OOOPAH! Greek Driving Lesson

So, we have been driving around Greece for the last few days and also have had some day trips to Athens. Greek roads are in very good condition, for the most part, thanks to that EU money. Don and I suggest that California give a lot of consideration to joining the EU so we could get some EU money for our roads.

Here follow our helpful thoughts on driving in Greece:

***If the speed limit is 50kpm it is customary to double the number and drive 100kpm.

***At times you will see a sign with a line drawing of two lanes, one is 50 and the other is 70. Again, add them together and everyone ddrive 120.

***When driving through a construction zone 100kpm is the new 30.

***You will frequently see signs indicating that there is photo enforcement of the speed limits. This is just another Greek myth. Maintain your speed at 140kpm in the 50 zone.

***Stopping at stop signs and red lights is optional in Greece. If the light is yellow, that must mean step on it. Click on the first sentence of this paragraph to see some amazing examples.

***If the line for the left turn lane is too long for your taste, pull out around the line and drive into the intersection, positioning yourself in front of the first person in line.

***On any high speed road (over 35miles per hour), if you choose not to drive at least 140 (95mph), drive in the shoulder, or at least with two wheels hanging over the white line into the shoulder. It is the Greek polite thing to do.

***Frequent honking is mandatory. You don 't need a reason, just spontaneously honk at will. Always honk when the car in front of you stupidly stops at a red light, and also at any car in front of you on the highway.
***What else is the right lane of the highway for, but to turn on your 4-way flashers and park your car while you run into the supermarket for a few things. The photos above are of a high speed highway with two lanes going our direction. All of the cars in the right lane are parked with flashers on. Those slowpoke turtles (us) going 100 in the right lane will just have to pull out in front of the people going 140 and drive around your parked car. Parking on the sidewalk is another option. Pedestrians might not get run over if they have to step out into the highway to get around your car.

***If you are driving down the highway and you think there might be a car parked in the right lane, but you really don't want to commit to the fast lane, just straddle the white line between the two lanes until you decide which lane is right for you. See the pix in the lower left corner of the 4 above.

***Just ignore the nasty, mutilated wrecked cars that are on display alongside the roads. They are just there to intimidate you, so man up, speed up and get risky.

***Don't worry about cops. In Greece they like to stand around in groups of 3 or 4 and chat and scratch as the traffic goes by, happily honking and running red lights and speeding in their cute Greek way.

***Another thing about the cops in Greece--they appear to work 8-5, so no worries outside of those times. We never saw a cop write a ticket. We once asked a Greek tour operator what was happening because we saw many officers in their spanking sharp uniforms, guns in hand, massing on some of the main roads of Athens. With a shrug of her shoulder she responded, "Well, we pay them, so they have to do something."

On a more serious note, when you come to Greece, please drive defensively and don't end up like this: