I think the Globe and Mail should go back to the author of this article and ask a few prying questions about the UK that he is depicting in this piece. Sure, there is a great car culture. But the rest of the article reads as mere conjecture and hearsay as opposed to actual on-the-ground experience. 

As a resident of the UK for more than a decade, I'm not seeing the same country that is being portrayed in this article. It's really no different than anywhere else, although likely more polite place to drive than parts of the US. However, to say the country lacks the rudeness and road rage that is seen in Canada isn't exactly correct; there is in fact a whole lot of rudeness and rage lurking beneath the surface of many drivers. Someone who doesn't drive here and only visits occasionally is unlikely to see much of it. 

I'm also bemused by his friend's comment that giving someone the finger is akin to challenging them to a fight. Sound like he fell for it hook, line and sinker.