Oh I ****ing love sweden

Everything I read about Sweden makes it seem too good to be true, and all the Swedes I've met have been amiable, laid back people. I'm going to make a pilgrimage some day.
 
I believe Iceland also has a similar has a similar programme, and intend to have an entirely hydrogen based economy by 2050.
 
One of the few wise and admirable countries in the world. But to be fair, Sweden has such a low population in such a big country, it's a lot harder to be that ambitious in other countries.
 
PvtRyan said:
One of the few wise and admirable countries in the world. But to be fair, Sweden has such a low population in such a big country, it's a lot harder to be that ambitious in other countries.
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It seems like a low population is good for everyone. Less mouths to feed, less demand on resources, less demand for space, less need to build everywhere. Then look at the population boom in Africa. There'd be a hell of a lot less starving people there if only were less people in the first place. I know a lot of them are poor because they have to survive off a shit deal selling cash crops to rich countries, but if there were less of them then surely they'd be able to make enough food for themselves.
 
Yeah, Sweden's the shit.

It's such a great thing to come home after being abroad and actually being able to look at the chicks without feeling sick.
 
If I moved there, would it be a problem that I don't know a single word of Swedish?
 
Stigmata said:
If I moved there, would it be a problem that I don't know a single word of Swedish?
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Yeah thats my main worry about moving there - I have to learn a whole new language. It would be possible, but ti would be easier not to. What can I say, I'm lazy :p
 
Atomic_Piggy said:
Yeah thats my main worry about moving there - I have to learn a whole new language. It would be possible, but ti would be easier not to. What can I say, I'm lazy :p
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Most of us speak decent english at least, and I'd say almost everyone at least understand it well.
And the one really great thing about us is that if we're asked something in english we don't answer in swedish, like so many other peoples do.
 
stuff like this is what make me regret moving away...but remember that just because you hear good things doesnt mean there are bad things. Its not the perfect heaven country everyone think it is...but yeah its pretty badass.
 
AJ Rimmer said:
Most of us speak decent english at least, and I'd say almost everyone at least understand it well.
And the one really great thing about us is that if we're asked something in english we don't answer in swedish, like so many other peoples do.
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Don't get me wrong i would learn swedish - but language ain't my strong points.
 
AJ Rimmer said:
Most of us speak decent english at least, and I'd say almost everyone at least understand it well.
And the one really great thing about us is that if we're asked something in english we don't answer in swedish, like so many other peoples do.
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It's pretty impressive tbh... I studied abroad with a bunch of scandinavians - some norwegians, swedes, finns - and for the most part their english was so good that, before I discovered where they were from, I had a tough time deciding whether english was indeed their 1st language or not. Maybe the Finns had a more pronounced accent though.
 
Sweden is nice for Swedish people only, if you're a foreigner it's a whole different story.
 
I'd move to Sweden if I wasn't too lazy to learn Swedish or whatever crazy language those guys speak.
 
Considering dropping by when I visit Norway. Some neat runestones in both nations I need to see.
 
My bum is on the SWEEEEDISH.

SWEEEEEEEEEEEEDISH.
 
Gunner said:
Sweden is nice for Swedish people only, if you're a foreigner it's a whole different story.
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Its not that simple really. We do have our share of racists and many of them an be found in the genreation of the 1940s, unfortunatly those people tend to be in executive positions as well. That said, if you learn swedish and have a decent education you should have an easier time in this country then say, japan.

The problem we have is that we accept a lot of immigrants, most in europe IIRC as a precentage of our population. Our integration policies need drastic improvements as well.
 
They also want to ban motorbikes from public roads because they're "too dangerous".

Pretty much nullifies any respect I once had for Swedish policy.
 
I spent a few weeks in Sweden and Norway several years ago and loved it. Nice people, and I'm grateful that most of them spoke good English so I could communicate :) I would definitely consider living there, except I'd feel like an ass if I didn't learn Swedish, which is a problem because I am absolutely horrible at foreign languages.
 
I love America, but we really got some work to do... I have a feeling nothing is going to change though.. :(
 
repiV said:
They also want to ban motorbikes from public roads because they're "too dangerous".

Pretty much nullifies any respect I once had for Swedish policy.
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That's the first time I've ever heard of that, where did you hear it from?
 
