Driving in Scotland

The aggression which meant that the Scottish fighting man played a major role in the establishment and the maintenance of the British Empire, now finds its outlet in driving.  Up in Edinburgh for the Festival, and then the trip across country to sail to Arran, meant that I had plenty of opportunity to see the Scottish driver in full flow.



On motorways, what is properly called the second overtaking lane, or what the rest of the country colloquially calls the fast lane, is to many Scots the driving lane.  Never have I seen so many people get themselves out there, and then refuse to budge.  I saw one muppet drive for 20 miles along the M8 in that lane, and then dive across the other two lanes towards his exit.  Clearly there's a mindset that says, 'They shall not pass'.

In Scottish towns and cities it appears that different rules apply there compared to the rest of the UK.  Indicators are clearly seen as a sign of weakness: generally to be ignored totally, but if the driver is a wimp, to be briefly touched five or ten yards before the turning.

When turning left it is de rigeur to lurch towards the middle of the road in order to give oneself an easier job of making the turn.  Turning right, across the oncoming traffic, simply involves stopping in the road - as previously said, a signal would merely serve as a clue to help other drivers, and is clearly unthinkable.  I swear that some of the stuff I've seen wouldn't seem out of place in a third world country.

As an exiled Scot I love my country, but I'm baffled by why it has chosen to declare its independence from the rest of the UK by first of all changing its driving habits - I would have thought independence first, and then releasing a new Scottish Highway Code would have been more sensible.

As for Transport Scotland, the agency responsible for roads north of the border, it's a remarkable organisation...but more of that next time.