do you study road traffic laws of other countries?

[kawashima]

I've read many BCFers ride to other countries, do you try to learn road traffic laws of other countries before you go?
There may be some differences in details. For example how far from a crossing you can't stop a car/bike, if you must stop once in front of level crossing before you cross, etc etc. For me I applied for international license and they gave me, I learnt how to use a roundabout on youtube but didn't know what a pelican crossing means I just rode according to common sense.
I wondered having an international license doesn't mean he knows the road traffic law of the country, how does police treat him if he was a driver / rider with international license?
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owned: 2012 YB125SP, 2008 TDM900, 2005 W650, 2002 LS125R, 2002 CB400SF, NS50F, C50 / Trip to UK(2009), Hokkaido touring(2013)

[stinkwheel]

The biggest difference for most people on here including yourself is that they drive on the opposite side of the road in Europe.

There are a few significant differences that are worth knowing about.

Some are subtle such as zebra crossings. In the UK you give way to someone who has stepped onto the crossing. In Germany you must stop and give way to someone who looks like they might want to cross.

Some are less subtle. Like in France there are a significant number of junctions where you are supposed to give way to traffic joining from a side road.

In America you can turn right on a red light.
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[kawashima]

[Zen Dog]

[kawashima]

[waffles]

[metalangel]

[stinkwheel]

[map]

When outside the UK it is not only the traffic laws that change.
I've found it's a good idea to know what unleaded and diesel translate to as not always that obvious.

Also in America it sometimes is a pain to get fuel on a UK card as the automatic fuel stations ask for a zip code (postcode, where we would enter a PIN). Generally you have to go in and pay first which is a pain as you don't always know how much fuel you'll need and you have to have the cash.

I'd be interested in any other local riding customs/variations around the world.
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[J4mes]

Yes I try to learn the local laws, we drive to Austria to go Skiing every year and find studying the traffic laws for a little while before travelling is much easier and less time consuming than learning how to beg and plead with a police officer in the various different languages!

[metalangel]

[h00dwink]

no
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[TheDonUK]

One of those significant differences other than driving on the right is priority at roundabouts, in much of Russia/Kazakhstan/Mongolia etc you give way to traffic coming onto the roundabout.
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[cdlxxvi]

[Baisemontchou]

There are different regional signs and regulations in Great Britain, in Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man 'R' plates are displayed for a year, meaning the driver is Restricted to 45mph or 50mph in IOM.

Guernsey and Jersey have different road markings, a yellow line across the exit of a minor road means stop and give way to traffic on the major road. A yellow arrow painted on the road gives warning of a yellow stop line ahead, for a motorcyclist it means stop and put your foot down. Box junction cross-hatchings on the road are actually Filter-In-Turns and you do just that, take it in turns to cross the filter, the person who gets there first goes first. A single yellow line painted along the side of the road or pavement means that vehicles must not stop for any reason other than to avoid an accident.

https://www.gov.gg/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=3197&p=0

'H' plates on a car (yellow background, black H in Guernsey, red background, silver H in Jersey) means it's a Hire car and you must assume the driver has no idea what a Filter or Yellow Line mean.

The 50,000 or so Number plates in Guernsey only have numbers, no letters and most private owners choose black background silver letters. Jersey's 80,000+ vehicles have a 'J' then numbers, Alderney has 'AY' and numbers, Sark has no cars or motorbikes at all, horses and tractors only including a tractor-drawn Ambulance Caravan Herm used to have a General Purpose/emergency Landrover with the number plate '999'.

In Thailand a bunch of rocks and tall plants stuck in the middle of the road means there's a hole in the road.

I drove in Florida 30 years ago and remember being both annoyed and confused by the traffic lights which were horizontal, I am red-green colour blind and had no idea when they were red.
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