To think that Harpenden, hertfordshire has some of the worse drivers... in the world

[ReallyTired]

A long time I went for a job interview at a Harpenden School. It was scary! There were mad people in their 4X4s trying to drop their children as close to the school gate as possible. It was a miracle that there was no accident.

I thought this was a one off, but a couple of weeks ago my son did Grade 2 at St George's school Harpenden early in the morning and yet again there was 4X4s fighting to the death for a parking space.

Driving in Italy is calm and stress free experience in comparision.

[MrsTerryPratchett]

You went to the wrong places in Italy then. My list... Varese in Italy, the whole and Vietnam, Nairobi.

[MrsTerryPratchett]

That would be the whole of Vietnam.

[TENDTOprocrastinate]

I don't know much about the driving- but have you seen how expensive the houses are around there?! I live in Surrey so not easily shocked by high house prices- but blimey!

[SalopianTubes]

YANBU.

I once stopped at a roundabout as the car from the right was already on the roundabout and I would have had a collision if I'd continued. The tosser in the car behind me was so infuriated by being held up for all of 15 seconds, he stood up in his open top car, just so I'd get a better view of him flicking V's.

Wanker.

[Xiaoxiong]

Harpenden may have some but the rest all live in Slough. We went to Nairobi in December and DH commented that Slough drivers could teach the Kenyans a thing or two about mad driving.

[MrsTerryPratchett]

I'm staying away from Slough then.

[NewGirlInTown]

I live v close to Harpenden and can only concur about the mad mummy driving. Everyone seems to have a massive 4 x4 and they all drive them like tanks! The Waitrose car park is another danger spot!

[JacqueslePeacock]

Interesting that you say that. The worst driver I've ever had the misfortune to get in a car with does live in Harpenden.

[chocolatetester1]

Daaaaaarrrling! The ladies of Harpenden don't park, they simply stop.

[NewGirlInTown]

Chocolate! Yes! Only to hurl out a small child then head off for coffee in the Lily Lounge!

[chocolatetester1]

New girl, you put it like that and I'm quite jealous! Coffee without kids? Ahhhh that's just a pipe dream round here
But at least I can park!

[pixwix]

No - I live in St Albans, and hate driving through Harpenden!

[ruledbyheart]

My cousins wife is always moaning on Facebook about the drivers in Harpenden, I just thought here we go again another moan but now its on mumsnet it must be a serious problem

[Sallyingforth]

Just try driving in Russia. You'll soon change your mind.

[ReallyTired]

Harpenden has more than its fair share of pushy mummies. When these women are behind the wheel they are unstoppable!

Incase I am outed, most of the Harpenden mums I know in real life are lovely.

kim147 I expect that netmums is more popular with they pushy Harpenden mums who can't drive their 4X4s. They can have a hideous flowerly pink ticker saying that they have exclusively breastfed Theo for 168 days.

[NewGirlInTown]

Lots of very witty posters on this thread! ReallyTired conjures up the army vision very well!

[marcopront]

Do they drive the correct way round roundabouts? Do they drive in between the white lines? They don't in Egypt.
Do they see a gap a few centimetres bigger than their car and drive into it? They do in India.
Do they think their horn is an indicator? They do in a lot of places.

[EMS23]

It's not just the yummy mums.. My parents live there and as my Dad is getting older he is turning into a shocking driver!
I grew up there and when we were 18, 2 of my best friends wrote each others cars off crashing in to each other in a totally random accident.

Whilst I love Harpo and hate criticising the place for no reason, based on those two 'facts', YANBU!

[ThinkAboutItOnBoxingDay]

Have you ever been to northampton?

[Alligatorpie]

In the world?

I live in North Africa. People regularly drive the wrong way down a four lane motorway at 100 km an hour. Indicators are not used and most people do not bother getting licence's, meaning there is very little respect for other drivers / pedestrians.

Is it that bad?

[Glittertwins]

I also live near Harpenden and hate going there because traffic/parking is dreadful. The only reason I tended to go was for the JoJoMamanBebe shop and I'd do a smash and grab at less busy times!

[PanicMode]

I think Tunbridge Wells may just be on a par.....terrible driving here.

But Russia and Italy and Egypt are definitely more dangerous than anywhere in the UK....

[marcopront]

Another favourite in Egypt: Drive the wrong way at night without your lights on.
And from Nairobi : Drive at night with lights on full beam.

I can't decide which was worse.

They might have the worst parking in Harpenden but lots of places have worse driving.

[Longdistance]

Are they not off skiing then???? Or is it out of season?

My brand new car got damaged in Harpenden by some fuckwit. The note left said the young lad did it, but then I contacted the number, the mum said she did it yeah right anyway, he left details. Had the cheek to ask me to search or a better deal. No fucking chance, it's going back to the showroom I bought it from. But, what a bunch of idiots.

I saw an old fella whack right into a Bentley with his Astra. He wasn't gonna leave a note til the woman who saw it started shouting at him.

Yanbu you're spot on Really.