What We LOVE & HATE About Driving in the USA?

[@AloysiusDente]

As a driver in the US right on red is quite nice but now as a pedestrian/cyclist in Europe I am glad it's not a thing as it would be quite dangerous. Also, due to right on red being a thing in 90% of cases in the US, most people ignore "no right on red" signs which are specifically there at certain intersections to protect pedestrians/cyclists. It has often happened to me that someone beeps their horn at me for not making a right on red even when there is a no right on red sign.

[@jaromirandel543]

In Europe when you have "full green" - Without arrows in it - the pedestrians on the left may have green light and the cars in opposite way so do have green. So you have to give them way, even you have green. If you have Green with arrow right, the pedestrians on the right might have also green light. Only when you have Green left arrow or you go straight forward, you can go without giving way to anyone.

[@farkstein1213]

"You look left, and you turn right!" says enough about pedestrian/cycling traffic imho :)

[@jaromirandel543]

Also we often have additional green arrow to the right. In that case you can go right, but you have to give a way to everyone first.

[@TheRealSpeedWolf]

As a French driver who has driven in North America for ten years, I agree with your sentiment. as all the signage and regulations in Europe are for safety, while in North America they are seen as an inconvenience and, in some cases, I would even say, a scam. The safety of pedestrians and drivers is not a priority whatsoever. I myself drive a motorcycle in Cancun, Mexico, and at a red light intersection, a driver behind me honks to move forward to make a right turn. The rules are not the same as they are in the United States, but the danger is. I move my bike a little bit to the left, the driver goes forward, and he gets hit by an oncoming vehicle. Could you imagine if there was a cyclist or pedestrian passing in that moment as well? There's also a serious problem with vehicles that are in bad shape or are not well maintained when it comes to road safety. for example I was driving pass with my motorbike and there was a vehicle making a U-turn. but didn't signal. The guy of the second vehicle did break but his tail light didn't work. another vehicle behind the second guy was tailgating and couldn't break in time. in the end all three vehicles collided with each other. which could have been prevented. I have seen so many crashes, which was asinine and moronic, I would say that they shouldn't have a driving license as their are public endangerment to themselves and everybody around them. unfortunately I'm in Mexico right now and the police have the same problem, driving with the cell phone and going straight into a red light without any siren.

[@arsvi123]

The problem is I think is that the way no turn on red restrictions are signed is not great. For one, usually you will have two signs, one on the right side, often behind you when you're in a position to make the right turn and one on the traffic light mast where at night most car headlights don't light it up. Some intersections will also put it on the traffic light pole on the other side of the intersection, which is better placement IMO. The other problem is the existence of no turn on red when pedestrians in the intersection sign, which looks virtually indistinguishable from normal NTOR signs except for the small when pedestrians in intersection text under it. Since you see the latter signs a lot more often than you see a straight NTOR, it makes it easy to tune out NTOR signs as a whole. Overall there is some progress on this front, I think having lighted no right turn signs that I have started seeing in some cities is progress, though I think what the US needs is a pictographic sign dedicated purely for NTOR. I'm generally a fan of the worded signs used in the US vs pictographic signs in the Vienna convention since so many signs are so obscure as to be meaningless if you haven't seen it since you got your DL, but NTOR signs are common enough to where I don't think that meaning would get lost in the same way and making it distinctive would be a better way to get compliance with NTOR rules.

[@Ryulin18]

We visited Texas from the UK and were blown away driving there. In the UK you're constantly zigging between motorways and in Texas our GPS just said "Continue straight for 180 miles". We even spent the whole time in cruise control, which is impossible in the UK!

[@omnomnomnomnomnomnom]

"Americans think 100 years is a long time. Europeans think 100 miles is a long way".

[@jagtan13]

Speaking of hundreds; the meme way back in the day, with the temperature being 100 degrees, always brings a laugh. 😁 50 degrees in California: Arcticwear 50 degrees in Michigan: T-shirt weather 100 degrees in CA: T-shirt weather 100 degrees in MI: marathon runner on fire. Then, someone from London pipped in, rightfully confused. Him forgetting that it was in degrees Fahrenheit assumed it was Celsius. 50 degrees in London: great fire 100 degrees in London: molten lava!

[@rich7447]

Coming out of Denver on eastbound I-70 my GPS told me to take exit X (in Kansas City) in 600 miles. I had already been on the road for 12 hours at that point so it was a little disheartening.

[@Kikester]

We also have a toll road here that has a speed limit of 85 mph so that’s 136 kmph. It’s by Austin, Texas lol

[@rpgvag]

Well... the size of North America explains it all. I think a lot of people that aren't from here don't realize how big the US and Canada are

[@LUSCIOUSDUNCAN]

i am 32 and have lived in the united states my entire life and a guy from the czech republic just told me the logic of our interstate numbering system and i had no idea such logic existed. i simultaneously feel like an idiot but am also amazed

[@alexanders.6080]

In Ukraine, we have "green arrows" placed next to the red light signal. Whenever you see such an arrow it gives you permission to make the right turn on a red signal. These are normally only placed in places where it is safe to turn on red. I saw similar in Germany and some other countries, but not often though.

[@TheSiemek]

Same in Poland. I don’t think letting everyone turn right on red is a good idea in Europe. We have a looot more pedestrians and cyclists.

[@saiien2]

In Czechia we have it aswell.

[@JohnDlugosz]

In the U.S. such a green arrow means you don't have to stop to turn right. The more usual *red* arrow means you treat it as a stop sign: come to a complete stop first, then turn right.

[@kornelobajdin5889]

We have the same green right when leaving the work place here in Germany. If there is incoming traffic from left you gotta let them trough. Also a lot of those right turns without lights. I think its the similar right on red. That was new for me when coming there cuz there wasnt such roads in my home country so I had to get used to it. We only had right or left turns but with red and green on crossroads. But no separate right turns where you dont follow lights but signs for side road. As you have to let traffic through.

[@KillertoastGaming]

Yeah they are VERY rare

[@samurai5910]

5:15 In Germany we have something similar. Even numbers are from East to West. Odd numbers are from North to South. Single digits mean long national Autobahn. Two digits mean regional. Three digits means that it connects two other Autobahns. Also 2 and 3 digit Autobahns often start with the same number as the postal code in that area. Also the single digit Autobahns start with lower numbers in the North and East.

[@alphonsbretagne8468]

AFAIK in the beginnings, the two digit Autobahn were meant to be the connectors and the digits are the ones from the single digit ones. So A14 would connect A1 and A4. But this idea was dropped very quickly.

[@hoej]

Same for the E-roads in general in Europe - E55, E49 etc.

[@marcusnolte7476]

man lernt nicht aus. wusste ich alles nicht (hat auch damals die Fahrschule nicht erklärt)

[@jurajkovac8507]

Janek, of all the places in the world, can you imagine right turns on red in Prague?! Unlike most of the US, pedestrians actually exist here. You can already see the madness that is I. P. Pavlova where cars from Ječná get a green light to turn right while a crowd is still crossing Sokolská. Now imagine this, but more chaotic.

[@pejsekocicka]

One must give way to pedestrians when he turns, even when he has got a green light.

[@kmartyCZ]

Either as @pejsekocicka says, but when "right on the red" occurs, the pedestrians have also red. So I don't think it's as big issue as you think.

[@edipires15]

@@kmartyCZ the pedestrians on the perpendicular road have green as well, so yeah it's a big issue

[@kmartyCZ]

@@edipires15 In the moment, when the "right on the red" occurs, the pedestrian who want to go across perpendicular road (the road to which "right on the red" driver would want to go) has red light. On any other case, the rule "pedestrian has the right of the way (on his green light)" still works (as usual). So where's the issue?

[@edipires15]

@@kmartyCZ the issue is that drivers will disregard the pedestrians’ right of way 90% of the time. Drivers are human and they make mistakes (knowingly or unknowingly). That’s why right on red should not be permitted

[@Acusumano25]

i love that you talk about the "left lane is for passing only" signs. other states use a derogatory phrasing where "slow traffic must keep right," but people dont want to consider themselves slow. bunch of psychology goes into minor details about traffic dynamics

[@zuti071]

Lack of capital letters at the start of sentences should be next topic on this channel.

[@Acusumano25]

@@zuti071 why are you concerned with minor grammatical or punctuation errors?

[@GermFreeFusion]

@@zuti071 get bent

[@jozef_chocholacek]

@@Acusumano25 You know, those (grammatical and punctuation rules) have been invented in order to make the readers to understand the writer's intention more easily. If you don't want us to understand you, why you even bother to write?

[@Acusumano25]

@@jozef_chocholacek a simple capitalization at the start of a sentence, aka what the other moaner already identified, has a minimal effect, if any, on the meaning of a sentence. the content and intention doesnt change because of a singular capital letter

[@dominikk6531]

I've never been to the US so I cannot say much in that matter, but as a Polish living in Czech Republic I really am glad of the courtesy of drivers to pedestrians, even thought I've been living here for over 4 years I still get surprised when I see cars stopping for me on zebras and slowing down in a considerate distance and not right in front of the crossing.

[@Darwinek]

It improved over the years. It was much worse.

[@remiphillips]

depends where you are, but in my state, you are required to stop if someone is wanting to use the crosswalk

[@1VaDude]

I am a US citizen living in Germany. Pedestrians in a crosswalk ALWAYS have the right-of-way here (when their signal is green), even when a car has a green light to make a turn. In the United States, the crosswalk is pretty much the kill zone.

[@staszekr03]

It's a legal requirement in poland. Cars always stop for me when i'm trying to cross the road.

[@P00katube]

PUT IT IN H!!!!!

[@jreyman]

School Bus: Yellow lights on school bus flashing is notification of approaching a stop. Once they switch to red, you must stop. You may proceed when the red lights turn off (also when the stop sign retracts).

