in Poland and it usualy resulted by the guy pulling over and fixing the lights at first convienient place.
Here some answers I had were appaling, such as “Oh, I know, it’s like that for months and months” or “No problem it will go for MOT in march, they will do it then” etc…
Look at the amount of the vehicles running with half of the lights missing on the motorway. I can believe that some had one or two bulbs burned during the trip but not 11 (this is my record of my pre-run check on the van I was given to drive). 11 bulbs just don’t happen in one day!
We have someteen vans in our company and you can easily tell which ones I was driving recently: they have no more than one or two lights missing…
As much as I like British politeness on the roads, the attitude to lights is my pet hate 
But as I told every nation have some good and bad habits on the road
Back to the topic, as I drifted aside on my “bulb issue”, what’s that definition of “british driving standards” I hear here so much when it’s about foreign drivers?
darren23:
i agree, there is western europe who have the same standard, but go east they havent, we have always had western europeans driving in this country, look at the reg plates of the trucks parked up on the hard shoulder, need i say more!
With all my due respect, Poland has the same standards of Drivers training as Western Europe much longer than Britain, together with driving license categories, driver’s CPC and all that.
And I see many of British trucks parked on the hard shoulders as well, but off course not as much as foreign ones.
But i think there are two issues with that:
- In some countries (like Croatia for example, or Italy) to park on the hard shoulder is a normal thing. So their drivers are used to that.
- The other problem is lack of parking spaces in Britain. Even in Germany you can spot trucks parked on slip roads to the motorway parkings when there is no free spaces on them. You, British truckers know all these truck stops away from the motorway network and every nice lay by on the pararel road. I know many of such nice parking spots as well. But foreing drivers don’t. So they can’t risk leaving the motorway and then having problems to find place to stop.
There is also one issue I was always wondering: if Britain is so concerned about safety issues regarding parking on the hard shoulders, why the Police stops vehicles on the hard shoulders?
In Germany or in Poland they will never do that. They will just display “follow me” sings and lead you to safe spot, then deal with you there…
orys:
rocky 7:
(When I visit my mate in germany I drive there in my RHDcar, but If we go out anywhere i share the driving in his LHD,and it takes me a little while to get used to it again…
Well, I have not a problem to drive car (although I feel weird doing some maneuvres like reversing into the garage etc.) but this is not a problem.
Worse is that it still happens to me for example to take roundabount wrong side or start driving on the right in UK or on the left over the water
I read your post regularly Orys, and I am sure you are a competent driver on a RHD truck and as such you would not mind taking a british test.
Dont get me wrong I have some polish friends who are drivers , some are good some not so good, my argument is not a drivers nationality, but his ability to drive,to british standards.Well, thanks for the nice words about my driving. I surely would not mind to go for a British test, as it’s bloody easy compared to Polish one. The question is: who should pay for it? Why me? I already passed my test and paid for it. And it’s valid in most countries of the world who signed mutual agreement about respecting each other driving licenses (and Britain respects Polish for much much longer than EU even exists…). So why should I? And if not me, who will? Will you like to pay me for resitting my test?
And as for “British standards”: as you said some drivers are good and some are not so good, I think you are right and it’s true about all nationality. I don’t really get this bit about “British standards”. If you mean some slight differences in Highway code and (the biggest of them) driving on the left, well, I’ve been driving in most countries of Europe and also in Asia, if the country regulations are up to Vienna Convention standards, the slight differences should not be an issue (as long as you drive on correct side of the road off course).
If you mean “British standars” as something that British drivers are somehow superior to other nations, well, I am sorry but I have to disagree with that. They are just like the other nations, although you can draw some generalisations. From my observation they are amongst the most polite drivers of all European countries and I really like it. But they are also one of the most negligent people when it comes to keep their vehicles in shape. The amount of the cars/vans/trucks running with incomplete lights for example. The only worse country on that matter I’ve been to is Bulgaria.
I am Polish and at the beginning I used to let the other drivers know about that their lights are not working - for example when we stopped on the traffic lights. I used to do it in Poland and it usualy resulted by the guy pulling over and fixing the lights at first convienient place.
Here some answers I had were appaling, such as “Oh, I know, it’s like that for months and months” or “No problem it will go for MOT in march, they will do it then” etc…
Look at the amount of the vehicles running with half of the lights missing on the motorway. I can believe that some had one or two bulbs burned during the trip but not 11 (this is my record of my pre-run check on the van I was given to drive). 11 bulbs just don’t happen in one day!
