Quote:
Originally Posted by dP3NGU1N
The problem is America is too free with it's individual's rights. There is no courtesy, there is no reserved passing lane, people barely ever signal; these offences are all reserved for the biggest ******** in Europe while they're common place within the US. We don't have a culture of allowing a faster lane - it's always me, me, me, and MY rights. I'm allowed to be in the left most lane because I exist, even though I'm only going 45 on a 55mph motorway. If you tried that in Italy they'll run you out of the country (as my girlfriend found out). Other countries simply treat driving differently. We treat it as a right, everyone else treats it as a privilege (there are exceptions, I'm generalizing here). Everyone's comments about raising the speed limit seems far fetched because the average American simply cannot be trusted with the responsibility of higher speed. And it's not necessarily anyone's fault. It's just how our road going society evolved - we essentially invented the modern day automobile. We treated it as manifest destiny.
And this isn't just with driving. Everytime I'm in a different country there are always areas for passing. Everyone stands to one side on escalators so people in a hurry can run by. Embarrassingly, if not for the language spoken I can often mistake Americans for people from mainland China. Whenever I land back in states, I know it, because all sense of courtesy disappears. Our airports are ******* zoos. International traveler should be able to back me up on this because I don't think my experiences are isolated. If you compare LAX to Hethrow, Hong Kong, Incheon, or Munich they're all quiet and orderly and courteous in comparison to our gorillas at the TSA.
Please don't mistake my comments and observations for hating the US. I live here and I call this country my home. But there's a lot we can learn from other countries if only we'd try. But we won't because that's not what Americans do.
Ok, I apologize. /rant
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No need to apologize and that was not a rant. You said it correctly and too bad if many are "butt hurt". When I was living in Germany, the (too many) American's that acted too "Americanish" were always treated by the locals like ****. I never had any issues (with Europeans) while I lived in Europe. On the autobahn I was able to do 160 plus mph and I only passed others while I was in the left lane. If a faster car was approaching me from behind and he/she was faster than me I had (yes, I had to by law) to get out of their way. The left lane was reserved for passing only regardless if speed limits or not. In the three years I lived in Europe, I was never passed on the right. Driving as fast as you can is only allowed on some areas, the rest of the autobahn has speed limits and the suggested limit is 80 mph's.
Whenever I went to a restaurant or any other place I tried my best to communicate in their language. Once they noticed I was not European but I was trying my best, they would do their best to make me feel welcomed and would even try to communicate in my own language as well. On the other hand, the few instances I would see other American's "acting" as a if they deserved everything, they would end up being treated as a second or even third class citizen.
Driving in many parts of Europe is a privilege and so is here as well but many of us don't know the difference between a right and a privilege. The Bill or Rights and the following amendments does not mention anything about driving, so that means it is not a right but a privilege.