What a starch difference between US and European cars, driving and traffic.

Automobile
Whereas we are lost in a sea of big SUV, huge pickup trucks and large sedans, Europe builds smaller and smaller cars with high performance.  I got to drive my Mom’s 1.6L Golf.  No race horse there and an anemic engine at best but with great handling, it was perfect for city cruising.

Design wise, it is day and night between both countries.  European cars are light in aesthetic and aggressively modern.  I even saw Japanese cars we don’t get here.  Oh and bikers have it way more easy there.  Automobile drivers are courteous to bikers and have learn to spot them in advance.  Bikers thank you by lifting a foot up.  Strange at first.

Monaco was my highlight.  The AUDI Aztec prototype parked in a municipal parking lot WITH flat tires!  A rare early 60s Ferrari not too far away.  A slew of Aston Martin, Jaguars, Rolls Royce, Bentley, Mercedes, etc.

What caught my eyes was an especially good looking, of what I thought to be a 308 Ferrari but sounded too good and turned out to be a 208 GTO driving in the middle of the street!  Then, I caught a glimpse of a jewel.  1 out of 23 built, Lancia Zagato Fulvia all original factory racer.

Frankly said the driving got worse there.  For one thing, we can finally say we drive faster here.  What we cannot brag about is our civility at the wheel.  There the Europeans beat us hands down, at least here in California.  No cutting in and out of lanes, no forgetting to use blinkers, no talking on the phone and being oblivious to traffic conditions.

Our driving habits will eventually push elected officials to crack down, since we cannot self-moderate.  There will be laws again cell phone and driving, and sooner or later, we will be forced to drive at the speed limit.  And believe me, what takes us 30mn will take us 45mn of maddening snail pace in traffic congested California will be sheer displeasure.