We have someteen vans in our company and you can easily tell which ones I was driving recently: they have no more than one or two lights missing…
As much as I like British politeness on the roads, the attitude to lights is my pet hate
But as I told every nation have some good and bad habits on the road
Back to the topic, as I drifted aside on my “bulb issue”, what’s that definition of “british driving standards” I hear here so much when it’s about foreign drivers?
darren23:
i agree, there is western europe who have the same standard, but go east they havent, we have always had western europeans driving in this country, look at the reg plates of the trucks parked up on the hard shoulder, need i say more!With all my due respect, Poland has the same standards of Drivers training as Western Europe much longer than Britain, together with driving license categories, driver’s CPC and all that.
And I see many of British trucks parked on the hard shoulders as well, but off course not as much as foreign ones.
But i think there are two issues with that:
- In some countries (like Croatia for example, or Italy) to park on the hard shoulder is a normal thing. So their drivers are used to that.
- The other problem is lack of parking spaces in Britain. Even in Germany you can spot trucks parked on slip roads to the motorway parkings when there is no free spaces on them. You, British truckers know all these truck stops away from the motorway network and every nice lay by on the pararel road. I know many of such nice parking spots as well. But foreing drivers don’t. So they can’t risk leaving the motorway and then having problems to find place to stop.
There is also one issue I was always wondering: if Britain is so concerned about safety issues regarding parking on the hard shoulders, why the Police stops vehicles on the hard shoulders?
In Germany or in Poland they will never do that. They will just display “follow me” sings and lead you to safe spot, then deal with you there…
STFU.You’re worse than my freakin Mother in Law 
“British Driving Standards”? is this not the only country in Europe where you driving exam doesn’t include Motorway driving?
Where a candidate hasn’t driven on the Motorway before he passes his test?
I wonder if these exams where compulsory how many Brits could work abroad, mind how many Brits would be able to take a exam in Dutch, French, Spanish, etc.■■?
How many Brits are able to speak more than one language anyway?
So if you want to do the driving test in any country, you should know the Highway code of that country to be able to do so, and these are in the language of that country.
And the roads busier in Britain? You ever been out there? did you ever run in the rush hour in Brussels, Paris, Amsterdam , Ruhr, Frankfurt, Milan.
The roads narrower in Britain, ever collected tiles around Modena, been in Croatia, Eastern Germany etc.
When I came over 12 years ago to start working in Scotland, the Traffic-news made me every morning smile, heavy traffic on the M8, you having a laugh, what about traffic jams as long as 50 miles around Amsterdam, that is what you call heavy traffic.
Do you really think the British drivers are Superior to the rest of the world, I don’t think so, especially not when they merge from the slip-road doing 25 mile an hour in front of a 44 ton truck.
Your lucky here that the average speed is very low, many people would have been killed if they drove like that in France or Germany, that is the reason why many countries abroad have not only a MAXIMUM speed on the Motorway, but also a MINIMUM speed.
Yes there are absolute Donkeys under the foreign drivers, but there are many drivers here also, who drive on good luck and not knowledge.
The problem is that due to high request the market get flooded in Eastern Europe, we had the same problem in Western Europe, there was even Government Funding for Unemployed people in the past, to get a HGV license when there was a driver shortage.
These 3 weeks courses didn’t give the driver any quality, was only to “pass” his test.
Probably people on here remind the old Eastern Companies, as Deutrans, Hungarocamion, en many other Polish, Romanian, and Russian Transport Companies, their driver, while driving with inferior equipment, where from an extremely high standard, because the Communist government couldn’t afford to have accidents in the “West”
It’s easy to have comment on everybody, but because of media cover in general, Truck drivers are the worst, and Johnny foreign even worse than that.
You ever hear on the news, “ a sales man with a BMW caused an accident” or a pensioner with a KIA Automatic brought the whole town to a standstill”, it happens, but if a truck is involved however small it needs to be mentioned in the news.
If you see how few accidents per mile covered happen with trucks, you can see there is a big propaganda against trucks. We are an easy target because we are a minority, and if you are foreign you even less exist and cannot defend yourself.
But where it strikes me, is that on a Truckers website, where all boys from the real world are, that you listen to this propaganda, and believe it’s true.
That’s dangerous as the history has proved! 
I just spent 4 months in the UK, what are these standards some people are talking about? The car drivers of Britain could easier hold there own in the worst in Europe. I have never in my life seen such a song and dance about some snow.
It was Great Britain that invited with open arms the commies, the flip flops to come work in the UK, the adverts in Poland proclaiming this and that, the joys and ease of getting work in the UK were all British sounding company names. Take you test, go to the UK a job is waiting. It wouldn’t take Einstein to deduce that someone who has just passed their test being thrown the keys of a truck with steering on the wrong side and then have to drive on the left might not go to smoothly.
I live in Poland and happen to think the locals ain’t to bad at this driving lark, the infrastructure is a bit hit and miss, lots of extreme weather to contend with, but everyone seems to keep moving, lots of snow here right now as it happens, rather a lot more than brought the Great Britain to its knees a couple of months ago and we seem to do that without the need of a a shiny 4 x 4 and a fake tan.
