I have to submit this, not because I necessarily think that Americans are
by definition bad drivers, but just because I thought of it and I think
it's funny:
You're all familiar with the little etching on side-view mirrors (convex
ones) that say "OBJECTS IN MIRROR ARE CLOSER THAN THEY APPEAR," right?
Well, I think that ought to be changed on US market cars to:
"OBJECTS IN MIRROR ARE BEHIND YOU."
I must now say that I have never stepped foot outside this country (and
frankly, I'm quite content with that) so I don't know first hand what
drivers elsewhere are like. I usually, if not always, scoff at regional or
state based generalizations about the quality of drivers. My experience
tells me that every state's drivers complain about the neighboring state's
drivers and what idiots they all are.
I will offer this observation, however. I learned to drive in a community
of about 60,000. (Medford, Oregon) Not a small town, but not huge, either.
After driving several years there, I drove to Portland for God knows what.
I hadn't driven in a "big city" prior to that, and I immediately noticed
that IN GENERAL, drivers there were by far more alert and aware. I don't
think this has anything to do with just Portland, mind you... but rather I
think that it's simply due to the amount of traffic one has to learn to
deal with in a metropolitan area. I noticed the same thing when I moved to
Seattle (ugh!) several years later. Now I live in a community of only
30,000+ (Bend, Oregon) and now I have to really watch out for folks!!
Anyone else wanna back this up?
Pete Chadwell
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