What can we learn from Europe!

[motometal]

just got back from Spain. wow, europe is much different than here. I enjoyed studying all of the differences. We could learn a lot from them, and vice versa.

In Spain, you can ride just about any type of motorcycle on the street! In the bigger cities, parking is a problem with cars, but a scooter or a bike is much easier to park. "Enduro" bikes with street tires on them are popular, but I also saw several full blown mx bikes racing up and down the streets. It is either legal, or accepted as ok (there may be a rule on lights, but not enforced). Also, they have several brands you won't see much of here, such as Aprillia, and Derbi. How bout an RMX 50! This was not a mini bike-full size! The sound of two stroke scooters and bikes echos in the streets all night. Very different.

There are speed limits posted, but it's basically a "reasonable and prudent" thing... on the interstates, if you are going 100 mph, you'd better watch your mirrors, sooner or later you WILL have to get over as cars zoom up behind you. I have heard that they actually have a safer accident record than us, but I can't back that up with statistics. So, while we argue in congress about raising the speed limit 5 mph, other countries just leave it up to the individual's common sense.

Out of the 10 days I was there, I saw very few bone head drivers (like we are plauged with in the states). Not a place for a beginner driver to go. People know how to drive, and are comitted.

You don't see many elderly folks behind the wheel, but you do see them out excercising. I didn't realize how overweight many americans were until I traveled to Spain. Wow!

It took me at least two days to spot a pickup truck (all cars and vans).

They are much better about conserving energy. For example, most hot water heaters are on-demand with no tank. Also, public places use motion sensors to turn off lights when not needed.

My flame?
1. We are crappy drivers
2. We are lawsuit happy
3. We are overweight
4. We are lawsuit happy
5. We waste alot of energy
6. In the U.S., dirt bikes get picked on by the e.p.a. while semi-trucks belch more smoke in a day than all of out dirt bikes in a year!

Pick one (or more) of these, and let's get some good discussion going...I see the flame board has been way too mellow lately!

By the way, I'm about as pro-American as they get, but I just think as a country, we need to look around, and learn from what works for others.

p.s., please don't ask me about the funny toilets there.:uh:

 

[ride_red_15]

thats true about the EPA..hey man...seriously...what about those toilets?:p

 

[CR Swade]

Yes, the EPA does some bone-headed, oppressive moves. The persecution of lawn-mowers, grills, fireplaces, motorcycles & more while letting factories and millions of OTR transport companies pollute freely is ridiculous. It does need fixing.

But...after spending time in Italy last year, which my wife and I truly loved, I was sooo glad to get back to good, ol' Midwest America where I could breathe the air and drink the water. Americans haven't seen pollution until they witness the mess in Europe. So the lesson here? I don't think I would be modeling any comprehensive EPA overhaul by Euro standards.

There is a common-sense middle-ground that can be found between American enviro-nazis and Euro burn-what-you-want approach.

But I did truly dig their ability to live life to the fullest, from lunchtime (siesta) to motorsports to appreciation of the arts. Everyone should visit once.

 

[SWEDE]

I just feel i´ve got to reply to this. The conditions stated above is true for southern europe but not for europe in general. The countrise in europe are very different from each other. While we have clean air and can drink the water directly from the crane in sweden, we don´t have all those cool bikes they have in spain and italy for example.

BTW spain has actually got the highest amount of traffic deaths in europe, quite a lot actually. I´ve ridden a street bike i greece (wih no helmet, none where avaliable) and that was a near death experience!

SWEDE

 

[Anssi]

Yeah, just try riding an MX bike on the street or doing 100mph on any road here in Finland.

For riding an MX bike on the road it's not inconceivable that you would have to pay the registered bike tax on the bike(about 70% of the bike's price when new) plus penalties, together equaling to at least what you paid for the bike, and possibly losing the bike. 100mph even on a bigger road will cost you your license, although they usually let you drive home and I don't think you'll land in jail unless you flee or hurt somebody.

However, I live in the most urban area in the country (downtown Helsinki), but can get to an old sandpit in the middle of a mixed forest to ride in 25 minutes. If I get injured, my $100/year insurance will take care of ALL treatment and rehab and pay for lost income(plus pay for all damages to other parties). When somebody gets shot dead it's big news nationwide.