The Monkey said:
That's the first time I've ever heard of that, where did you hear it from?
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It was mentioned as an inevitability of Sweden's "Vision Zero" transport policy for reducing road traffic deaths to zero.
 
If people want to ride motorbikes, let them. There's reduced traffic and they are only a risk to themselves (relative to cars).

Having said that I don't think I'm brave enough to try riding. I prefer being a risk to others than a risk to myself (no, I'm a good driver, honest!)
 
kirovman said:
If people want to ride motorbikes, let them. There's reduced traffic and they are only a risk to themselves (relative to cars).
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That's why police going after bikers really pisses me off - most of us are fast but not reckless, and even the reckless ones are only going to kill themselves - how is that any of the state's concern?
They should spend that time going after douchebags in Volvos and Range Rovers that pay no attention to the road, hog the middle lane and generally have no idea how to drive. People that actually pose a threat or inconvinience to other road users.
Anyone you see on a sportsbike, there's a very high probability they take it up to over 150mph on a regular basis, and surprisingly enough you don't very often hear of bystanders being killed in high speed bike accidents, nor do you hear of bikers losing control at high speeds on straight roads.

Having said that I don't think I'm brave enough to try riding. I prefer being a risk to others than a risk to myself (no, I'm a good driver, honest!)
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Just try it. Do a CBT, you'll be with an instructor and everything. It's great fun - and you'll never have to worry about traffic jams again. :)

On the flipside of what I said above, there is a benefit in that your everyday police will usually turn a blind eye in my experience to speeding bikes, so long as it doesn't look like hooliganism. I've passed police cars at 50-60mph or more on 30 limit roads on countless occassions and they've never paid any attention at all.
The same offence in a car would probably warrant a ban. A lot of it comes down to the apparent quality of your riding, the bike you're on and the way you're dressed, I suppose.
 
repiV said:
That's why police going after bikers really pisses me off - most of us are fast but not reckless, and even the reckless ones are only going to kill themselves - how is that any of the state's concern?
They should spend that time going after douchebags in Volvos and Range Rovers that pay no attention to the road, hog the middle lane and generally have no idea how to drive. People that actually pose a threat or inconvinience to other road users.
Anyone you see on a sportsbike, there's a very high probability they take it up to over 150mph on a regular basis, and surprisingly enough you don't very often hear of bystanders being killed in high speed bike accidents, nor do you hear of bikers losing control at high speeds on straight roads.
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To be fair, being hit by a motor bike (or a body for that matter) going at 240 km/h is not a funny experience.
 
repiV said:
They should spend that time going after douchebags in Volvos and Range Rovers that pay no attention to the road, hog the middle lane and generally have no idea how to drive. People that actually pose a threat or inconvinience to other road users.
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I hate those. The driver is elevated high above ordinary cars so you can't seen past them when you're turning the opposite way to them at a junction. And they can't see pedestrians walking around either.

Combine this with the fact that most of these marvellous contraptions lurk around near schools and have massive cattle-bars, the drivers frequently have to scrap the little kiddies off the bars on a daily basis.
They are like the paedophiles of the roads (lol I'm going to write into the Daily Mail with that quip).

The typical driver seems to be a middle aged middle class mother who is not confident with her own driving ability, so needs to defend herself and her kids by being a hazard to everyone else.

I wonder sometimes if the drivers have considered tanks.

Just try it. Do a CBT, you'll be with an instructor and everything. It's great fun - and you'll never have to worry about traffic jams again.
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I think I will do, one day, when I have a bit of spare time and cash. The only things I hear about bike riding accidents in the news is the rider who was killed. If more people rode bikes, maybe the situation would be better.
 
kirovman said:
I hate those. The driver is elevated high above ordinary cars so you can't seen past them when you're turning the opposite way to them at a junction. And they can't see pedestrians walking around either.

Combine this with the fact that most of these marvellous contraptions lurk around near schools and have massive cattle-bars, the drivers frequently have to scrap the little kiddies off the bars on a daily basis.
They are like the paedophiles of the roads (lol I'm going to write into the Daily Mail with that quip).

The typical driver seems to be a middle aged middle class mother who is not confident with her own driving ability, so needs to defend herself and her kids by being a hazard to everyone else.