[@shioyoutube9041]

It’s interesting watching this as a European non-driver with an interest in Urban Planning. A lot of the things you like about driving in America are also things that make America miserable as a pedestrian and some of them even result in worse traffic jams. Right turn on red does speed up traffic, sure, but it makes it way more dangerous to be pedestrians, drivers are required to look for pedestrians but they often don’t, this makes it harder to cross and leads to collisions, and when the pedestrian experience is worsened enough people start to drive short distances instead of walking, and if even 3 pedestrians decide to drive rather than walk because of RToR, the extra traffic immediately counteracts any speed benefit from right turn on red. The lights too, having them on that side of the intersection does make it easy to see, but if also means a lot of drivers don’t stop properly on the line. A really common problem in America is drivers blocking the crosswalk as they stop at the furthest point they can, which combined with RToR makes walking even worse, people sometimes get hit by cars because they walk out into the crossing quickly in a gap between turning cars only to get stuck in the middle because someone pulls up and blocks the crosswalk, only for another turning car to run them over because they weren’t looking for pedestrians. In Europe, from my experience, the stop line is placed at the furthest point that an average car can still see the lights from, and therefore the crossing isn’t blocked and people can still usually see the light. The parking lots also are a real mixed bag, sure it’s convenient when you drive but it makes everything further apart and makes walking more depressing, incentivising more people to drive and making really inefficient use of space. Often with the increased amount of drivers, even larger parking lots are needed, and it eventually makes things worse for everyone. It’s a tough situation because drivers find these things really convenient but they have a cost, and the amount of drivers means it’s hard to ever get these things changed, and with these factors always creating more drivers (as well as US zoning plans and some other things to consider) more and more people get used to the convenience and don’t want to change things, even if it makes it better for pedestrians.

[@adamcheeseplease]

I understand what you're saying, but it wouldn't be an issue because as a European, if I moved to the US, I'd get a car and alleviate most of those issues

[@VitorHugo-hd8bw]

@@adamcheeseplease That's exactly the issue. The fact that you are obligated to have a car in the US even if you didn't want to.

[@michellemaine2719]

@@adamcheeseplease and you would get fat

[@PointNemo9]

Why do you care so much about a country you don't even live in?

[@langhamp8912]

European cities have, for the most part, purposefully designed their cities to be more pedestrian friendly. The US, almost without exception, is hostile to pedestrians. While the right on red is pretty bad, US cities often have something that's much worse...the slip road. This allows a right on red without stopping or even slowing down much. I do think most of the problems of drivers hitting pedestrians while making a right on red could be avoided by simply putting the stoplights on the near instead of the far side.

[@Axelle114]

Speaking as someone from Florida...yes, you will find so many strange things on the road (and everywhere else in the state). Just the other day I saw an altered golf cart on US1. As in a cart that someone installed a gas motor in. No windshield or doors or anything. Probably not legal but, yeah, it's Florida so no one is gonna look twice at that thing. 🤣

[@thomasasix1884]

Mainly red states have no inspection, blues states are usually more regulated.

[@MKRN98]

@@thomasasix1884 yeah, especially Illinois... No check engine light? Send it! Rotted out truck frame? Ah, who cares!

[@STho205]

@@thomasasix1884 most of the highly regulated areas are really just using it for tax collection...yet their roads are some of the worst on the upper continent.

[@saundersdachicken6197]

Using golf carts in Florida is very common where you have snowbirds down for the winter.

[@jeanneknight4791]

Florida is the home of the legendary "Florida man". My parent live in the FL Keys and I used to live in Sarasota. The bizaare thing you see in Florida are so numerous it is mind boggling I once saw an overturned vehicle in a drive though fast food lane in Bradenton. The Amish bicyclers get clipped on a regular basis. Golf carts are the new wheelchair. Wheelchairs are now called scooters to be cool.

[@timbofoo]

The nice thing about having the stop lights on the near side of the intersection is it encourages cars to stop earlier. In the US people will often pull all the way across the crosswalk before stopping -- in Prague they don't do that since they wouldn't be able to see the light turn green.

[@JxDGT]

I actually see that red F150 in Prague regularly, it parks in the neighbourhood, which is the Prague centre. Funny thing about it - it once parked on a sidewalk like this - and they couldnt tow it away due to its size, so they instead clamped it. It was fun to look at

[@fly1063]

I actually know the guy that owns this car, it's a french guy Frederic Delavier

[@NoZenith]

​@@fly1063😂

[@__PJ__]

That's why i carry a cordless angle grinder in my car... they are now powerful enough ( thanks to lithium battery's ) to make short work of wheel clamps.. pmsl

[@NoZenith]

@@__PJ__ or... don't park illegally? 😅🤣

[@EMicheleAdams]

I'm from the US and my perspective feels your right on, except I've become skeptical of right turns on red. In places where there is little or no pedestrian traffic they make sense, but there is usually room in these places for a slip lane for right turns and may prove a better answer in these circumstances.

[@eriks8]

Hi, I am an european living in New York State, and I have some comments: 1. in the US there are "default" sped limits like in Europe. For example, in NY state, the speed limit outside cities is 55 miles, and there is no need to have it posted again and again unless it´s different in a particular area. 2 In the US there are also A LOT of drivers who speed and want you to pull right to let them through when you are passing a truck. 3. Gas prices have been high for a while, but are much lower now. 4. I have not seen any gas station where you have to pre-pay - it is an option but not compulsory. Finally, I remember that in eastern countries (I remember this from East Germany shortly after the wall came down) turning right on red was actually allowed. Technically it was not "on red", because they had a little sign with a green arrow pointing to the right, imitating a green traffic light, but without light because it was permanent. So at every intersection, you had "green light" to turn right.

[@MrFreezeYo]

as a German I can confirm the green arrow on some crossings - especially in east germany, but also in the rest of it.

[@Aprlmoore]

I am from the US and generally don't like huge, bullish vehicles. But they make sense if you are hauling a team of contractors or doing actual heavy work. If you're not, then, well they are just ego. But ego is what often drives their purchase.

[@_Shay_]

Orrr get this, they like the vehicle. The features, what it can do, the design. Not everything has to be so pessimistic?

[@dadisphat6426]

I’m not offended at all. As a Texan who has travelled the world I love the differences. It makes travel fun. Pros and cons everywhere

[@leob4403]

US is mostly cons like the statitics clearly prove you lag far behind in traffic safety

[@dadisphat6426]

@@leob4403 That's true but at least we can drive more than 25mph here. European traffic can be so boring and don't get me started about the damn speed cameras giving you a ticket by mail.

[@leob4403]

@@dadisphat6426 rather boring than dead. and I wouldnt dare to speed too much in the US because I dont want to get beaten up or shot by some lunatic cop.

[@dadisphat6426]

@@leob4403 you also forgot about the road rage here on the us and the higher rate of violence on minorities. So let’s try positivity, anything you like about the USA?

[@leob4403]

@@dadisphat6426 haha good one man well yeah of course its a hate/love-thing. I find that your language has permeated by brain so thouroughly that I use it more often than my native language Swedish when I think and speak to myself (yes Im demented). My favourite show of all time is the Simpsons, my apartment is full of Simpsons stuff. My greatest music influences that inspire my own playing is stuff like Smashing Pumpkins, Joe Satriani, Metallica and Green Day, aswell as Brittish bands of course. Most of my favourite movies were produced in the US. The mass media and propaganda are obviously to blame for a lot of my negative feelings, but the mass medias are honestly equally awful here. I guess what irks me is a sense if superiority and cockyness that leads me to wanting to "take down" some americans a notch or two. A lot of americans it seems are convinced that the american way is always the best. But I do the same with Swedish people. Its just an instinct I have. At the same time I feel like in sports and esports the rivalry between US and Europe is one I usually enjoy indulging in, it adds some drama and ethos (or is it pathos?) to the proceedings

[@Knautschfriese]

Great Video! The Problem with „Turn Right on Red“ is, that here in Europe there are more pedestrians and Bicycleriders. There would be an massive increase of accidents with cars that turn right and „don’t see that person on the right“.

[@JarinCOD]

BS. Even now when you have green in a car and turn right, there are pedestrians who also have green, so you have to stop.

[@kozmaz87]

I am glad someone else pointed out that most right turn lights usually also allow the pedestrians through you have to wait on. So yeah I call BS on this too.

[@holycaketree]

@@JarinCOD but it allows for more careless driving. There will be people that just wont even stop properly and just turn right. Only allowing it in certain places is just safer

[@JarinCOD]

@@holycaketree Bad drivers = bad accidents. Good driver has no problem with going right on red light.

[@JarinCOD]

@@kozmaz87 I guess only us are actual pedestrians and drivers here.

[@IstasPumaNevada]

School busses in U.S.: If the red lights are flashing on a school bus and the bus is on the same road as you, you _have_ to stop the whole time the red lights are flashing, even if the bus doesn't have the fold-out stop sign. The only exception is if the bus is on the other side of a physical barrier from you, like a guard rail or concrete barrier separating the opposing directions of traffic. (Busses will have yellow lights that flash before the red ones to give you a warning that you're going to need to stop.)

[@TheBooban]

Crazy. Those school buses stop anywhere. And its normal to slow down and drive carefully in this case. Completely stopping is dumb.

[@TheKrjack]

Depends really. In WA you can go by if you are on the other side of the road and there’s a lane separating you and the school bus.

[@haverberg]

Why would ANYONE want to drive around school busses? I'm usually so paranoid and frozen when I see the stop sign out or the lights flashing, I even put the car in park just to be safe. It only takes a moment of not paying attention ...

[@bigjared8946]

Don’t have to stop here if the bus is on the other side of a road with more two lanes. Unfortunately at least half the drivers don’t understand this.

[@jaycee330]

17:00 That's mandated by law that the driver side mirror must represent a true reflection (the right one doesn't have to). Many people attach blind spot mirrors anyway.

[@dennisshaykevich3451]

8:30 Most US states have what is known as the statutory speed limit that gives you a good guide on what you should drive if you dont see a sign. It depends on the state but in mine it's 10mph (16kmph) for alleys, 30mph (48kmph) for streets, and 55mph (88.5kmph) for Highways in urban areas. Also, when in doubt, follow the crowd.

[@dennisshaykevich3451]

@mj6463 Minnesota. But as stated, that's The statutory speed, i.e. "unless otherwise stated". Our highways go up to 70 in rural areas.