 

[bwalker]

If I get injured, my $100/year insurance will take care of ALL treatment and rehab and pay for lost income(plus pay for all damages to other parties). When somebody gets shot dead it's big news nationwide.

Thats great, but how much of your income is payed in taxes?

 

[MikeT]

Originally posted by motometal
1. We are crappy drivers
2. We are lawsuit happy
3. We are overweight
4. We are lawsuit happy
5. We waste alot of energy
6. In the U.S., dirt bikes get picked on by the e.p.a. while semi-trucks belch more smoke in a day than all of out dirt bikes in a year!

1. We are crappy drivers

The speed limit isn't high enough to get rid of those guys yet. :D

2. We are lawsuit happy

That's obvious.

3. We are overweight

You're kidding, right?

4. We are lawsuit happy

I guess it was good enough to say twice

5. We waste alot of energy

That's because we have it. Glad I don't live in a third world country

6. In the U.S., dirt bikes get picked on by the e.p.a. while semi-trucks belch more smoke in a day than all of out dirt bikes in a year!

You can say that again and again and again.

 

[motometal]

Sorry for generalizing too much, I could have probably been a bit more detailed or accurate consulting with my wife first, she spent 3 weeks in europe this summer and covered many countries.

Very true about the air quality, in the cities or spain anyway. Burger king serves beer with their combo meals, but it was smokier than most bars I have visited, and I was compelled to get it "to go". They need help on emissions in europe, but my point was that at least they aren't beating up on the little guy like we are. When I got off the plane in Minnesota, I did notice the air was great, in comparison.

The toilets...inquiring minds want to know, so, well, i'll try to use as much tact as possible here...lessee...

1. The have these things called biddaes. I'm sure that's not how to spell it, but anyway it is like a toilet without a lid to sit on, with a plug to go in the drain. Many Americans think it is for washing the hind side, but I have been told it is for the "other" side (women use it). However, when I asked about it everyone played it off like they weren't used much anymore BUT I went into some newer motels that had them. Interesting.

2. The (regular) toilets don't hold near as much water in the bowl as ours, to conserve water. Those of you with RVs know what I mean about the "racing stripe syndrome". It is customary to use the brush, which is normally kept nearby, to remedy the situation. By the way, they think it is totally bizarre that we have toilets with all that water in the bowl.:uh:

 

[marcusgunby]

On saving water, we get told to put a house brick in the systen- so it uses less water each flush(the volume of the brick to be exact)

 

[JuliusPleaser]

It's spelled "bidet", and the word (and the appliance) is of French origin. Loosely translated, "bidet" means "rinse that thang".

Those French guys know how to live...

 

[gospeedracer]

Originally posted by motometal
We could learn a lot from them...
In Spain, you can…………

…………..drop goats from 4th story windows for entertainment……… tie chickens to a line by their necks then ride by on horseback and see if you can rip their bodies from their heads…………..you can get the whole town to join in and see how many people you can pile on before you squish a donkey to death……… you can toy with a bull by sticking knives in it as you run by before stabbing it to death…………
No thanks! :mad: There are plenty of other countries that would serve a better example!

 

[motometal]

I'm not sure if all of that is typical behavior (except for the bullfighting part, maybe), but it was a funny post anyways.


Wonder what they think of our hog, chicken, and turkey confinement practices? I would rather fall from a 4th story window than live in a tiny pen above a pit of liquid manure, only to be slaughered when I grow big enough.

 

[someday]

Cities in Japan also have exposed raw sewage running along the streets in troughs. Pleasant, eh!?

Everytime I've been to Germany, UK, or anywhere else I LOVED the experiences and couldn't WAIT to get home to beautiful central Virginia!

 

[WorldWideRacer]

I will have to admit, Japan has some of the coolest toilets I have ever seen. They heat the seat, they rinse you off, and they dry you, all at the simple push of a button! If I could just read the konji, I wouldnt have resorted to the toilet paper roll next to it...:think

On the other hand, it isnt uncommon to see people relieving themselves wherever they please in broad daylight, even the females! The raw sewage thing must be pretty rare, though, I have not seen any of it. Only place I saw that was in Korea.

Back to the topic, there are alot of things that would benefit every country if we all shared our good points. Nobody is perfect, though.