On Sat, 13 Aug 2005 12:01:04 +0100, Andy Hall
wrote:


IMCE, this is very much a north/south issue or perhaps a cultural one
in Europe.

Countries further north or with a Germanic language/cultural root tend
to have a more proceduralised environment and usually do tend to work
by and to follow rules.

Those further south with more of a Latin language/cultural root tend
to have the rules, but frequently apply them just when something bad
happens.

Seems to fit ...

I was driving a mate recently (who had moved to Italy about 10 years
ago) when the set of lights I was approaching turned to amber and I
stopped (it would have been touch and go that I would have crossed the
first set *just* as they turned red or not).

He had a bit of a panic and asked me 'not to do that again!'. He said
that had I done that (stopped on an amber) in Nth Italy I would
probably had had a car in my boot, in the South it would have been
guaranteed!

So I wonder why this Nth / Sth (Europe) thing is though? And are there
any stats to show the consequencies of 'not following the rules' is
more dangerous (the point of all these rules / regs in the first place
in most cases)?

All the best ..

T i m