[@realhawaii5o]

This right turn on red exists in a lot of European countries in the form of a second light on the right of the traffic light that has a right turn indicator on it. It might even have a third yellow flashing for pedestrians warning, as you need to give way to them. Furthermore, in countries like Estonia or Finland, it's common to have the traffic light on the opposing side of the street as well.

[@gameguild1555]

In the Netherlands, only cyclists are sometimes allowed to do this, for the rest I do not encounter this anywhere

[@arjankleene]

The benefit of a light for turning right is that it will be switched off (turning not allowed) if pedestrians or cyclists are allowed to cross the road you want to turn into.

[@dsego84]

In Croatia more and more intersections are getting additional traffic lights on the opposing side as well.

[@ligametis]

@@gameguild1555 why cyclists have different rules from cars?

[@Regnorash]

@@ligametis Because a bicycle is a lot less dangerous than a car. If you hit a pedestrian with a car they are likely going to be severely injured or dead. If you hit them with a bike it might hurt but they'll live. It's also easier to spot and thus not hit them in the first place on a bike, because you''re not boxed in a hunk of metal. Honestly the better question is: why would cyclists have the same rules as drivers? It doesn't make much sense for 2 vastly different modes of transport to have the same rules in every situation.

[@70M45-c9r]

The right turn on red law is proven to reduce pedestrian safety

[@Acusumano25]

yes, driver negligence reduces pedestrian safety..... a red light that youre allowed to turn during is no different than a stop sign - at which you are supposed to obey pedestrian right of way.

[@RandysRides]

Walk signals. Ignored by 50% of humans... causing their own demise with faces buried in their phones. The average person looks both ways.. both walking and driving. The stupid ones get Darwin awards.

[@Acusumano25]

@@OEightHours most non-americans probably dont realize the nature of those listed states. lots of open, rural areas like you mentioned.

[@70M45-c9r]

@@OEightHours Sure, but traffic lights are mostly in cities...

[@amykortland6349]

While convenient for drivers, turning right on a red light is dangerous for pedestrians and cyclists crossing the street as drivers often only look left and don't check for people in the crosswalk (even if they have a green light). If drivers are only allowed to go through green lights, they couldn't hit the people crossing the street. Sadly the US has a nasty habit of prioritizing convenience for drivers over the safety of everyone else

[@cristibaluta]

You mean that you don't have to give priority to pedestrians or you have but you don't?

[@hockeymikey]

Or peds can look first before crossing, that's what I do. Never had issues.

[@Acusumano25]

........you must not understand traffic dynamics if you think inconveniencing drivers wont cascade and debilitate entire systems.

[@70M45-c9r]

@@cristibaluta Thé driver has to look for pedestrians, but the sad true Is that often they don't and this law encourages it...That's alibism saying "Well, they should yield to them". They don't.

[@rondowar]

Yeah, it's horrendously dangerous and if you make your traffic lights even a little bit smarter, it doesn't even give any real benefit

[@ericw.1620]

American transportation enthusiast here! Wanted to give my perspective on some of the things mentioned in the video. Right on Red: Many other commenters have already pointed out - not good if you have pedestrians. Traffic Lights: It's great until you get stuck behind a larger vehicle farther back at the light. You can't see it at all. I've almost ran red lights a few times by switching lanes from behind a larger vehicle not having seen that the light is red. Trucks: Another consideration is that the US style is (sometimes) more aerodynamically efficient, reducing some amount of fuel consumption at scale. Of course, this is offset by the much longer trips and higher truck speed limits in the US, which is another cause of the difference. US trucks need larger engines to accommodate the higher speeds and distances driven on average and larger cabins to make living out of your truck for longer periods of time more feasible/comfortable. Parking: So much valuable land wasted on parking lots :( Interstate: It's great until you start to look at non-interstate highways... Then it just gets confusing. This isn't even mentioning the multiple auxiliary highways with the same numbers Text Road Signs: There's actually a very interesting reason for this. Half as Interesting has a really good video on this, but TLDR, the US adopted a unified road sign standard by 1935, which is pretty close to what we use today. The 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals is why European signs all look the same and use symbols, which the US was a participant in but never signed. The US actually tried to update signage to use icons instead of text in the 1970s but since Americans were so used to text, it caused a bunch of issues and we reverted to text. Prepay: Honestly I don't see the issue here. Whether you put your card in before or after doesn't make a difference to me. I could only see this being an issue if you pay cash but that's relatively rare in the US. Turn Signals: It's okay you can say Technology Connections lol. But yeah I agree it's pretty confusing sometimes. Mirrors: This is made even worse by the huge blind spots in cars that are popular in the US. The garish B, C, and D pillars on big SUVs mean even if you turn your head to look out the windows, you can't see anything. Car Sizes: I hate this with a burning passion. We've made cars so big that we're resorting to the 1970s strategy of making cars literal tanks so they're somewhat safer for the people inside. But this makes them so freaking dangerous to everyone else, pedestrians, cyclists, even other cars. Electric SUVs and trucks are even worse. The heavy battery and the frame needed to support that turn them into blunt weapons in a crash. Not to mention the huge blind spots, irresponsible curb height, abysmal fuel efficiency, and horrible headlight placement. Big vehicles should be banned for personal use, or at least require a special permit and EXPENSIVE insurance.

[@fyrf0x8910]

American here. I've got a few things to say. I've always been taught during my childhood that the left lane is the "fast lane" and the right lane is the "slow lane" or "exit lane". Basically, if you want more space to go a little above the speed limit (like 5 mph) then that's where you'd want to go. If you want to go a little slower or exit the freeway, you merge to the right. Only learned of the whole "passing lane" thing when I applied for my driver's permit at the age of 15, but that's probably because I live in a large metropolitan area, and the freeways I've been on most are usually 8-10 lane interstates (4-5 lanes per side, more lanes you can use to pass), while I've never really had experience on four-lane interstates going cross country, other than a handful of road trips. American turn signals are red so that they are cheaper, and iirc only cars made by American companies (Ford, Chevrolet, Chrysler) follow this, and most if not all foreign made cars follow the traditional "European" rules As for four-way stop signs, Americans are taught that the first car that arives at the intersection has the right-of-way. If multiple cars arive at the same time, the car on the right always goes before you. (Edit for additional clarification: this also means that, if there is no car to your right, then you have the right of way Schools buses have stop signs because, on two lane roads, kids will usually cross the road right after they get off the bus, even if there is no crosswalk at the bus stop. US has more signs and signs with writing because, when getting tried in court, US citizens use the fact that they "didn't know the law" as a way to get out of it (i.e. when getting in an accident at an intersection with no stop signs you could say that there wasnt a sign to tell you to stop. Same case with the school busses and their stop signs; if you end up hitting a kid and the bus didn't have the stop signs, you could easy fight it in court. Also, with symbols as signs, someone could claim that they didn't understand the symbols meaning). This just creates a mess for both the government and insurance companies, since whoever is at fault has to pay the entirety of the damage (well at least in the U.S idk bout anywhere else). So they just take the easy way out: put more signs and make them more understandable for American citizens. (EDIT: last one idrk about, i was just guessing. maybe its really just because we americans are dumb lmao)

[@la-go-xy]

About the texted signs: LOL -- In Europe you just need to know the signs to get a drivers license, not knowing equals being in the wrong Besides, graphic signs are much quicker to percieive, you don't need to stop for reading the lot

[@fyrf0x8910]

@@la-go-xy fair point, our court system is kind of broken anyways.

[@johnnymartinjohansen]

"Didn't know the law" will NEVER EVER work as an argument here in Europe. If you're driving, you're REQUIRED to know the law, and have a license of course.

[@fyrf0x8910]

@@johnnymartinjohansen its not as much not knowing the law as it is not understanding the signs, but im no legal expert so take it all with a grain of salt

[@ulfpe]

Czech drivers has really improved their risk awareness the last 20 years. I recall going for a few hours and you would almost always see the remains of an accident and EVERYONE was speeding a lot. So nowadays it's a lot better

[@JorgeGarcia-lw7vc]

Little correction: I 10 connects Santa Monica to Jacksonville. Great video! One annoying thing about driving in Europe is multiple, changing speeds on highways or expressways. In Germany, for example, you often go in stretches from limitless to 120km to 80km. The biggest difference I see between the US and Europe is that the Main Road/Right Side Right of Way does not exist in the US. One more thing I love about Europe is the large number of roundabouts. One other difference (also within the EU) is the requirement to drive with lights on at all times. Again, great video! Diky, thanks!

[@NeroNemion]

Concerning the German Highway. As a driver, the german government assumes that you do as you have been told in driving school, and always be cautious about all signs. Not all the Autobahn is limitless. If it is a major interstate it is usually unlimited. If it turns more into a federal motorway rather than the major interstate, we usually see 120 to 130 max speed. 80 on Autobahn is only the case, if there is a construction side or anything dangerous on the tracks, so you have to drive with caution. Normally, you get a sign already a few kilometers ahead, that you are notified of a drastic speed change (e.g. construction side in 5km, which is lesss than 5 min, electronic rush hour warning on modernised highways etc ) What people often so wrong is, that they drive 120 until the 80 sign, which is not how it is supposed to be. You need to slow down to 80 until you have reached the sign. You have to avoid breaking abruptly.

[@JorgeGarcia-lw7vc]

@@NeroNemion I totally agree with you, and share the same observations, still finding the situation, despite all the mindfulness, extremely annoying. The German government despite all its virtues, handles many concerns, and so is well known for its annoyance, go figure. Happy New Year, Alles Gute!

[@flopjul3022]

@@JorgeGarcia-lw7vc but as a dutch, its still better then having to be limited to 100 or 120kmh all the time but due to emissions we have since April a law that limits motorists to 100kmh between 6am and 7pm and 130kmh between 7pm and 6am unless there is another speedlimit given(which on most highways is 120kmh but when there is no speed limit given on the highway its 130kmh at night and 100kmh at day). what frustrates me the most, our roads are in excellent shape and yet the speed limit is insanely low... i have never seen a pothole

[@NeroNemion]

@@JorgeGarcia-lw7vc Happy new year to you, too! :)

[@1VaDude]

I am a US citizen living in Germany and it is probably not a law that everyone has to have their lights on at all times. Some cars have them wired so that they will illuminate when the engine is running, but most don't. Our US-spec Mazda will turn on the headlights, parking lights and tail lamps automatically if it is anywhere remotely close to a darkened sky or close to dusk.

