I did qualify wht I said :-) We don't live in an igloo :-))))))))))))))))

And nor do you,  I know, I went to Newcastle. Once ...

in that I'm sorry to lose the contacts yes, I thought I'd said that in the
post. Perhaps I didn't.

Know anything good for a failing memory?

LOL

Mary

I think most differences are because of the relative sizes of our countries.
USA is HUGE compared with UK - and most of the population of UK is not
evenly distributed - same with you but it makes more of a difference here.

The only comparison with your interstate highways are our motorways which
are nothing like as long nor as wide yet mile for mile there is far, far
more traffic on them. The same applies to your freeways but at busy busy
times they're not much different. I've been driven through Seattle's evening
rush hour and it's very similar to driving through many of our major cities
at rush hour - except that our roads are a bit smaller and there are more
holdups. Local roads are much the same here as there - but again there's
more traffic per mile.

I was reminded of this when I went to the new oncology centre - thus nicely
going back on topic. The corridors were wider than in the older hospitals so
the same number of people had a lot more space to walk with ease.

As for speed on the British roads - in built-up areas the limit for cars,
vans and motorbikes is 30mph, on many residential streets it's 20mph. Hardly
anyone drives within those limits.

On open roads the limit is 40mph. Hardly anyone keeps to that limit.

On motorways and dual carriageways where there isn't a lower limit the limit
is 70mph for all vehicles except those towing and Heavy Goods Vehicles. The
HGVs have governors which mean that it's impossible for them to drive at
more than 60mph - their limit. Most other drivers don't keep to the speed
limit.

What's worse is that people feel justified in not keeping to the limits ...

When I was in Washington State I was surprised at the low speed of traffic
and at the observation of driving regulations. We're brought up with
American films which show fantastic speeds and reckless driving, I saw none
of that. I'm sure offences do happen - I saw notices asking for offences to
be reported. This was before mobile phones were common in UK but must have
been common in USA. We still don't have such exhortations and probably
because most Brits seem not to like to tell on other people's misdoings -
poerhaps because they think someone might tell on them.

We are irresponsible drivers and the deaths and injuries on our roads
reflect that - but people still continue to break the laws - which in my
opinion aren't sufficiently enforced. Our street has had a 20mph limit on it
for some time, it's clearly marked and there are humps and marks in the
road. But drivers still travel its short length at far higher speeds than
even 30mph - some doing high speeds while reversing for long distances
because they can't be bothered to do three point turns.

Road deaths aren't taken seriously by Joe Public but withold a cancer drug
and there's Hell to pay. We often hear such plaints as, "If it saves one
life the cost will be worth it!"  Ten lives a week could be saved by drivers
being responsible.

You can tell I feel strongly about car crime!

Then there are those drivers who park on pvements, thus forcing pedestrians,
some tith toddlers or prams or in wheelchairs, into the road. That happens
in our street because people can't be bothered to park in their drives.

Ggggggggggggrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr ...........

YES! Even when it's sharing ill-feelings :-)

Mary