Motorists who do not only drive in the shade
Having read Jason Duglere George's letter The Most Anti-Social Drivers In Europe (October 8), I cannot agree more with his comments. I have had the pleasure of living and driving in the UK for almost 20 years and now every time I get behind the wheel...
Having read Jason Duglere George's letter The Most Anti-Social Drivers In Europe (October 8), I cannot agree more with his comments. I have had the pleasure of living and driving in the UK for almost 20 years and now every time I get behind the wheel of our car I am simply amazed and appalled at the standard of driving.
Apart from our drivers not knowing the meaning of "right of way" I would like to add some other factors that contribute to this very sad state of affairs on our roads.
I think cars do not automatically come fitted with indicators; these are classified as an optional extra when purchasing a car, and therefore no one has them fitted. Learning to drive with one hand is, on the other hand (sorry for the pun) a must, and something which we Maltese have mastered to perfection. By this I mean driving while using a mobile phone. What has happened to drivers being fined when caught doing this?
My husband and I cannot believe how this dangerous habit is not being controlled, as the violation of this law is increasing on a daily basis. One just needs to sit on a park bench and count the number drivers that go by on their phones.
I have seen drivers of heavy concrete mixer trucks and bus drivers doing this too.
The most recent experience of this was a bus driver on the phone almost constantly from Valletta to Sliema. But the best one ever was on Regional Road with a female driver (and we all know that we women can multi-task) who was eating a banana with one hand and on the phone with her other - obviously the car must have been an automatic.
Another thing that baffles me is the lack of road manners. It is very rare when giving way to another driver, especially when it is not their right of way or when there is an obstruction, for that driver to acknowledge and thank you for letting them through. Being Maltese myself, I am ashamed of this lack of manners and arrogant attitude. I can't forget to mention the bullies driving in their 4x4s who think that size is might.