Home from Home | Speeding BMW and Audi drivers. Potholes everywhere. Driving on British roads is not for the faint-hearted. I wish I was back in Hong Kong riding MTR trains

Driving on British roads can be a pleasure but too often it is not, thanks to speeding drivers – BMW and Audi owners are the worst – and a pandemic of potholes

In 28 years in Hong Kong I never needed a car, thanks to the city’s cheap and efficient public transport system. There are times I wish I was back on the MTR

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A BMW on a UK road. Drivers of these cars and another German marque, Audi, are the worst violators of speed limits, in the writer’s opinion, and potholes also contribute to make driving in Britain a misery at times. Photo: Shutterstock

Cliff Buddle

Published: 2:15pm, 14 Jan 2024Updated: 2:25pm, 14 Jan 2024

Owning a car in Hong Kong is a luxury enjoyed by a privileged few. For most residents, there is no need to incur the expense of buying, running and parking a vehicle.

The city’s public transport system is cheap and efficient. It is easy to get around. I was never tempted to buy a car during my 28 years in the city.

But since moving to a village in the English countryside last year, driving has become part of my life again. The public transport options are limited to an occasional bus.

Driving in Britain can be a pleasure. A trip down to the coast on a sunny day is a joy. I have the freedom to drive down to Cornwall, up to Scotland or even, via the channel tunnel, across to France.

Widemouth Bay, Cornwall. Nowhere is out of reach in Britain when you have a car, but the roads are full of hazards – not least speeding BMW and Audi drivers. Photo: Shutterstock

But hitting the road here is not for the faint-hearted. It is probably the most dangerous thing I do. Perfectly reasonable people seem to undergo a personality change when they get behind the wheel.

For some, the speed limit is a minimum requirement. BMW and Audi drivers are, in my experience, the worst offenders.