Introduction
I have been deliberating whether to spend my autumn years in foreign climes for so long, that I now find myself in my winter years. For me this country is undergoing an intentional rapid decline. That process will eventually reach all western countries, but the UK is currently suffering the worst, as we had the audacity to leave the Globalist’s wet dream of the European Union. So, what we are witnessing is a punishment beating for doing just that.
As a recce for my research on which country to choose to move to. I recently returned from a motorcycle trip with a group of 30 plus other gammons. Yet, with not one Hog (Harley-Davidson) being ridden, to try and establish which of the countries we passed through appealed from France, Germany, Austria, Slovenia and Italy.
I may had been unfair to all my fellow motorcyclists of advanced age about their gammon status, as I did not get to speak to all of them about the UK. But of those I did all agreed that the UK is going to the dogs, and that Starmer is a treacherous twat. The topic of Covid vaccinations was also broached (not by me) with two guys both saying they regretted getting sucked into having them.
The entertaining thing for driving or riding into Europe is that for British registered vehicles a GB plate is no longer legal. Since Brexit you must now display a UK plate, and after Northern Ireland got such a bum deal out of the Brexit negotiations! And there was I thinking the left leaning sock puppets pandering to the globalist elites do not have a sense of humour!
We did a major tour through Europe by car a few years back, and although only spending two nights in Slovenia, we fell in love with it. It has fantastic scenery, and I had the belief that the inhabitants were very proud of their country, oddly concluded by seeing all the neat stacks of firewood outside of not only the beautifully maintained homes, but outside of the lovely public buildings. In the UK those stacks of firewood would have been stolen, at the same time the thieves were decanting your heating oil storage tank.
This article will be like a list of ‘for’ and ‘against’ for moving abroad, created for me to look back on for research. As I keep misplacing the list of handwritten notes I would very much like those that currently live abroad (I count at least four of you as regular FSB BTL commentators) to made comments, or if you feel inclined: please create your own article about why you chose that country and how you find life living there.
Chapter 1: “And it’s half past four and I’m shiftin gear” ‘Radar Love’ by Golden Earing.
“If you had followed Waze we would have been in the bar by now”
The road surfaces of these countries are also indicative of attitudes. Obviously not scientific, but my gut feeling is that the order of quality of roads is that order listed above. France’s toll roads are superb, but I guess you’d expect that as they are not cheap to travel on. Someone on the tour said they were once free to those on two wheels. And it is galling to pay the same for a bike as you would a motorhome. And don’t get me started on the faff of taking the ticket, then paying at the other end, whilst on two wheels. Luckily the weather was nice, but wearing waterproofs and wet gloves escalates the misery of paying tolls. Luckily my riding companion faffs around more than I do, so it is usually he that gets the horn blasts from the cars queuing up behind. Especially after his engine has stopped and his alarm is sounding! He also likes to set off that alarm at fuel stations. His record was four different alarm activations in one fuel refill! All very entertaining to witness. Mind you I did drop my bike at a fuel station, luckily, we got separated so he was not there to witness that. A very nice German father and son helped me pick it up. 1987 side stand, cambered surface and short legs were the causes.
The only UK toll we came across was the Dartford Crossing and that is free to motorbikes. So, one up for the Brits for applying common sense. Not that they introduced that to encourage people to travel on to two wheels. That was brought in during the time you used to pay a human being in a booth by cash and due to the time taken by bikers, especially if you dropped some coins, and the huge tailbacks just got longer. Nowadays, number plate recognition is used to create the tolls. NB. These must be paid before midnight of the following day of crossing, or a Penalty Charge Notice of £70 applies, reduced to £35 if paid within 14 days. Obviously, none of this is applicable to motorcycles….yippee. Good old Blighty.
The UK roads are at the tail end of the surface quality, probably needing to go to penalties with the Italians to determine the winner of worst road surface champions.
The attitude of drivers to motorcyclists is worth a mention: French drivers are good in not only returning to the ‘slow’ lane after overtaking, but they also move over on A roads to let you pass. They are often in the gutter/verge to allow that! No doubt a few cars have had punctures from considering the biker behind. Sometimes it is still not safe to overtake them, particularly if you are carrying panniers, so you feel guilty for not taking advantage of their decency.
Only a few of the Germans/Austrians drivers move to let you through, and I heard stories from some tour members of a few German registered cars moving out to prevent an overtake, necessitating the biker to move further out or back as the car moves to the left. I never witnessed that myself, but I did hear the horns of cars as some of our riders crossed the solid white line in the middle of the road. Yes, it is illegal to do that, but in my case I did it only when safe to do so officer. Yes, ze Germans do like to stick to the rules, and make you aware they have witnessed you breaking them. One up to France.
What caught my eye, and I have written about it numerous times in FSB: litter in the verges.
Some of my fellow riders also mentioned the lack of noticeable litter in all those countries. When did we Brits become arseholes? All those countries have very little litter anywhere; it is an occasion to spot any. In the UK, the verges on motorways and the streets in towns are full of it. For me, that is indicative that society is breaking down. I am convinced Starmer sees that as a badge of honour that ‘the powers that ought not to be’ (Neil Oliver) are on course to drive this once great country into the ground.
I also like the system that is more frequent in the vastness that is France of having rest areas with usually, but not always, toilets. Sometimes a break for humans and dogs with a pack up and loo visit is all that is required. Obviously, dogs are not regulars on bikes, but they are not unknown, see Wallace and Gromit.
Another great communication aid in many European countries, displayed before an exit to a fuel station: the next three or four fuel station’s petrol and diesel prices and their distance. NB. Waze does display those prices, and you can interact with it to update them, if they have changed. Interaction is not easy on a motorbike.
Service stations differ in how you pay for fuel. And that can be frustrating. We came across one in France that had card readers on the pumps (sadly with no English language option) But having tried numerous cards, all being rejected, whilst witnessing the queue of cars forming behind, the driver of the first car in that queue said you must present your card in the shop ahead of the transaction. Then you fuel up, then return to the shop for the correct amount to be applied to your card. What a ball ache! I guess there is a reason…. answers please.
I apologised to the driver of that first car, when he came into the shop for his first of two visits. He seemed sympathetic. But I did push my bike out of his way so he could get to the pump: consideration is key.
Next article to follow, Chapter 2: “when they fly your flag today, are you proud or just ashamed”
‘It means Nothing’ by Stereophonics’
Good question Kelly, for me, when that song was written, it was a yes. But not now.
If you would like to leave, where would you go? Let us know in the comments.