[@BoNajdrovsky]

Pretty fair comparison, I'd have to say. Agree with almost all your obsevations. About the only exception I feel compelled to point out is the 4-way stop in the US is definitely NOT a "every man for himself" scenario where nobody knows who should go first. As most all US drivers know, if the cars arrive at the intersection at the same time, then the car to the right has the right of way. Otherwise, whoever stops at the intersection first is the first to go. Oh, and gas is still more expensive in CZ than even California. P.S. I'm the guy that sat next to you on the flight from PRG to LHR in November. :)

[@EricaGamet]

The system works great until you get the knucklehead that thinks he'll choose THIS time to be polite and wave someone through. No... follow the rules of the 4-way stop. Other drivers don't know you've waved someone through. The rules are there so everyone is playing the game the same.

[@carkawalakhatulistiwa]

0:45 like Mr.been not only has 3 keys to start the car but also takes the wheel. so pata theft can't drive ya 1:02 and kills pedestrian 1:45 so that pedestrians can see the green light as well when crossing. there was an incident where people were crossing and then the light above turned green because pedestrians couldn't see it. the driver hits a pedestrian. and the driver is not at fault because of the green light at that time. 2:57 I don't think it's only in the United States that people drive 5000 km. even in Russia because all goods are transported by rail not trucks. The trucks used are similar to Europe because they save more space. 4:30 because cities are made for cars, not pedestrians. there are 8 parking lots for every car in the United States 8:39 because every province in the United States has different regulations regarding driving speed 9:04 why do you pass other car if ever car has the same speed 9:50Because people can't live without a car if the government takes the car of these poor people how will they go to work tomorrow.what transport do you use? uber 14:57 because is dangerous in usa .There are no roundabout in the United States to slow down cars in the United States

[@twylanaythias]

~ Trucks ~ There's a very common misconception about commercial trucks - one which, back when I was a CDL trainer, was one of the first things I prioritized getting my trainees to understand. "Don't ever allow yourself to think you're driving the truck; you're actually driving that trailer." If you're hauling a 53' (16m) trailer, it doesn't matter if you're in a cabover or a conventional with a double sleeper - everything you do is completely reliant upon the 46' (14m) between the kingpin (where the trailer connects to the truck) and the center of the trailer axles. This is not to say that there aren't advantages to cabovers having a ±30% tighter turning radius but, with very few exceptions, you've already messed up if you get into a situation where you *NEED* that difference. Even driving a conventional, you rarely max out your turning ability outside of the occasional buttonhook turn - yet, even in those circumstances, the trailer's offtracking (remember, that trailer's effective wheelbase is nearly *twice* that of a large bus) is going to be a driver's primary concern. If you can't get that *trailer* to make a turn, it doesn't matter what sort of truck is pulling it. ~ Car Sizes ~ There has been something of a paradigm shift in the US over the past few generations. Speaking as a Cusper (inbetween the Baby Boomers and Gen X), two things were 'normal' well into my 20s - most people owned their own homes (sometimes multiple homes), and people typically had multiple vehicles. There was, of course, the "family car" (a larger sedan or station wagon); the "work vehicle" (not for commuting to work, but for hauling; typically an older station wagon, cargo van, or pickup truck); and "daily drivers" (usually a compact, either for economy or something sporty). Many people would also have a "day trip" vehicle - usually something massive, like a Suburban, conversion van, or small RV - to go hunting, fishing, or spend the day at the beach. Nowadays, 'crossovers' have become the norm - a single vehicle to fill multiple roles. This trend started with the minivans, eventually morphing into the SUV craze. "One size fits all", by definition, seldom works; the roads now being filled with vehicles which are really too small to be a "family car" while being too big to be efficient as a "daily driver". If it *is* big enough to serve well as a "family car" (say, like a Suburban), it's ridiculously oversized as a "daily driver"; if it's small enough to be efficient as a "daily driver", it's way too small if you have any children with double-digit ages (and you certainly can't haul anything with it).

[@P0LYBiUS7]

I feel like you forgot to mention the Carpool Lane. That's an amazing concept!! Here's a lane on the highway that's almost never crowded because it's only for cars with 2 or more people in it. And there's usually room in it, because so many people in the US drive their car alone. Because the distances are just that much bigger, it's necessary with a car.

[@WolfThrower]

Except the car pool lanes always seem to have mostly cars with 1 person in them. At least here in Tennessee.

[@mammajamma4397]

@@WolfThrower in the Mid-Atlantic states if we pull that, they'd ticket us back to the stone age

[@silent5950]

In the northwest states, the carpool (hov) lane is almost always where you'll find those people camping in the left lane, doing exactly the speed limit and no mord

[@jasiekzar]

It's not only distances, it's also city planning. Or more specifically, suburbia planning - with no efficient public transport, often even without sidewalks and with giant obligatory concrete parking lots. Those giant concrete deserts create the distances you mention and in total with lack of public transport this makes car necessary.

[@JimBob4233]

Wouldn't be necessary with a car if the railways had been kept in decent condition

[@h-0058]

Right on red is in Europe as well, present as a safer alternative: the blinking green arrow. Not always existent in the smaller towns, but in general there is one in most places where such a thing would make sense (idk, in Romania at least). You have the convenience of turning right when you can and the safety of not having cars turn when it should not be the case. On the "semaphores on the far side of the intersection" thing, I've heard arguments that there are many drivers stopping inside the intersection because of that, while in Europe, it is much more inconvenient since you cannot see the traffic light if you don't stop where you should. Moreover, in Europe, if you cannot comfortably see the small light on the red side, unless you're not in the outside lane and you have a large car next to you blocking it, usually means that you probably should stop a bit further behind. If you cannot see the light at all, then you 100% stopped too far. Which is not good for pedestrian and cyclists crossing. These are arguments that I've heard from other people, not mine, but they make sense imo, especially if you have shitty drivers. In Bucharest there are some places which have traffic lights at the far end or in the middle of the intersection, but they are some isolated cases.

[@kexcz8276]

Yes, we have 2 types of lights in czechia. First is classic, full circle, that is put on the "any direction" lights, and then arrows, which are specific for a direction+ with the green arrow, its guaranteed that there is no green for pedestrians, which makes it super simple and safe

[@h-0058]

@@kexcz8276 We have those two, but we do also have a blinking arrow. Like, you have the right turn arrow, which is green when it's your turn and red when it's not, but we also have a blinking arrow which blinks when you can turn, but you have to yield/be careful (either to incoming cars or to pedestrians). They are present in other european countries btw, not only Romania, would be surprised if there aren't some in Czechia.

[@I_Santos_]

In North America, I find it super rare that anyone stops inside the intersection. I can see it happening to, for example, a European on their first drive here, but everyone is accustomed to it so it is not a problem. Also, there are clear usually lines on the ground marking where to stop, sometimes even a sign on the sides pointing where the stop line is, and you can use common sense to see that you are not blocking traffic. While I love many things about driving in Europe, this is one thing I really think North America does better.

[@h-0058]

@@I_Santos_ The arguments are usually about drivers being assholes, and not people not knowing where to stop though. While I'm in no position to comment on this since, again, I'm from Romania, we are known for our beyond shitty drivers, I can definitely see someone just not giving a fuck and stopping too far because they can.

[@I_Santos_]

@@h-0058 fair points. Where I live, drivers certainly aren’t great. Driver training here is ridiculous, it’s like they just hand out licenses like candy. However, I still find that with this particular issue, people just don’t really do it. I think the immediate chaos it would cause just isn’t worth it, even to anyone impatient. And it doesn’t help the dummy either. This isn’t saying that we don’t have other bad habits here at all, haha. Just this particular one doesn’t seem to be an issue. :)

[@TheBaldr]

12:01 Hit the "Pay Inside" button usually lets you don't have to pre-pay, but you have to pay inside the building and not at the pump, it is usually for people that have cash, not all gas stations work like this.

[@LRM12o8]

That's a good tip, because paying up front would be VERY confusing for someone from mainland Europe like me, who's used to measuring in liters, might not know the current conversion rate between dollar and euro and would definitely be driving a rental, not knowing the capacity of its fuel tank by heart.

[@rich7447]

A lot of stations don't have the pay inside button, but you can still pre-pay inside. Usually you either leave your card with the clerk and they turn on the pump or they will put a hold of a certain dollar amount that then gets converted into the exact charge as soon as you finish at the pump. We aren't as worried about our credit cards being away from us as those in Europe and Canada are.

[@thestig9716]

I prefer a stick vs automatic, also the US at one time did have a length restriction for Semi's including the rig, but eventually that was eliminated. One thing, there are places where Right on Red is restricted, but it has to be posted. Interstates in the US was inspired by the Autobahn and also designed to move troops throughout the country if necessary. I hear you about those left lane drivers, however some states the state patrol will pull people over. Wisconsin is known for this, but most don't and its annoying.

[@automation7295]

If the US interstates was inspired by Autobahn, why don't USA have no speed limits on some sections? Oh wait, 95% of US drivers are stupid and always end up crashing. I how how a country that's all about driving, yet 95& of US drivers don't know how to drive

[@jayc222]

The interstate numbering system extends beyond just the freeway numbers. The mile markers follow the same pattern. Mile marker 0 is always just over the state border on the south or west side of the state and climbs as you drive north or east until you reach the next state border, where it resets back to 0. It’s nice driving from the east or north, because the mile markers count down to the state border so you always know how close you are.

