Yet another story of an insane Czech driver.
I was driving into work the other day from my home in Černý Vůl, outside of Prague, on Route 241, heading toward Suchdol. The roads were icy and still covered in snow in places. There were three or four cars ahead of me on the highway. The road is twisty and narrow. It is all a no-passing zone.
Suddenly, a van passed me at high speed on a very dangerous stretch of the road. A car was oncoming in the other lane. The van narrowly managed to get around me and back into my lane ahead of me before hitting the other car head-on.
He could have killed himself, the driver of the other car, as well as involved my family in the ensuing crash.
As I often do in these situations, I honked my horn hard and long, in a feeble attempt to tell the driver, "You are driving like a #*&@#! maniac." Maybe, just maybe, he'll think twice about driving that way the next time.
In this case, though, the guy was driving a van with a business website printed on the back. I got to work, looked up the website, and sent a nasty e-mail, complaining about one of their drivers. I also included the number plate.
Here's the response I received (translated roughly from Czech into English):
Good day,
I am the idiot of whom you write. I apologize if I somehow endangered you, but I had good reason to be in a hurry. Do not worry about my work..
Have a nice day and many happy miles.
The Czech Republic has one of Europe's worst driving records. More pedestrians are killed by drivers in the Czech Republic than any other European nation. I see accidents every day driving the short distance into Prague. I see incredible displays of bad driving on every trip I take. As a cyclist, I take my life into my own hands when I ride on the roads.
The Czech, normally such a placid people, turn into raving lunatics behind the wheel. When will it stop?
Brainless.
ReplyDeleteI can't deny there's a lot of truth in what you're writing, especially the way Czech drivers often treat cyclists. Not once has it happened to me that some idiot shouted at me from a passing car as I was making my way to the top of a hill. Probably to amuse themselves in the event I fell from my bike.
ReplyDeleteBut I really think you're making things look worse than they are. It's not like one has to fight for their life every single day on their way to work.
That said, I am happy they didn't pass the bill allowing 160 kmph at highways. There seems to be way to many idiots thinking fast and reckless driving is somehow their citizen right.
Every day on my way to work, or my way back, I see at least one accident. Many of them serious. Cars rolled over, etc. I've driven in many countries around the world. I believe the Czechs are the most aggressive, careless, and inconsiderate I've ever encountered. Places like Rome and Cairo are crazy, but you don't see as many accidents. They know what they're doing. Czechs are just drunk on driving and take ridiculous chances all the time.
ReplyDeleteCzech drivers are IDIOTS.
ReplyDeleteThey have a low selfesteem and they try to mask it by dangerous driving.