Cable television stations in the United States are filled with police camera shows from the UK. You’ve probably seen them … “'Ere we’ve got a lorry on the motorway … there it goes over the central reservation, into the opposing carriageway, onto the slip ramp, and over the verge. Fortunately, the local constabulatory were following. God Save the Queen.”
US police camera programs usually show police chases, with the occasional bad driver thrown in. The UK police camera programs – I mean programmes – show mostly bad drivers, doing idiotic things that I’ve seldom seen in my 250,000 miles of driving history. Of special note is “white van man,” or very aggressive van drivers. Van drivers don’t have a reputation as being particularly aggressive in the US, but in the UK they are known as notorious motoring maniacs.
So, UK dopers, and US dopers that have spent some time in the UK … are UK drivers really that bad? Why is the UK “white van man” so aggressive, while they’re not so bad in the US and Canada?
I noticed this phenomenon ten years ago in Australia, long before I heard the British had actually given it a name (we get those shows here too).
White vans in Sydney are driven by maniacs. I wondered why until I bought a van myself, hoping to pick up some extra work. Courier deadlines are brutal, and the money is hard earned. The day I caught myself driving through a red light was the day I decided it wasn’t the job for me.
One day I was watching one of those programs and they were showing a car chase from a helicopter. The bad guy was blasting through traffic causing all sorts of mayhem, ignoring signals, running from the police, and the commentator said “Look at him! He just undertook that car!”
To my New Jersey ears, this sounds as silly (under those circumstances) as saying “Look at him! He just tossed a gum wrapper out the window!”
Back to the OP: Is a “White van man” a special term for a delivery man or a particular company’s vans, or is it simply the term given to all white vans? The always talk about them as if all Brits know about White Van Men.
I just returned from a year in England. White van men are no different than our SUV drivers here in the States. Because their vehicles are larger, many of them suffer from the notion that they are invincible; they are therefore a danger on the road.
Saying that, I just want to say that English drivers are some of the most polite I’ve ever seen. I miss driving there. For the most part, I find the English to be sensible, law-abiding drivers who are consistently considerate to the other drivers on the road. No one ever honked their horn at me, no matter how many times I went around the roundabout or cut across lanes for my exit…or forgot to pull out of the LEFT side of a parking lot exit. I can say the same for most of Europe…excluding Paris and Rome, where everyone behind the wheel is certifiably insane.
Those shuttle rides from Charles DeGaulle airport are a thrill a minute!
I have not noticed very bad UK drivers. I am always impressed with people who drive so skillfully on very narrow streets and roads in Europe in general. I observe worse driving habits in the U.S. … Then there’s Mexico!
White Van Man refers to delivery drivers as delivery vehicles tend to be white.
I wouldn’t say UK drivers are worse than any other place. The worst drivers I’ve seen would probably be in Hong Kong. White lines seperating lanes mean nothing to these people.
White Van Man is also a sort of sociological term, referring to youngish, aggressive, poorly-educated men who usually sport close-cropped hair, own violent dogs and holiday in Ibiza or Faliraki. At least that’s how I understand it, being an horrendous snob.
South Africans who move to the UK (and there are plenty of us here nowadays) are shocked at the levels of consideration and politeness shown by UK drivers - especially toward pedestrians. There are exceptions - “white van man” and anyone in the centre of London being two examples - but on the whole, UK drivers are much calmer than thier South African counterparts.
An interesting site with some international road death statistics for 2001. By the measure of numbers of fatalities per 100000 of population, Portugal leads the field (of 30, mostly European countries) with 21.0, the USA comes in at no. 5 with 14.8 and the UK ties with Norway at no. 28 with just 6.1
After a little research, the best I can to for South Africa, just in case anyone is interested, is the figures for 1998, when there were 9086 road deaths, and a population of 42.8 million, which makes 21.2 deaths per 100000 of population. :eek:
Yes, “White Van Man” is a generic description of drivers of white commercial vehicles who act like complete asshats on the road. They usually sport more tattoos than brain cells and don’t really give a shit about other road users because hey, it’s a commercial vehicle and they’re not paying for repairs.
Whatever happened to Sierra Man? Has he become Mondeo Man now?
I’d have to second the notion that UK drivers are extremely polite, especially when they spot a mainland license plate: they’ll go out of their way to make sure you can merge safely, for example. I was suitably impressed when I was moving my then-girlfriend to London in a filled-to-the-brim left hand drive Peugeot: people flashed their lights to indicate I could merge (I could see nothing, other than the view outside the passenger window). I really needed and appreciated the help.
But even when I was driving a UK-registered RHD car through Scotland, the politeness didn’t cease. UK drivers are generally very patient and courteous.
One. Giant. Exception.
London. Seriously, Londoners can mix with the best of Romans, Parisians and, oh hell why not, Amsterdammers when it comes to road rage. Then again, that’s most likely a big city thing than a UK thing.
grimpixie, I’m going to have to strongly agree with your assessment of SA drivers. My WORD, they’re insane!
I loved my holiday there, and I will be back in that wonderful country, but I’ve had more close calls in 2.5 weeks in RSA than in 10 years of driving in Holland.
[sub]Did the OP’s immitation of UK chase show commentary remind anybody else of Bill Hicks’ Hooligan Routine?[/sub]
I’m always amazed by the penalties they disclose were given to these UK drivers when they were apprehended.
One incident I recall in particular is a woman ramming another car out of the parking spot she felt entitled to. It was obvious she was enraged, and she must’ve caused severe damage to the other car, not to mention her own.
I’ll just have to… err… [counts] third the comment that drivers in the UK are generally wonderfully polite, courteous, and so on. Actually, that’s been my experience in much of Europe, though, as compared to back home.
I was just over in the UK and Ireland for most of the summer, and it was incredibly difficult readjusting on the drive back from the airport. I had to remind myself that drivers here in the great state of Florida have, for the most part, abandoned such useful concepts of “slower traffic keep right” and “pass on the left.” Not to mention “let the poor guy get onto the freeway,” and “red light means stop.” sigh
A few cliches I’ve seen on UK bad driver/police camera shows:
An old Mini packed with eight or ten passengers, usually immigrants from Eastern Europe or Asia. Bonus points if one of the passengers is a goat.
Someone from “The Continent” driving the wrong way down a motorway.
I’m too cool to say “Hi Opal!”, so I won’t.
A horse and buggy holding up traffic for miles.
After the end of a long, dangerous chase, the bobbies calmly approach the suspect, and gently lead to one of the police cars unhandcuffed. I can imagine the conversation … “Excuse me, old chap, but we’d like to have a word with you. Would you like to share a spot of tea and some of Her Majesty’s finest crumpets?”
A lorry, listing like a sinking ship, shedding building materials alll over the motorway.
The aforementioned “After leading police on a three hour chase through Wextfordhamptonshire-on-Trent, tbe driver recieved two points on his record, and a ten pound fine.”
In my personal experience, UK drivers are terrific, and I’ve always assumed the very high bar for licensing and the tough penalties for error had something to do with the quality of the drivers on the road.