[@transportromania]

There are various European rules for right turns, varying from country to country. In Romania we have the "intermitent green" signal, which - when lit - means you can turn right (or sometimes left on a one way street or even forward on a T-shape intersection; there's always an arrow on the light or under it, showing to which direction it applies) when the main traffic light is red or yellow, with the condition to yield to pedestrians and vehicles running on green light from the other directions. Generally, this type of light is used on turning lane (so first lane mandatory for turn), but not always. I have to mention that, in Romania, it is mandatory for a cyclist to run on the street if there's no bike lane... this also means the cyclist must select lanes at an intersection like a car, a rule that motorists really love (no, they don't, they hate it, they honk, they scream at you to go to the sidewalk as they're in a hurry on the 20m of street before the next traffic jam; with cold blood, you too can cycle in Bucharest, I've been doing it from 11 years without major incidents). This means a bike turning left could be on the 4th lane and a bike going straight in most big intersection will be on lane 2, thus, in theory, there is no risk of being hit by right turning motor vehicles. Untill some years ago, this "intermitent green" used to be an intermitent yellow and I think you can still find them in smaller towns. There is also another "intermitent yellow" either clear or with a pedestrian painted on it, that shows that even if you have green from where you came, if you make a turn you need to yield to pedestrians. I saw similar traffic lights in Bulgaria and I'm sure you can find them in other countries too. Other countries allow bikes to turn right on red light or to go straight in a T-shape intersection only by installing a small traffic indicator (so no dedicated intermitent green), of course with the condition they yield to pedestrians (I've been to Brusseles a dozen times, I NEVER saw a cyclist yield to a pedestrian, no matter what...).

[@eugeniodesantiago6640]

Hey honest guy! I'm from Pennsylvania USA. And we have horse and buggy. You forgot about that too. And I'm with you on the speed limit changing every few blocks. That's how they make so much money in speeding tickets here.

[@andreisoma7430]

Well. They do it here too. If you put a sign 30 in city it means now everyone need to go 30 instead of 50. It happens a lot here. But generally I like the idea that I already know where the default speed limit is

[@mammajamma4397]

@@andreisoma7430 in lots of places in here in America they change the speed limit every few blocks in a single town, or multiple times in a couple km(?) on the highway. I'm not exaggerating. Our speed limits are primarily a means of generating revenue.

[@zeno15sti33]

Pennsylvania interstate suxs, it's always brokenand speed limit are always changing you guys really need to fix that

[@S.D.2016]

In the U.S. when a school bus stops and the stop sign is out you need to stop. Even if the bus is on the opposite side of the road, you need to stop. This is because kids may need to cross the street, and for the safety of the kids getting to or off the bus. You may proceed once the stop sign is no longer extended.

[@Mr_PuppyYT]

And bye the way my opinion on the big cars is that a LOT of people have big families these days, and the reason so many people have trucks is because enter there like my dad who has a huge trailer but has it parked somewhere, people also have them because they maby have a job that has them hall stuff aroucd that won’t fit in a suv or sedan. And bye the way a ford f150 can’t tow a tree or a house or whatever because my dad can barely to our 20,000 pound camper with his ford f30

[@Hellfr4g]

i used to advocate "right turn on red" too, until i learned about the adverse effects on bikers and pedestrians... so right now i´m only in favor "right turn on red" for bikes :) also the point with the lights on the other side...it encourages drivers to pull up all the way crossing the white lines "not just bikes" has a good video titled "Crossing the Street Shouldn't Be Deadly (but it is)" about that topic the same with the big nose trucks... these are not favorable and unsafe in urban environments and narrow streets, even less visibility and the turning circles .....

[@redhammer92]

As someone who walked 10-15 miles a day in a small city i learned real quick "Walk" signs dont mean jack if someone wants to make a right. I almost died straight up 3 times within 2 years living there.

[@AdamSmith-gs2dv]

So ban it in cities. It shouldn't be banned everywhere, I don't want to sit at a rural red light with a zero percent chance of pedestrians

[@Hellfr4g]

@@AdamSmith-gs2dv in low traffic conditions the few lights that actually exist in rual areas are usually set to blinking yellow.... at least here in germany... so u can turn whenever

[@jaycee330]

Compromise...ban right on red in cities, and heavily punish bicyclists who go through red lights, zig zag all over the road, ride the wrong direction, etc.

[@danielkelly2210]

Agreed. It's dangerous and needs to go.

[@ipb1966]

Great video - some funny moments. Just to point out that if ‘turn right on red’ ever became a thing in Europe, it could have serious consequences here in the UK (and Ireland)! 😂

[@karlandersson3852]

it would just be "right on left" there and yes, maybe not in London or other busy pedestrian/cycle aggregations but further out it would save a lot of time for many people! having said that now I remember just how "careful" (read silly and inexperienced) the style is there..

[@paellamaster8305]

@@karlandersson3852 left on red not right on left

[@karlandersson3852]

@@paellamaster8305 yes that's what I meant, silly me

[@marekhajduk3905]

In UK, you are half way there already with your legal option to cross road on red light as a pedestrian! 😃

[@ridefree4076]

it does exist here in Europe, in Portugal specifically, although it's "right on flashing amber" not actually red. I have no idea how safe/unsafe it is compared to places where it's not allowed like the UK, but I do know that it's very bad for the pedestrian experience. Although cars do have to give way to pedestrians crossing, and they mostly do, you're always having to look over your shoulder and make sure, i.e. "you're in the road now, watch out for cars", regardless of the fact that it's theoretically "your road", i.e. your right of way. Cities and countries won't reduce car-dependence if they don't improve the experience for other modes.

[@beetrout7705]

Driving right on red light is a really stupid idea. As you said: You just look left, and go... And what about the pedestrians on your right, crossing the street?! This should be banned everywhere...

[@daniellekeyes304]

Well you learn to check for pedestrians... but also it's really only a problem in major cities where there are actual pedestrians 😅

[@hockeymikey]

Peds can look before crossing and same with the car crossing.

[@jerrymiller9039]

You look both ways

[@Its_Peanut_Butter_Jelly_Time]

Outside of major cities in the USA, there are not many pedestrians. You hardly ever see pedestrians in the street because people are either driving, or parked in parking lots and walk to the destination from there- as the video states. Don't speak on something you aren't familiar with. The USA is huge, 90% of it is country, farmland, mountains, etc. Major cities in the Southeast, Southwest, and Midwest (except Chicago), not many pedestrians are crossing the street, they drive and park at their destination. Cities like Manhattan, Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington D.C, yes you have many pedestrians- the reason for that is because it's more densely populated, there is good public transportation, and places are within walking distance. In those cities, it is illegal to turn on red. Hope this sheds some light.

[@danielkelly2210]

Also, keep in mind many people don't care about pedestrians being hit ("Why weren't they driving?"). Sad but true.

[@theventuracountyrailfan]

The reason American speed limits are low for highways is because everyone drives 15 over

[@davidgriffin9412]

It doesn't matter what color the turn signal is in the US as most people don't use them anyway. Also a new trend I've been noticing in the past few years is if you are coming to a stop light and it is turning red, just go ahead and speed up and blow through the light. I see people do it all the time. I don't know how many times I've been going through an intersection and the light is changing and four or five cars behind me come on through. I have even seen this happen with a police car sitting at the opposite light and nothing happens, they are just ignored.

[@Ahmed-N]

Literally saw this just yesterday. Lovely Jeep plowed through an intersection and nearly hit me, me being a cyclist...

[@literallyjase]

In the UK we “pre-pay” at pumps for fuel but usually it’s a holding charge of £100 which then gets rectified to the actual amount in like 1-2 days when the charge fully comes through. It’s not that much of a big deal tbh and it ensures people don’t do a runner or if you forget your card you’re not stranded (although nowadays you have Apple Pay/Google Pay)

[@jryan9547]

thats how it is in the US.

[@zeno66862]

13:11 "...also BMW drivers, voilá, you have it (turn signal) in your car too." LOL

[@jryan9547]

I'm in the US and I work in auto insurance. We crack jokes about BMW drivers....this must be an international thing? LOL

[@itsfelou]

Well actually you also have to pre-pay for your gas in France. It will debit the exact amount you took from the gas station (limited at 120-150€). Also turning right on red lights does exist for some places, it's indicated by an orange arrow that lights up besides the main light. In Switzerland each direction has it's own light !

[@romanc189]

In czechia are prepaid stations too but its not that common and especially the older population just don't know how it's work.

[@alfrredd]

Same in Spain, nowadays most stations are pre-paid but some stations are mixed: post-paid but pre-paid at night.

[@romanc189]

@Phillip Banes if you pay at pump before pumping it is prepaid.

[@jaycee330]

@Phillip Banes Uh...if you pay at the pump, you are pre-paying. You don't pump the gas and then put the card in.

[@nathanb9300]

@@romanc189I’m American and live in Czech. Pay-at-the-pump is very different from pre-pay. I like pay-at-the-pump in the US because I only have to go inside if I need to. Pre-pay in Czech (mostly used at night) wastes time because you have to go to the kiosk, estimate the amount of CZK worth of gas you need, then pay that. If you under-estimate, it’s another trip to the kiosk with another estimate a full tank. Pay-at-the-pump is just inserting payment details that they charge only once the pump knows exactly how much you gas you put in the car. Very convenient! The issue of trouble using European credit cards in the US is a separate thing related to banking.

[@Cuf386]

I'm from Slovenia and we also usually don't stop at the STOP sign, we just kinda go real slow UNLESS the intersection has really poor visibility of other incoming lanes. Also, it is not mandatory to have fog lights (but most newer cars have them), but if you do have them, they need to work properly. Regarding turning right on a red light, we have a testing phase where there is a special green arrow sign that allows you to do it, but these instances are only being used in intersections with great visibility of the left incoming lane.

[@RoadsideChannelTX]

Living in Florida, I agree 100% with you about the cars not being able to pass an inspection here. But the thing that surprised me the most about your video was the fact you didn't mention how many American drivers drive with their phone glued to their hand. Especially in Florida. That's the reason Florida leads the nation in car on bicycle/motorcycle/pedestrian strikes and Hit and Run's.