My journey from Skipton to Częstochowa became easier and more pleasant at Dover
Well I have read this and was not going to reply but hey what can I do I am bored this Sunday morning so I might as well have a go in this topic…
I AM A FOREIGN ■■■■■ 
Oh yes… I was born and bread in Holland…
Yep that Dutch, clog wearing, tulip picking cheese eating ■■■■ is me… 
I did my test at 18 and drove an artic to France the week after… before you ask… Nope the ink on my licence was not yet dry…
In Holland you have your theory like most country’s, your practical like most country’s and for many years Holland was leading the way with a drivers qualification.
You had to get a CPC like qualification before you where able to drive professionally… oh and you know what there was exams for each subject… Not just sit in and have a snooze…
But of course my driving standard is lesser than that of a British national…
Now I am NOT saying that I am a good driver at all, after all these years I am still rubbish but hey…
I drove on my Foreign licence in many country’s all over Europe and the world in fact.
I was in Australia, China, Singapore, every EU country (not the new Eastern ones) all on my Dutch licence.
I used to jump trucks from RHD’s to LHD’s makes no odds to me…
I have now lived and worked in the UK for the last nearly 6 years… I exchanged my licence for a British one without any test… I speak the language, I pay my taxes, I put my hard earned cash back in the UK economy etc…
There are rubbish drivers from any Nationality regardless of the how, what and where.
British, Polish, Dutch, French, Irish, Spanish, Lithuanian etc… etc… etc… there are good and bad ones…
I agree with the fact that there are certain Foreign Nationals who only come here to save and spend the money in their home country and they don’t speak the language, now I DO NOT at all agree with that, as a matter of fact it peeves me off…
I live by the believe that it is my choice to be here so I:
*Speak the language,
*adapt to the way of life,
*spend my money here,
etc… etc… my choice to be here so I adapt…
but hey such is life…
Why stress about it, nothing that we common people can do about it…
bigvern1:
I just reckon it’s a tad more difficult driving over here on overcrowded, antiquated streets.
ehhh obviously you have not driven on the continent…
caledoniandream:
“British Driving Standards”? is this not the only country in Europe where you driving exam doesn’t include Motorway driving?
Where a candidate hasn’t driven on the Motorway before he passes his test?
I wonder if these exams where compulsory how many Brits could work abroad, mind how many Brits would be able to take a exam in Dutch, French, Spanish, etc.■■?
How many Brits are able to speak more than one language anyway?
So if you want to do the driving test in any country, you should know the Highway code of that country to be able to do so, and these are in the language of that country.
And the roads busier in Britain? You ever been out there? did you ever run in the rush hour in Brussels, Paris, Amsterdam , Ruhr, Frankfurt, Milan.
The roads narrower in Britain, ever collected tiles around Modena, been in Croatia, Eastern Germany etc.
When I came over 12 years ago to start working in Scotland, the Traffic-news made me every morning smile, heavy traffic on the M8, you having a laugh, what about traffic jams as long as 50 miles around Amsterdam, that is what you call heavy traffic.
Thanks… !
That saved me having to type a fair bit…
i can’t belieave that " brithish drivers" think they are better than any other country’s drivers, wow so ■■■■■■■ pigheaded, im english and live in ireland and drive all over europe, i some times infact most of the time im ashamed to be british, drivers in the uk havent a bloody clue how to drive, so please don’t imbrais those of us who live in other countrys with ur im british so im better than you bullsh-t.
rorykk:
i can’t belieave that " brithish drivers" think they are better than any other country’s drivers, wow so [zb] pigheaded, im english and live in ireland and drive all over europe, i some times infact most of the time im ashamed to be british, drivers in the uk havent a bloody clue how to drive, so please don’t imbrais those of us who live in other countrys with ur im british so im better than you bullsh-t.
As usual the point of the discussion as been lost in transit.the original point was , driving BRITISH registered trucks on foreign licences wether we like it or not we ARE different than the rest of europe , we are the only country in the EEC that still drives on the left, making our driving conditions uniqe in europe.
We have the most congested traffic conditions than anywhere else in western europe.
No Rory I dont think I am any better or any worse than any other driver, but because we are British (or Irish) we are taught differently than other european drivers.
rocky 7:
As usual the point of the discussion as been lost in transit.the original point was , driving BRITISH registered trucks on foreign licences wether we like it or not we ARE different than the rest of europe , we are the only country in the EEC that still drives on the left, making our driving conditions uniqe in europe.
We have the most congested traffic conditions than anywhere else in western europe.
No Rory I dont think I am any better or any worse than any other driver, but because we are British (or Irish) we are taught differently than other european drivers.
Wrong.
