Rules of the Road

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Rules of the Road

More about Italy and France later, and maybe Turkey. For now Greece.

The Greeks drive fast. On any highway there is only one accelerator position - floored. Advisory speed limits for roadworks and bends only apply to others. 130kmph is advisory. Greek traffic cops see very little. Greeks will make maneuver into tiny spaces at speed, or when pulling out. Scary! OK, the positive. Nobody will attempt to pass on the inside. On urban roads they do not lane split or try to pass unless there is a passing lane (or invited to pass), and they stop before the traffic light goes red. It is all very predictable. The key is to watch ahead and predict what is going to happen, it is very predictable once you get over UK driving standards (which are in many ways worse), and watch your mirrors before making any maneuver. The other positive is that they wait behind and can be very respectful of the nervous, uncertain or lost. All of the above is of course a generalisation and will not apply everywhere, and there is no way I'd want to test any of this in the chaos of Athens roads.

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