[@MrInternFTL]

17:44 my brother in Christ, you bought the car, you don’t have to drive a giant V8 suv if you don’t want to

[@Chaps0691]

I think a lot of the differences you're noting are due to the different use cases for cars in America versus Europe. In America, we spend much more time in our cars generally, whether commuting because there is no alternative, or traveling because the country is much bigger. This leads not only to desiring bigger cars but also a desire to zone out and drive distracted. We also have a lot lower standard for licensing people because it's viewed as more of a basic right and necessity to have a license, so some drivers, like the cars you're noting in this video, would not be allowed on European roads. Those two groups combined lead to the abysmal interstate traffic flow, although it does vary largely from state to state, with California and Florida being the absolute worst, in my experience. Also, the proliferation of stop signs in the US is a traffic calming measure and has really increased in the last decade, as are the vastly different speed limits throughout cities. Most Americans will drive what they think is a comfortable speed, usually 35-40, so cities use 25 mph zones and stop signs at every intersection to bring that down in hopes of increasing safety. The huge cars people drive make pedestrian collisions a lot worse and in most of the country riding a bike or walking can be risky. Anyway, long ramble. Longtime viewer, love Prague and hope to get back someday. Keep doing good work. P.S. I drive a manual

[@kexcz8276]

As american, would you like to have an public transport of a similar quality and density as in Europe? Im curious and also think It would solve a ton of issues for you ;)

[@Chaps0691]

@@kexcz8276 I live in a rural area so it would be difficult to replace cars with public transit here, which I know is also the case in Europe. As for in cities, I think that it's growing a lot more than people realize in many cities and becoming a focus for people there. If you look at Portland (Oregon), San Francisco, Boston, Seattle, Philadelphia, Denver or even LA and San Diego, there's been a lot of progress recently and most younger people in cities that I know seem to generally be in favor of expanding it. That being said, I've lived most of my life in cities and even if people are in favor of public transit developing, for a lot of them I think it's more of a supplementary form of transportation, rather than a replacement for their car. Basically, an easier way to get into the downtown core for events or nights out but not a way to get to work or the grocery. I don't really think that you could achieve that kind of fundamental change here outside of downtown areas in major cities like those listed above. I think that Tesla's success starting in America is a good example of this. Even liberal Americans would rather find a private, car-like way to help the environment over riding public transit.

[@Kerleem]

As an American who has moved to the Netherlands and driven around many of parts of Europe, I prefer driving in Europe. I’ve mentioned many of these points in my videos as well.

[@willb3636]

I’m an American and I am very interested in moving to the Netherlands, would you be able to briefly sum up how you were able to?

[@siloton]

Your content are top notch Sir. Very pleased finding you here :)

[@Kerleem]

@@siloton thank you! Make sure you subscribe 😎

[@iamjoestafford]

I love NL, but it's the only place in Europe I have ever been fined for driving mistakes - once for not realising the speed limit on the motorway had changed, and once for not realising the on street parking in Groningen was for residents only. They were BIG fines too! Now whenever I go there, I stick to a bicycle or a train!

[@zeno15sti33]

Nah, to much government intervention 📸📸📸 . I typically drive faster than the avg speed, but we don't have camers

[@zangin]

In the USA, we rarely have a 4 way intersection without a stop sign at one of the roads. I’ve never seen one. School bus stop signs: You must stop always, regardless of what side of road you are on, until the stop sign on bus is retracted.

[@winstonsmith2902]

If you find large vehicles offensive then why do you drive them when you visit?

[@IstasPumaNevada]

I live in the U.S. and I have a manual-transmission Honda Insight. I got a "Manual Transmission Preservation Society" sticker for the window too. :D Also I recommend CGP Grey's video on the interstate highway numbering system. It's quite good.

[@jurajkovac8507]

Those two screens at 5:05 were actually lifted straight from that video.

[@Aprlmoore]

CGP Grey's videos are just generally worth watching!

[@frederickevans4113]

Subaru Forester with a 5-speed manual and my sticker I put on the back says "Endangered Species" with my shift pattern inside. My 5th clutch-pedal manual.

[@currentsitguy]

My Nissan Xterra is a 6 speed manual, so is my 2005 Mini Cooper. My antique 93 Suzuki Cappuccino is only a 5 speed, but then again it's right hand drive. Been driving since 84. I've never owned an automatic and I don't plan on ever getting one.

[@trowwzers5057]

I’ve always wanted a Manual Honda Insight. What is your gas mileage? And what year?

[@siriusczech]

Right turn on red is a really bad decision: - you learn not to take red signal as a given (our or German combo with green arrow, printed or lighted, is much better solution) - it is really hard to protect pedestrians and cyclists this way (especially the look left - go right combo) - people tend to act like this even on crossroads where this is not allowed, because you get used to it and tend to not read all signs (or respect them) Really great video has channel Not Just Bikes, this topic especially is in "Crossing the Street Shouldn't Be Deadly (but it is)" video, from 2nd minute

[@anon2427]

I always treat the red right turn as a stop sign and there’s not a problem. If this were taught strictly it would solve these problems

[@ahotdj07]

@9:25 - that is one thing that annoys me a lot. Especially when I lived in Dallas, TX. Everyone drove to the left. Then when they wanted to exit the highway, they would cut across six lanes of traffic within 250 feet to exit. In addition, it is so dangerous to pass on the right.

[@aprilshowers3008]

Right, we have it pretty backwards here. I was at a convention this summer in my city (Minneapolis, Minnesota) and was outside talking to this guy who claimed this was his 400th something convention he's been to all across the world. He started complaining to me that we had the worst drivers in the world. His reasoning was that we didn't use the left lane unless passing enough, and didnt pass on the right. Like, doesn't that make traffic safer and faster????

[@ThatOneDudeSaid]

I actually witnessed that in ky today by a 2500 gmc. Idk how people miss their exits like that lol.

[@GumikoVT]

I worked at a gas station in the us state of Minnesota for a few years back when you could pump your gas before paying. And we would usually get multiple people who would drive off without paying for gas every day. It was a really common problem actually.

[@Imolos]

Well this also happened here but that’s why every gas station has cameras. And you are even informed about it. Was it so hard to prosecute people who steals gas?

[@IvyANguyen]

The old turn signal colours here in the US used to be amber/orange/yellow, not red like it is now.

[@klarabachova460]

I’m in Tallinn and they have the traffic lights where you stop AND on the other side as well (or behind a pedestrian crossing, if it’s a straight road). Genius! Also, for pedestrians it’s on the left and on the right side of the crossing. And the fact that the green light starts blinking before it changes to orange and red. Love this country.

[@iamjoestafford]

I am from the UK but I love Estonia too - I cycled around the whole country last summer and totally fell in love. I especially liked Viimsi near Tallinn - I wanted to buy a house and live there!

[@Wiizl]

Exactly the same in Latvia

[@serenitybybean]

Best country in the world!

[@brett7801]

1:27 Mate, that's Australia right there! Left on red only exists in a couple of cities here, Canberra and Adelaide, in a limited amount of intersections. (As you can see from the image, we drive on the left). My guess, that image is Adelaide. 3:02 LOL, aussie trucks, Brisbane.

[@anthonylloyd4425]

PLEASE never use the fog light in heavy rain - it just makes it harder to see brake lights - seems to be a common problem in the UK atm. Only use when you can't see 100m in front of you and as soon as you see someone close behind turn it off - like you would a main beam.

[@transportromania]

I wonder if fog lights are mandatory in Czech Republic... I've seen new Skodas in Romania being sold without them, in fact most budget cars comes without them (I own a Dacia Logan... but I got a version woth fog lights) and they have no problem passing the mandatory inspection. Of course, the inspection checks the conformity of the car at the time of the inspection with the standards and condition from the moment of manufacturing, or at least that's the case in Romania. If you have a non-euro car, the emmissions measured must comply to... non-euro standards (as these were enforced when the car was manufactured), not to Euro-6. If the car has no ABS and this was legal on new cars when you bought it... you can drive it today.

[@queendumb]

Also, it's illegal to use your fog lights in heavy rain, in the UK.

[@Tonio_onair]

I'm from Florida, and I agree with the majority of the points. I laughed so hard. Love all your videos. Keep it up

[@207522]

1:00 It's important to note that you do have to come to a complete stop first at a red light and check for oncoming traffic before turning right. The traffic with the green light still has the right of way.

[@gamedk41]

It's actually funny, that you used a clip of a Danish Vehicle in the segment about pre-paying for your gas. Here in Denmark, it's the norm, to prepay before you pump gas, at gas stations. :D

[@michal2708]

Well, the plates are Danish but vehicle is not. It is ferrari and ferrari is Italian :)

[@jryan9547]

I like prepay at the pump.i don't get his issue with it. I never have to go into the store...I tap the card, pump and go lol

[@lrander]

I like the right on red too, but I also can see why it wouldn't work in Europe - or at least Denmark, where I live: Too many cyclists and pedestrians! There aren't many of those in America, and that's why it works. The position of traffic lights are different from country to country. Of the top of my head, Spain and the Czechs have that stupid position where you can't see them when you're at the stoplight. Not so in Denmark, Sweden, UK and Germany (as I recall), that also has them opposite the intersection like the Americans. The "everybody goes about the same speed" isn't exactly something I recognize - unless you mean that about 90% (including trucks) cruise along at 15-20 mph above the limit. Okay, I've only ever been to Florida, so I don't know if that's different elsewhere in the US... As far as the stop signs and car sizes, I'm with you!

[@leob4403]

It doesnt work in the US either. They have very bad statistics in pedestrian fatalities annually

[@jan-lukas]

Germany has traffic lights on the same side of the intersection, to MAKE you stop at the right spot. If you stopped right, you can see at least the lower lights that are to the right/left of you

[@MishaMusic]

Turning right on red is very dangerous for pedestrians, it is proven to cause a massive increase in pedestrian deaths when allowed. Parking spaces are very expensive to maintain for American cities, having as many parking lots as they do leads them to bankruptcy. It's also not very good that for most trips in the US, the car is the only option. It really shouldn't be that way, not everyone should have to drive everywhere. American cities' infrastructure really needs to be improved, I hope it will in the near future. Speed limits in the US are definitely not set the right way. The Netherlands, for example, builds their roads so drivers don't even need to look at the speed limit. Whatever speed feels right is most-likely the speed you should be going. In the US, most roads are built the same and you wouldn't really be able to tell how fast you should go if you didn't see the speed limit sign. There's a reason things are how they are in Europe, it's a good thing we prioritize people over cars.

