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France: Cars are mainly French, mainly recent models but with a fair sprinkling of old ones. Not much utility cycling. Lots of fat, old boys on snazzy bikes.

Swiss/German border: Lots and lots of cyclists of all types, on new-looking bikes ranging from town bikes to 'racers'. Lots of utility cycling and days out by bike as well as faster riders and roller-bladers. Bikes paths everywhere. A high proportion of snazzy cars. Mainly German. Very respectful towards other road users.

Germany: A wider range of cars, mostly recent with a good sprinkling of upmarket models. Predominantly German. Lots of utility cycling and middle-aged couples out for rides on the bike paths. Massive network of bike paths. Lots of roller-bladers. Drivers incredible respectful of cyclists.

Austria: Much less utility cycling, except in Vienna. Some bike paths, but Vienna has loads. Lots of cars, a wide range of makes, mostly recent with quite a few upmarket models. Drivers very correct towards cyclists but with less 'awareness' than in Germany. (Perhaps because fewer people cycle?)

Hungary: The road system in very geared towards cars. Bike paths exist but are a nuisance because they're rarely signposted, often shared with pedestrians, bumpy and end or change 'carriageway' abruptly. Quite a bit of utility cycling on old, basic bikes, except in Budapest where there's a fashion for very narrow, straight handlebars. Cyclists in the countryside are old, in Budapest they're young. Mainly functional cars. Skoda and Opel dominate the market. Lots of Trabants, Ladas and even the odd Wartburg in everyday use. Horses and carts aren't uncommon.