Below, you can read a (humorous) practical guide to
driving in Crete and further down, a few (serious) words of advice
Hurray hurray! Greece won against Portugal for the
first place in the road accident statistics of the European Union!
But it really isn't as bad as they make it. Driving here is safe
and easy, as long as you understand the local driving code.
Although the driving code is pretty much the same as in all other
European countries, Crete is strong on tradition and the old driving
code is still very much in force.
A quick guide to the Cretan driving code
as well as a translation of commonly used traffic signs:
Stop sign: slow down, look around a bit, there
is a junction
Priority sign: hurry up someone might be coming
Orange traffic light: drive a little faster, otherwise
you'll have to stop
Red traffic light: cross very carefully
Do not overtake sign: be careful when overtaking
Double white lines: do not position your vehicle
entirely to the left of the lines when overtaking. Watch for oncoming
cars.
Speed limits: they do exist and if you break them
you might get stopped by a curious policeman who will want to know
why you are in such a hurry
Seat belts are compulsory and you can sometimes
see Cretans wearing them
Please note: none of the above rules count if you
ride a moped. Just go for it and hope for the best. But not to worry,
in case of an accident the orthopedic and neurological units of the
major hospitals have a lot of practice.
Helmets are required if you ride a moped or a motorbike
- especially in cold and rainy weather
Drinking and driving: the police now have breathalysers.
You are not allowed to drive if you have more than 0.5 mg of alcohol
in your blood. In practice it is only frowned upon although things
are getting tougher and some people really got into trouble. The
only time where you can drink and drive without fear is on major
holidays: the police quite rightly finds it in very poor taste to
spoil the enjoyment of drivers on a feast day.
Driving on the National Road: The emergency lane
is in fact used as a driving lane if you are being overtaken. If
you insist on staying in the driving lane when someone wants to overtake,
you will make some people really impatient. Anyway, it is not a polite
thing to do.
Parking: until recently drivers didn't so much
park as abandon their car whenever they felt like it. Things are
changing in the cities and parking fines are pretty steep.
Passing through a flock of sheep: Cretans take
their sheep seriously so don't mess with them (both I mean): if you
have to pass through a flock of sheep, go slow and do not cross in
the middle but try to make a way on either side of the road. If you
try to pass in the middle, you will probably have to stop and wait
it out.
Winding roads: it is usual for people to drive
in the middle of the road, even if this one is narrow, so take care
in corners. I was once given an interesting explanation for this
curious driving behaviour: "if a car comes driving towards you,
you always have somewhere to go to if you drive in the middle. If
a car comes towards you whilst you are on your side of the road,
your only escape is off the road". Ten years on and I am still
trying to work out the logic of it!
Most of the above is meant to be humorous. It is a caricature
but it reflects a certain reality of driving on Crete...now a few
not-so-humorous words of warning...
The roads are not what you are used to in so-called "developed
countries" and many drivers are not very good or attentive
drivers so be really careful, attentive and drive defensively.
The part about driving in the emergency lane on the National road which runs
along the North coast of the island is absolutely serious: if someone wants
to overtake you, move into the emergency lane to give them space. Do
not do it when the road curves to the right because you have no visibility and
no place to go should someone be parked in the emergency lane.
Beware of animals on the road, especially goats and sheep. It is also not unusual
for people to walk along the road at night dressed in dark colours
A special word of warning for those wanting to rent mopeds
and motorbikes: Every year, a number of tourists get badly
hurt. The main reason: they are allowed to rent a moped but have
never ridden one or they have a motorbike license, unused for many
years. Start very carefully if this is the case and then enjoy.
How wonderful it is to ride in shorts and T-shirt, hair flying
in the wind (remember Easy Rider?). and remember that if you fall
off, even at low speed, in this unprotected attire, the rough surface
of the road will take away your skin!
A smaller, common problem is burning your legs on the exhaust getting off the
bike, because you are not used to riding in shorts.
Talking about burns, do not forget to put sun cream on your exposed parts,
the sun is strong and you will not feel it whilst you are moving (and do not
forget your hands, they sit on the handlebars and are the most exposed).
And finally, although Greece has a high accident rate, we have seen
only few serious accidents, so it is not as bad as it may seem...if
you take care.
Important update!
In its drive to reduce the appalling road accident
statistics of Greece
the Greek government is having a big crackdown on speeding, not wearing
seat belts or crash helmets as well as drink driving. There are a
lot of police checks on major roads and tourists are not exempt from
high fines if they are caught on the wrong side of the law.
You have been warned.
It seems that drink driving is going to become the
next big no-no. In Athens, in case of any accident the police is
now obliged to breathalyze the parties involved. Even if the accident
is not your fault, insurances are unlikely to pay you anything if
you are found to be over the limit. You will also be fined for drunk
driving. I haven't heard of this happening in Crete, but don't be
the first.
Random road blocks are now common place late at night to check on drink drivers,
even and maybe especially on feast days.
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