Why are the French roads so much better

[woodsieboy]

So just back from 14 days in France, Vendee, during which time we only saw 1 set of minor roadworks,controlled by parked lorry with large flashing arrow on the back.

Got off the ferry at Portsmouth this morning and oh dear, the M27 Westbound down to 2 lanes for most of the way from Portsmouth to Southampton, ambuances struggling to get through the traffic,not caused by any evidence of accidents

Long lengths of coned off road with no evidence of any work being done, some work being done in places, but it feels like that motorway has been like it for over a year.

Also seem to be proportionately more HGV s in UK than France

Prices on a par in Euros to pounds on most things and as always the shops are full of lots of French produce, as well as goods from all around the world

Also felt like French drivers have become more considerate, or maybe I just went native for 2 weeks.

 

[Buckman]

What do you expect when they start work at about 9.30am after tea and then break for tea break at 10am until 11am and at 12pm stop for lunch until 2pm and at that point go home. Before anyone says anything, we watched them about 3 weeks ago working in our village. They ha d"road Closed" signs causing people to take huge deviations when the road was not closed and a bus could easily have pass the roadworks!

 

[woodsieboy]

Indeed, we passed some signs saying ''lane closed to protect our workforce''this morning

 

[Buckman]

Indeed, we passed some signs saying ''lane closed to protect our workforce''this morning

More than likely there was no workforce for them to protect?

 

[otherclive]

A lot of goods go by train, but given the size of France and the dispersion of its cities overall traffic density is less than UK. I noticed on my last trip that their driver behaviour was probably better than here.

 

[otherclive]

One reason French supermarkets have more good quantities of French food is that for a similar population size France is 129% self sufficient in food whereas UK is 60%. With farming taking place from the north to the south the temperature and weather allows a wider range of produce than in UK. Above a certain latitude this country has lots of land, inclement weather and poor soils. So it makes the comparitive area favourable to productive agriculture even more in France’s favour.

 

[Woodentop]

As an aside, did anyone see about the road closure inn the Highlands this morning? The detour was 60 - yes SIXTY - miles

 

[otherclive]

As an aside, did anyone see about the road closure inn the Highlands this morning? The detour was 60 - yes SIXTY - miles

Didn’t see that one but we got rerouted near to Kingussie/Newtonmore. Unavoidable with such large areas with no roads for access.

 

[Sam Vimes]

As an aside, did anyone see about the road closure inn the Highlands this morning? The detour was 60 - yes SIXTY - miles

That's not really very much. A couple of times the road through Glen Coe has been closed due to a fatal accident and I've faced an 150 mile detour and got home in the early hours of the morning.

Rock falls at Strathcarron caused similar detours for weeks.