An Amusing but Informative Story

Thought I would share a one of Jubb's and my little adventures whilst on a rekkie trip to Crete with you all!
As we all know driving in a country with basically no road rules is a little daunting and it normally falls to me to take the responsibility of this head on but on the this one occasion I had voted Jubbs to be the designated driver.  So there we were, driving to a small beach on the east side of the Akrotiri Peninsula. It was a beautiful day, blue sky sunshine and we had missed our turning. Not to worry, we were both very relaxed.  So Jubbs does a perfect U turn and we set off back up the hill and around the blind 90 degree bend to find our turn off.  As we come round the corner, we come face to face with a large cement truck and suddenly realise we are on the wrong side of the road.  Panic. A little yelling and a lot of veering then ensues.  Jubbs naturally veers to the wrong side of the road making matters worse and to top it all off I forget that punching the air, with your palm facing the lorry driver and my fingers splayed does not mean sorry in Greece, rather "wanker". Awkward!  The truck driver went ballistic, hooting his horn, swearing at us, whilst I am giving both barrels to Jubbs for being such moron and it all being his fault.  About 7 hours later (and after we have switched seats)  I realise my faux pas and have to do some serious grovelling.

So to help everyone a little I thought maybe a break down of some Greek road rules may be of help.

• Minimum Age for Drivers is 18.
• Drive on the right.
• EU citizens can use their own. Other nationals should have an International Drivers License, though in practice, a recognizable photo license is usually accepted. American driving  licenses have been readily accepted in the past but to be safe take an international driving license just in case, you can always use it as ID.
• Seat Belts must be used by front-seat passengers.  With Greece's high accident rate it really is advised to heed this rule.
• No Children under 10 can sit in the front seat.
• Speed Limits Use these as a guide, but always obey the posted limits, which may vary.

1. Urban areas: 30 mph/50 kmh
2. Rural Areas: 68 mph/110 kph
3. Motorways: 75 mph/120 kph

• Using the horn is technically illegal in towns and urban areas except in case of emergencies, although you will notice the locals do not heed this rule. Use it freely if needed; it could save your life. On mountain roads, I always make a short toot before going around a blind curve.
• Parking is forbidden (though it may not be stated) within 3 metres of a fire hydrant, 5 metres of an intersection, or 14 metres from a bus stop.
• In some areas, street parking requires purchase of a ticket from a kiosk or machine. These areas will usually be posted in both English and Greek.
• Speeding Tickets are expensive, often running into hundreds of euros. With Greece's current financial crisis, you can bank on the police being a lot stricter, so be careful.
• The central Athens area restricts car access to reduce congestion, based on whether or not the car license plate ends in an odd or even number, but these restrictions do not apply to rental cars.
• Driving in the Middle of the Road is very common, especially on narrow roads, and is not a bad idea if you are expecting to have to avoid a sudden obstruction such as rockfalls, grazing goats, or an unexpected parked car. It allows you more options if something unforeseeable was to occur but is a little daunting when you are the one coming head to head with another car.
• Roundabouts are the opposite to the UK and most of Europe.  The car entering onto the roundabout has the right of way rather than the car already on it.  Weird but true.
•  It is now illegal to use your mobile phone while driving in Greece. Violators can be stopped and issued a fine. Periodic crackdowns are driving this point home.

Enjoy!  And remember "STAY ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THE ROAD!"

NY