[@pineappleginseng1557]

1) For those who drive standard, it definitely sucks in traffic when you've upgraded to a new, performance clutch LOL. That, and the rare stall at green lights might anger the drivers behind you who don't know you stalled. 2) This is exceedingly convenient. Unfortunately, this also means that other drivers who take advantage of red-right-turns sometimes might cut you off. I've never seen a red-left-turn yet, but that's interesting! 3) Red lights are higher 4) This might depend on what state your in here. Most of the time, trucks might travel around 65 to 70 MPH (105 to 112 KMH) on the highways, which many times is slower than the rest of traffic. I've found that driving in the middle of nowhere on Interstate-10 in Texas, you'll often have big rigs going quite a bit faster. And yes, many truckers here take huge pride in their big, honkin' rides! 5) As far as speed demons go, they're definitely here, too lol. We often might refer to it as having "Altima energy" lol, swerving in and out of lanes, passing traffic at high speeds, etc. Car enthusiast culture is huge in America, too, and with it comes a lot of people who might drive a bit faster or sometimes less safely than the rest of traffic. I imagine Europe is much the same. 6) Parking is horrendous in big cities like NYC, LA, etc. Having a vehicle in America is almost a necessity, in most cities, because our public transit is relatively awful (mostly), but with parking behind so difficult in large cities, makes it such a headache. 7) We can be lazy sometimes lol, but those drive-thru ATMs are certainly convenient LOL. 8 and 9) I wish interstate speeds were a lot like the Autobahn, but our standards for being issued a driver's license here are not NEARLY as strict as many parts of Europe LOL, so maybe that might not be a great idea. Construction is so common on our freeways, too, and God forbid you run over a nail or screw someone accidentally drops on the road. 10) In regards to the American highway/freeway system... "Left lane is for passing, move over. Left lane is for passing, move over. Left lane is for passing, move over. Left lane is for passing, move over. " Those reading this, you know who you are >_> . This needs to be harped on in driving classes MUCH more. 11) I've lived all over, and this is true for most places I've lived in America. In California, it's not as common you see rundown vehicles that REALLY need some TLC, but in places like South Carolina, where there are no inspections, there are many questionable vehicles that sort of make you worry about it being a potential hazard for other motorists. Then again, it is convenient for many, as a lot of people might not be able to afford a newer and safer vehicle. 12) I'd be so lost if I didn't give myself time to study the street signs of Europe beforehand. 13) Americans can be pretty nice, but we can also be incredibly cynical. While we're usually taught to be decent to other random people, we're also taught not to just randomly trust strangers, and thievery is pretty common in a lot of cities here. 14) A lot of vehicles might still have yellow turn signals, but I actually really like the sequential signals you might see in a lot of Sports Cars or imports. Modern Ford Mustangs still have their iconic Tri-Bar taillights, and they're red here (they're white/yellow in the UK and EU, I think), but you can easily tell they're turning or changing lanes, because the tri-bar lights will light up sequentially when you're using the turn signal lever. 14) We must adopt the ways of the traffic circle/roundabout. 15) Ohhhh yes, we take school bus safety VERY seriously. 16) Low-key, slim mirrors look really nice, but they can suck from a visibility perspective, assuming people use them. 17) I'm not much of a truck guy, but just having one makes life A LOT more convenient when you really need them. I've moved around quite a lot, and often have had to rent a truck or van to transport my belongings. I personally wouldn't mind having a smaller truck, like a Tacoma, Ranger, or Colorado, but with how efficient vehicles have become now, it's just really nice having a vehicle that can carry a payload when you really need it.

[@zzz6valvoline]

So basically all the things that make roads "cool" in the US are also what make US towns and cities suck. Right on red, kills kids crossing the street. Big parking lots turn a beautiful main street into an asphalt desert. Drive-throughs force people to walk. Big cars kill more kids... Cars are cool, but the US really needs to prioritize the safety of people who walk and bike over the small inconvenience of motorists.

[@emynithilien]

Always interesting to hear about the USA from another perspective. I agree with your frustration about how often the speed limit can change. I know some streets where the limit changes every BLOCK. Not every state is a regulation wasteland, however. Try and get your Volvo to pass an annual/biannual smog check in a state like California...it can be frustrating as hell.

[@peto6648]

We have smog check as well and it's a part of technical inspection :)

[@nathanb9300]

Janek is being slightly selective in his statement that there are only 3 speed limits. I live in a small village in Czech, and there are 4 official speed limits in the 1 km from my house to the end of the village, none of which includes the highway speed. With all the other signs regulating traffic (yield, school zone, etc.), there is some sort of a traffic signs every couple meters for nearly the entire distance.

[@Oroborus710]

In Washington state there are so many new cars compared to old ones that we don't even have to do emissions inspections (aka SMOG check) anymore. The last time I had to get one for my SUV was about 4 years ago I think

[@henryc1000]

0:42 this isn’t a stereotype, this is actually true!!!

[@hotaru8309]

*Some Supplemental Viewing on the US* The argument for mandatory car inspections in the USA is best made by the channel "Just Rolled In."[any video] and the turn signals dilemma is well explained in Technology Connections- "The Senseless Ambiguity of North American Turn Signals" video. I hope these help and feel free to add more helpful viewing.

[@STho205]

Sorry but I don't buy the turn signal deliema as anything but people whining about how we did it back in wherever. The example he showed indicates he is either an idiot or reaching. One light is burned out...is he signaling or stopping? No his blinker signals once and holds...unless he is rhythm pulsing the brake 30 times a minute. My wife and I have two US black Ford compacts. One has an amber rear turn section. One has red. The amber one has been hit three times. I've seen both setups from behind and neither confuse me. As to light failure...well the signal bulb can burn out too.

[@ronaldfranke9225]

Just because something is a good idea doesn't mean it should become law.

[@Youtubechannel-jv6iw]

broken brake light is illegal

[@lordvalor5498]

Hello from Canada, Honest Guide! One of the things I like about the Czech Republic is much less traffic lights, but many more roundabouts, love them and it makes the flow of traffic much smoother. Also, much less STOP signs at intersections, what you have are signs coming into the intersection that shows who has the right of way, bold line has priority so even a dummy like me with not much experience driving in your streets know what's happening. Been to the Czech Republic about 10 times in the last 7 years, love the country and I'm considering retiring there. Farewell for now and have a great day, A!

[@larrycrain5659]

I've been to Prague twice, all over Europe and Asia. The main thing I like about everywhere but the USA is the public transportation. I love the metros and trams in other countries, especially Prague.

[@aheat3036]

😂 That’s the problem with so many Americans from small towns who go abroad and visit large cities but never bother to visit the great cities America!… The U.S. has some greatest cities in the world with amazing Metros (public transportation systems). New York City, Chicago, Washington DC, Boston, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Seattle, San Francisco and Los Angeles all have very extensive (and growing) public transportation systems. I live in a very large city in the Northeast and I don’t even own a vehicle!… Yes, we have 24/7 public transit system that covers the entire city!… Know your own country first before you go abroad so that you don’t sound like a stupid American because I’ve met foreigners who know about the U.S. more than native born Americans which is a crying shame!

[@nilsus8365]

You get deaththreads if you use the left lane to cruise on German highways lmao

[@kozmaz87]

Or some BMW/Audi/Merc in your rear view mirror lighting up like a christmas tree :D

[@GUSTHEDOGMYDOGTHEDOG]

Don't forget about yellow flashing left turn arrows here in the US where you can turn left as long as the yellow arrow is flashing and there is an opening for you to turn.

[@zeno15sti33]

I love those things I wish they were everywhere

[@BlindMango]

There are people who would absolutely pump the gas and drive away in America if you allowed paying after lmao, so they ruin it for everyone else here

[@jordanalexander4331]

The speed limit depends on what type of road you are on; a suburb is normally 25 to 35 mph, on a regular street. It’s 35 to 45 miles an hour, on an open road 50 miles or more depending on traffic, and the highway depends on what state has its speed laws set to and how well they are enforced.

[@Wallawanni2729]

Very informational! Love this channel, Should do a comparison video between driving in Europe, US and Australia. Also should check out Australian Road Train trucks that operate here in Outback Australia.

[@NeroNemion]

German TV DMAX is having many reports about them. Truth be told, normal driving rules do not apply for the outback, because there are no limitations on those streets. It is unlikely that you endanger pedestrians, flow of cars is so litte that crashs are rather seldom. The outback is legitimately the best possible street in a sense for logistics. The problem it hugely struggles with is access to car/truck maintenance in case of breaking down

[@L2theWcarscoffeelife]

While not quite as long some states here allow a truck to pull either 2- 53 ft trailers or 3 of the smaller pup trailers.

[@backtoklondike]

Not really a EU vs US thing because it's a thing down in plenty of European countries too. But in Sweden, you always have to have the headlights on in the car, even in daylight. Because you'll spot a meeting car much faster then a car with the headlights off. You could even get a ticket for that. But that's not a rule in the plenty of other countries. In Spain, you could get a ticket for having them on outside nighttime and tunnels. *edit* Comment under pointed out that I was mistaken with the law.

[@Novas9510]

In Czechia you must have headlights on in daylight too.

[@Al-jw5kf]

You mix running lights and headlights and different laws. Basically, you can have running lights in both countries. However, Sweden has a requirement to have some lights on during the day, so if you don't have running lights, you turn your headlights, while in Spain there is no such requirement, but if you have running lights on that's fine, that complies with Spain and EU regulations.

[@Al-jw5kf]

And yeah, the video is still the EU vs the US, because EU countries are part of the Vienna convention, which means the rules are the same everywhere with slight deviation in small things (like you said lights during the daytime in Sweden), while the US didn't sign the convention and their rules are much more different, starting from the signs.

[@backtoklondike]

@@Al-jw5kf Oh I see. Thanks for the correction.

[@rich7447]

DRLs are mandated in Canada and common in the US. Also most states have laws regarding daytime headlight use in inclement weather or in construction zones. This has resulted in a lot of manufacturers adopting DRLs and/or activating the headlights with the wipers.