Try any major city in Europe, as has been mentioned already.
mickfly:
rocky 7:
As usual the point of the discussion as been lost in transit.the original point was , driving BRITISH registered trucks on foreign licences wether we like it or not we ARE different than the rest of europe , we are the only country in the EEC that still drives on the left, making our driving conditions uniqe in europe.
We have the most congested traffic conditions than anywhere else in western europe.
No Rory I dont think I am any better or any worse than any other driver, but because we are British (or Irish) we are taught differently than other european drivers.Wrong.
Try any major city in Europe, as has been mentioned already.
Sorry Mick I disagree, I spent over 25 years international driving ,and the worst place for con gestion,as always been UK.And that includes the peraphrique in Paris.
rocky 7:
As usual the point of the discussion as been lost in transit.the original point was , driving BRITISH registered trucks on foreign licences wether we like it or not we ARE different than the rest of europe , we are the only country in the EEC that still drives on the left, making our driving conditions uniqe in europe.
We have the most congested traffic conditions than anywhere else in western europe.
No Rory I dont think I am any better or any worse than any other driver, but because we are British (or Irish) we are taught differently than other european drivers.
I am a foreign national driving a British registered truck on British roads though…
and I never did a test in this country as said in my above post… 
oh and I am not convinced that British roads are the most congested at all…
I have seen far worse in other EU country’s
TobyJug-LC:
rocky 7:
As usual the point of the discussion as been lost in transit.the original point was , driving BRITISH registered trucks on foreign licences wether we like it or not we ARE different than the rest of europe , we are the only country in the EEC that still drives on the left, making our driving conditions uniqe in europe.
We have the most congested traffic conditions than anywhere else in western europe.
No Rory I dont think I am any better or any worse than any other driver, but because we are British (or Irish) we are taught differently than other european drivers.I am a foreign national driving a British registered truck on British roads though…
and I never did a test in this country as said in my above post…oh and I am not convinced that British roads are the most congested at all…
I have seen far worse in other EU country’s
If you feel you are competant to drive in the UK, then you should have no problem in passing the Tests, like all UK nationals have to do.
no you don’t have the most congested roads in europe, try driving around hamburg between 06,00 and 10.00 and then from 15.00hrs to 19.00hrs and brussles and most big citys in holland, i would love to see alot of you cope around milan, when was the last time you went up to another driver and said were makeing diner do you want some, which is wot happened to me today and the other drivers were polish, in the back of the trailer big feed and a big chat ive never even had an english driver offer a cup of tea never mind diner, get real ur no better than any other driver…
rorykk:
no you don’t have the most congested roads in europe, try driving around hamburg between 06,00 and 10.00 and then from 15.00hrs to 19.00hrs and brussles and most big citys in holland, i would love to see alot of you cope around milan, when was the last time you went up to another driver and said were makeing diner do you want some, which is wot happened to me today and the other drivers were polish, in the back of the trailer big feed and a big chat ive never even had an english driver offer a cup of tea never mind diner, get real ur no better than any other driver…
Rory, read the posts properly before you reply.
i did read the post pal im makeing the piont that most foreign drivers are as good anybody els and why should they lower there standards to drive in england, i think your just anti anything or anyone thats not british,
Driving in Milan…Piece of ■■■■.
rocky 7:
As usual the point of the discussion as been lost in transit.the original point was , driving BRITISH registered trucks on foreign licences wether we like it or not we ARE different than the rest of europe , we are the only country in the EEC that still drives on the left, making our driving conditions uniqe in europe.
We have the most congested traffic conditions than anywhere else in western europe.
No Rory I dont think I am any better or any worse than any other driver, but because we are British (or Irish) we are taught differently than other european drivers.
You sure about that? Last time i went to the Republic of Ireland it was drive on the left, like wise Malta. But hey don’t a small factual error get in the way of your xenophobic view. 
rorykk:
i did read the post pal im makeing the piont that most foreign drivers are as good anybody els and why should they lower there standards to drive in england, i think your just anti anything or anyone thats not british,
you still havn’t got the point PAL!1/ How can you lower standards that you havn’t got 2/ if you think you’ve got high standards where’s the problem in taking the british test, perhaps you are scared you would not be able to pass it.
Wiretwister:
rocky 7:
As usual the point of the discussion as been lost in transit.the original point was , driving BRITISH registered trucks on foreign licences wether we like it or not we ARE different than the rest of europe , we are the only country in the EEC that still drives on the left, making our driving conditions uniqe in europe.
We have the most congested traffic conditions than anywhere else in western europe.
No Rory I dont think I am any better or any worse than any other driver, but because we are British (or Irish) we are taught differently than other european drivers.You sure about that? Last time i went to the Republic of Ireland it was drive on the left, like wise Malta. But hey don’t a small factual error get in the way of your xenophobic view.
your another one who doesn’t read the posts properly.