Swiss drivers... most impatient crowd in the world?

Complaints Corner
41
Your Welcome!

42

But how about your Borats?

43
Iz niiiice. Sexy time.

44
I haven't read all the thread ( I am lazy and busy today )

But I'll point out 2 basic things most foreigners don't know.

1. Pre-selection is fundamental here.

That means, you should know where are you going and you should pick the lane that takes you there well in advance.

There are plenty of signs telling you that for example "to go to Alstetten you have to take the right lane"

If you reach the intersection on the left lane, and then you try to change lanes there, you are interrupting traffic.

And this would not have happened if you had pay attention to the signs.

Hence the tooting.

Same thing when you want to turn right, you'l have to preselect you on the righ line well in adavance.

This is to comply with the first basic rule teached to all drivers here: "lane priority" the second is "right priority"-

2. The left lane on the highway is to go fast and to pass the other drivers .

It is not to go slow, under the limit, or even on the limit.

If you want to go slow, or under the limit, stay on the right.

If there is no way to pass, stay on the right.

Leave the left one for the ones who want and will pass.

45
Those tractor drivers are the worst, put-putting at 20kmp/h after half a bottle of wine.

46
Anyone who as the courage to drive into zurich on the motorway gets a pat on the back from me (brave people you are ) whenever we (my husband drives) drive to Zurich i am so nervous the cars sit on each other, flash there lights at the other drivers to try and make them get out of the lane e.t.c and also at crazy speeds very dangerous a saying my uncle told me many years ago as always stuck in my head i will share with you and please remember it when driving in a hurry

It is better to arrive in one piece, and alive than not to arrive at all

47
True, that what the law says. What that actually means is that every law abiding Swiss citizen, seeing themselves as guardians of the law will insist on sitting in the left hand lane at exactly 10 kph less than the speed limit and not move out of the way for anyone. The reason they do this is to prevent anyone from inadvertently breaking the law I suppose. The problem is that in doing so they cause frustration to many and probably contribute to accidents. Also, I am sure they are unaware of this but they are in fact breaking the law themselves which says that you should keep right if possible. there are other Zürich driving habits that can drive you mad, never using the rear view mirror is one meaning they have no idea of what's going on behind them and the business of suddenly stopping to let countless cars out from a side road. No comprehension of the zip principle.

48
Having just rented a car here and drove last week between Zürich and Schaffhausen - I'll take that any day over Texas drivers. Drivers in Texas have no fear of death -- they ignore speed limits - weave in and out of traffic on the highways - tailgate - and always have something in their hands other than the steering wheel. I spent 7 years there and always kept my eyes open for the next lunatic.

Here -- the distances between cars is a little unnerving at first - but I found myself getting comfortable with it since the drivers here seem to be far less erratic.

Although we drove in Germany last week on the Auto Bahn and that was a truly scary experience -- cars whoosed by and were gone before you knew it.

49
Swiss also seem to have no idea on a 3-lane M-way. Most sit in the middle lane and hand out filthy looks when you dare under-take them.

50
True, but far too many times it is not possible to change lane when the sign is visible, it is then just too late. The option to signal, slow down and try to squeeze in is not worth it. Sometimes, a few are friendly and give space but some really lose their self control. I dont want to deal with that kind of drivers and taking that kind of risks.

So due to this kind aggressive driving here I bought a GPS a soon as they were on the market. Then I get the lane information earlier and also, if I am stuck in the wrong lane anyway I just continue and just follow the recalculated route.

I have even seen how a car have honked at the car in the front when the car in front signals to make left turn but since there is tram going by, it has to wait. With other words, situation should be completely clear: 2 seconds. But no.

Another case, a car waits for people cross the crosswalk, and the car behind honks as if the driver in the front actually had the choice ploughing into the people walking on the crosswalk? The driver was beating the horn with his fists, bang bang bang. This was at central in Zürich, as I was standing there sipping my starbucks coffee and watching it with amazement.

51
sorry to steer off again but someone told me boston drivers are famously bad (ie. the argauers of the US) anyone?

52
Just curious... Where in Texas were you?

53
Er, isn't overtaking on the inside illegal here like it is in the U.K?

(exceptions noted)

54
You see... the victorian ladies do love the bad boys at the end

55
Signaling is also not to be trusted in parts of the US especially in the southern parts. It's pandemonium around Miami. However, as one of those who've learned to drive in Asia, I'm rather aggressive. It's just as well that I work from home these days.

56
hahahaha! i think these are the germans with zurich license plate as i(german) find that swiss are the most annoying slow drivers! absolutely

no traffic awareness as it takes them ages to cross a street, join a lane or what have you. in germany...if someones carboot is blocking the road a bit that you cant pass, we go over the sidewalk if possible or similar stuff. i think its impossible, people dont do that here as you have to pay tremendous fines doing so, so have i. when im sitting next to my colleague (swiss) giving me a lift, i go bananas how crap he is driving! he sticks to every hecking rule...drives me nuts! and i force my way through so i dont see that swiss dont let me in or i cant overtake or something...

57
Never doubted that. The more repressed people are, the more kinky they are. I come from a very non-religious "no-morals" society and am very, very meat and potatoes. Missionary, girl on top, flowers before a candlelight supper, in a wild moment maybe some hanky panky in the back seat of the car but that's about it.

58
Dallas for 7 years -- left there in November for here

59
I'm jealous.

I don't doubt that there are more drivers in Texas than Suisse that match your description, but most of my life has been lived in Houston and Austin, and I personally haven't observed a great many of them. It could be that they're more plentiful in the Dallas area.

60
I am convinced that so many Swiss are so repressed that the only time that they feel in control is when they are behind the wheel. I have worked with the most polite people who during the day would not say boo to a goose then when the time comes for them to drive home - something happens......