[@joannapacek9657]

I believe in your father's story because on my first driving in USA I did exactly the same thing 🙈

[@WackoMcGoose]

Errata for the turning-on-red thing: you DO have to check that the light isn't a red _arrow._ A red _arrow_ is the same as "no turn on red in this direction", whether there's a sign saying it or not. You can only make a right (or left, if from a one-way onto another one-way) if the red is a _circle._

[@rich7447]

There are a lot of reasons that we drive big cars in the US. I think the main one is that we spend a lot of time in our vehicles. This is not as big a deal on a daily basis, but when you are driving city to city you have a much greater chance of covering vast distances in the US than you do in Europe. An 8, 10 or 12 hour drive in a day is not a big deal to us, but our vehicles also make it easy. I sold my pickup in September (waiting for its replacement which was updated to a 2023 order in October). The truck made thousand mile days pretty easy. Since September my daughter and I went on a road trip from Maryland (near DC) where we live, through the NE (PA, NJ, NY, CT, RI, MA, NH, ME) into Northern Maine, across to Quebec City and down to the North Shore of Lake Ontario before heading home. Our longest days were about 10 hours in our mid-size (for the US) SUV and we were unlucky enough to get bad weather on just about every travel day. The SUV (not cross-over) did well, but it was nowhere near as comfortable or easy to drive for distance as the pickup.

[@bridgetorpg9313]

Most of us are not at all offended by the term "Redneck Riviera"! It lives up to its name for sure, and it's fantastic (FL panhandle area) Thanks for making these videos in both English and Czech! I've been working on learning Czech and it is so helpful to be able to listen first in English to know what is happening, then in Czech to try to pick up what I can.

[@STho205]

"Redneck Riviera" is Baldwin County, Alabama. Perdido to Apalachicola is the "Emerald Coast". Orange Beach and Gulf Shores boomed in condos in 1980 following Hurricane Frederick demolishing most of the cottages between FloraBama and the Hangout.

[@itsking2u]

I'm from the states. I live in Florida and I'm a logistics coordinator. I definitely rate this video about 10 out of 10. As far as accuracy 100% of this is true. Also mainly older model cars have the one solid red like fixtures signaling.

[@rainerbehrendt9330]

It's not so easy anymore with the speed limits without a sign. In Germany there're many speed constrictions like 30 km/h Areas (mostly residential areas or school zones) or 70 km/h on streets outside a City. The famous Autobahn is also mostly restricted.

[@MarvinCZ]

Yes, but those are exceptions to the general speed limit. The speed limits must be posted everywhere in the US.

[@hb-man]

Deviations from the norm have a sign.

[@STho205]

30 km/h, I might as well walk or ride a horse.

[@rainerbehrendt9330]

@@STho205 Agreed, but our residental streets are a lot smaller. My street as example is a two way street but has only one lane with parking at both sides. 30 ist quick enough for this.

[@STho205]

@@rainerbehrendt9330 20mph with traffic congestion too is faster to walk. We have 25mph on lots of village streets now (small town not much different in the old section to Europe) because there is a fad to use golf carts. Golf carts aren't allowed on streets marked above 25mph so all the 35MPH became 25, 20 or 15. Same streets. Nobody goes those speeds...but few drive above 35. The police know it is just a legal maneuver so they ignore standard drivers.

[@Pyth110]

5:05 That looks like CGPGrey 's artwork from his own video on the interstate system. Maybe I missed it but I didn't see any credits.

[@Optopolis]

On one hand as a driver, it is nice to be able to make turns on red given the appropriate circumstances. On the other hand, as a pedestrian and bike rider, I despise cars turning on red because the driver is almost always looking toward traffic coming toward the intersection in the lane into which that driver would turn. I can't tell you how many close calls even I have had with drivers not paying attention to pedestrians/bikes coming the opposite way, therefore cutting me off or even almost hitting me. In fact about a year or two ago, I witnessed first hand a right-turning car hit a bike because the driver wasn't checking both directions!

[@Optopolis]

Also the stop signs. I'm sure its not like this everywhere in Europe, but that intersection that Tom Scott covered while back happened to have plenty of drivers that were cruising full speed right through the stop signs. I've heard they since fixed the intersection so cars are forced to slow down and/or stop before proceeding, but at the least, it was an interesting exception... perhaps is the right word. Overall good video, I enjoyed it!

[@wafiywahidi3317]

Cities Skyliners: Yeah those little square thingy for the main road are important...

[@anneshields]

I’m from the US, and I agree with your analysis. Your experience and conclusions regarding yellow school buses should be given to Europeans as a basic driving survival guide upon arrival . I can’t count how many times my European coworkers have come to me asking about how to deal with the dreaded yellow school bus. Needless to say, they failed.

[@bartomiejkowalski3727]

Europeans live good. We dont need stupid help from colonist 🙊🙈

[@bartomiejkowalski3727]

Europan coworkers in America Learning from stupid American and when henlearns what he needs. He make a fun from stupid citizen of United stated 😂🙈

[@Evikeuklavier]

The point about traffic lights!!! YES! I moved to Europe two years ago and couldn't understand why it was a bit awkward to drive here. The traffic light positioning is definitely it.

[@kalamar_from_slovakia]

The traffic light on the side on the pole is for the first car, any cars further should have no problem seeing the upper traffic light. Its better than the american traffic lights because in america cars at the end of the line have a harder time seeing across the intersection, or at least in theory.

[@skirata3144]

@@kalamar_from_slovakiaThe only problem with that reasoning is that the cars waiting in line don’t really need to see the traffic light while waiting. Just drive when the guy in front of you goes and you’ll see the actual traffic light soon enough.

[@kalamar_from_slovakia]

@@skirata3144 thats dumb... what if the first guy is playing on his phone and doesnt go on green

[@DrisianHL]

Nobody in the US uses a turn signal at the exit of a roundabout - though, by their law, they should. Also, they like switching lanes when u least expect it, usually without a turn signal as well. They will happily push you out of your lane - and NOONE will let u merge into the lane even if you indicate for half an hour - they will do their best to block you from merging :)

[@rich7447]

You have been driving in the North East or California. Most of the rest of the country will let you merge. As far as roundabouts go, very few people in North America know how to use them at all. They aren't that common and people aren't used to them.

[@jaycee330]

@@rich7447 I disagree. We've had a good 30 years of roundabouts now, and most people I see driving use the roundabouts well. It's not the novelty it once was.

[@rich7447]

@@jaycee330 Which part of the country are you in? They seem to confuse people here in MD and it wasn't any better on either side of the state line when I lived in Kansas City,

[@jaycee330]

@@rich7447 Ohio

[@rich7447]

@@jaycee330 One more thing that Ohio has over Michigan I guess.

[@Walker_62738]

At least give credit to cgp Grey who made those maps for the highway system

[@FevnorTheWolf]

For the Low Speed Limits negative you mentioned, At least here in Arizona from my experience living here, its relatively straight forward. Within the City Limits the Highways are all 65MPH unless otherwise posted (SR51/I-17 are exceptions at 55mph) and outside the city its 75MPH Most Main City Streets are 40-45MPH and If its Residential, Generally its 25MPH. again unless otherwise posted. It can be as low as 5mph in some areas, and you may have feeders in neighborhoods that dont run where the houses are but are not also main streets that can be 30-35MPH. But the general rule here is: Highway (In City/Out of City): 65MPH/75MPH City Arterial Streets 45MPH Residential Streets 25MPH I will also add a bit of a nice thing I love about how Phoenix is designed. Its layed out in a Grid where Named Streets run EAST/WEST and Numbered Streets run North South. and with that its Avenues WEST of Central and STREETS East of Central. So, if any Phoenician says Oh yea, just head over to 75th Avenue and Thomas Road. Most of us will know, Oh Okay, thats way out in the West Valley. 44th Street and Washington? Thats east of downtown near Sky Harbor Airport 35th Ave and Camelback? North West of Downtown. and so forth.

[@RoadTripTravel]

I so agree with the point you made about the traffic lights being on the other side of the street in the U.S. It makes no sense in Europe why they put the lights where you stop as you simply cannot see the color. I do wish we could take the best of Europe and the best of the U.S. and combined them, both regions have good/bad about them both.

[@carlbeeth]

I think there is a good reason they can't really do it in Europe, too many intersections are at weird angles and you would end up with two streets looking across the road at the same lights. Also the appearance of bike boxes mitigates somewhat the problem of the light being too close to easily see.

[@rondowar]

I think it's partly for traffic safety; to 'force' you to stay a bit further from the actual intersection itself and partly, in the Netherlands at least, it's because each traffic lane has their own light, and they will be controlled intelligently, rather than working in phases But then again, for cyclists and pedestrians, we do put it on the other side of the road (they're on both sides) so maybe it doesn't actually make that much difference

[@jan-lukas]

It's so you stop in front of the pedestrian crossing, instead of on it, which blocks the pedestrians. If you stop on the crossing, you can't see the traffic lights, so you just don't do that. For pedestrians however, there is no "stopping on the road". If a pedestrian does that, every car will honk at them, so yeah, pedestrian lights are on the opposite side of the crossing

[@glorrin]

I think the main reason why it is not allowed to turn right on red light is because there is a kind of road user that is completely foreign to the USA: pedestrians.

[@danielkelly2210]

Yeah, there are vast swathes of the US where there are literally 0 pedestrians.

[@nerychristian]

True. Very few people in the USA walk or ride a bicycle. If you see a person walking on the street, you just assume they are doing it for exercise, or because they are poor and cannot afford a car. In Europe people walk everywhere. In the USA if you walk, unless it's very close, people assume you are doing it for exercise.

[@suola__]

5:00 There is a similar system in EU with the E roads with the north-south roads being odd and east west having even

[@bomcabedal]

Thing is, roads are rarely _consistently_ E-W or N-S. It's basically a rebranding of national roads that were designed point to point, and might cross the country diagonally, or just veer off 90 degrees at some point.

[@jan-lukas]

The German Autobahn has that system as well, and more digits are smaller highways

[@usafshorts]

Well in New York you need to pass the vehicle inspection to be able to drive within the state and they're very meticulous

[@karolquezado1716]

I'm visiting Prague soon, and it's amazing everything that I'm watching here in your channel. I lived in Ireland for 8 years before moving to Chicago, and everything that you said is soooo true!😅