I wonder sometimes if the drivers have considered tanks.
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Absolutely. They're basically a way for selfish bastards to protect themselves in the event of an accident they're likely to cause - the hell with anyone else.
Personally, if I was to cause an accident, I'd rather I got hurt than someone else. I find it abhorrent.
They're a particular hazard for bikers - I remember the worst case was about a week after I passed my test. I was going down a main road at about 35-40ish (generally the best speed to be seen and heard at junctions, I've since realised) and this guy in a Range Rover was waiting to turn right at a turning ahead of me. He looked straight at me, right in the eye, then pulled out right across my path anyway. I held down the horn and swerved onto the other side of the road and slammed open the throttle. Got a scary (at the time, as I was new, and certainly hadn't tested out the sheer power of my 600 properly yet) rear wheel slide when I snapped it open but I accelerated out of it and narrowly avoided his bumper (he'd stopped in the middle of the road).
Hit one of those behemoths at speed and you're probably dead no matter how much gear you're wearing. It's usually people driving those kind of vehicles that endanger my life in some way. I utterly detest them.

I think I will do, one day, when I have a bit of spare time and cash. The only things I hear about bike riding accidents in the news is the rider who was killed. If more people rode bikes, maybe the situation would be better.
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Riding a bike is a very high risk activity, there's no doubt about that. However, you also have to take into consideration that riding a bike requires several times more skill than driving a car just to stay alive, and then you have the added skill required to ride skilfully on top of that. Add this to the fact that most riders use their bike solely as a toy and take it out every now and then on sunny weekends, so never accumulate any meaningful riding experience and this is largely why you are statistically 50 times more likely to be killed or seriously injured riding a bike. High-performance bikes are also extremely affordable and so it's quite common for people to start off on bikes that far exceed their abilities. A decent nick 2002 Yamaha R6 can be had second hand for ?2,500 and it's more capable than the MotoGP bikes of 20 years ago.

I ride all the time, it's my only transport, and I'm passionate about improving my riding and I'm currently training for my IAM advanced test - if you fit that profile, you're far less likely to have an accident as you have the experience and you develop the skills to avoid hurting yourself.

The most common cause of motorcycle accidents is right of way violation on behalf of the other party (73%!), however the overwhelming majority of fatal accidents are sportsbike riders losing control on a bend.
Which tells an interesting story - it's a constant battle we struggle with, you always want to push it that bit further but you've got to be careful you don't write cheques your skill level can't cash or you're going to end up in hospital or the morgue. I haven't been riding long enough, but all my biking friends know at least one person who's been killed. You've always got to make sure that your lust for adrenaline doesn't get the better of you.

As for idiots pulling out at junctions, you've got to make yourself more conspicuous and after a while you develop a sixth sense - you just know they're going to do it. It's entirely possible to develop the skills to ride without ever having an accident, but obviously that's a fairly high level of attainment.

The problem is that most car drivers don't really give a shit about driving, they just want to get from A to B and in their myopic little world, they have no appreciation of what riding a bike is like, nor the very different characteristics of the machines - unfortunately, neither do the authorities. It's much safer to ride a bike quickly than it is to drive a car quickly, partially because most bikes are designed to go quickly, have very rapid acceleration even beyond the range of a top of the line sportscar, extremely powerful brakes and vastly superior agility to a car. To illustrate, the Suzuki GSXR-1300 can go from 0-100 and back to 0 again in less than 10 seconds.
But also because there are no distractions on a bike - it's just you and the road. You don't have all the shit like stereos and passengers to keep your attention elsewhere. Plus, you have much better visibility.

Importantly though, riding is a statement, a bit like rock and roll once was - "**** you Big Brother, I'm gonna enjoy my life".
 
Sweden is fine if you enjoy living in one of the most heavily-taxed nations in the developed world.

Its so socialist it might as well be communist.
 
Parrot of doom said:
Sweden is fine if you enjoy living in one of the most heavily-taxed nations in the developed world.

Its so socialist it might as well be communist.
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Call me crazy, but I'm happy taxes exist. It may be a bitch to pay them but they do provide for a lot of things.
 
The problem is when they pay for so much that people are disinclined to work.
 
^ Is that why we have nearly half the unemployment rate of the EU average, despite having some of the highest taxes in the union?
 
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