Comments on: Driving in Greece http://www.travelsingreece.com/travel-tips/driving-in-greece/ Just another WordPress weblog Thu, 22 Jul 2010 14:41:58 +0100 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Rachel Brown http://www.travelsingreece.com/travel-tips/driving-in-greece/comment-page-1/#comment-217 Rachel Brown Fri, 16 Jul 2010 13:52:21 +0000 http://www.travelsingreece.com/?p=531#comment-217 We were pleasantly surprised by our driving experience on the west coast of the Peloponnesus (Pirgos-Kyllini). Maybe it's because we were expecting the worst, but we found that the roads were good and the drivers were reasonable for the most part. Even on the island of Zakynthos, just off the coast, the driving was okay, although some of the mountain roads were endorphin-inducing (i.e. scary) and some of the village roads were a wee bit narrow. We were also impressed with the way Greeks in general don't lose their cool on the road, even when one driver cuts another driver off. Nothing personal, you know? In Canada, people would be yelling at each other and shaking their fists out their windows. We even had a driver flash his lights to warn us that there were police up ahead. That's considerate driving. We were pleasantly surprised by our driving experience on the west coast of the Peloponnesus (Pirgos-Kyllini). Maybe it’s because we were expecting the worst, but we found that the roads were good and the drivers were reasonable for the most part. Even on the island of Zakynthos, just off the coast, the driving was okay, although some of the mountain roads were endorphin-inducing (i.e. scary) and some of the village roads were a wee bit narrow.

We were also impressed with the way Greeks in general don’t lose their cool on the road, even when one driver cuts another driver off. Nothing personal, you know? In Canada, people would be yelling at each other and shaking their fists out their windows.

We even had a driver flash his lights to warn us that there were police up ahead. That’s considerate driving.

]]> By: Jim Trianta http://www.travelsingreece.com/travel-tips/driving-in-greece/comment-page-1/#comment-61 Jim Trianta Tue, 20 Oct 2009 22:59:06 +0000 http://www.travelsingreece.com/?p=531#comment-61 Just to add.. (I'm from Autralia and we drive on the opposite side of the road, as well). I have just got back (July 2009) from driving in the southern Greek mainland, Crete, Mykonos and Santorini (& entering /leaving Athens) and I can ABSOLUTELY verify all of the above. Even though driving in Greece is 'character building' to say the least, the thing I experienced was that if you maintain your 'cool' , indicate what you want to do, don't hesitate, and drive within the speed limit you will be basically OK. Reason being is that no one wants to hit you and they will back off. Also, if after a while the 'character building' gets to you and you wish to aggravate the local drivers all you need to is keep within (or under) the speed limit. By staying within the speed limit (it keeps you safe) but it UTTERLY frustrates the Greek drivers. It's amazing, in their daily life Greeks will take all the time in the world to actually complete a task ( I have Greek relatives) but when it comes to driving they want to get to their destination 'yesterday' (my nephew was doing 140km/h in the inner north of Athens - scared the kaka out of me and my family... made him slow down.). The Greeks believe the the speed limit signs are a decoration or they can't read Greco/Roman numerical characters. Overall, to see Greece properly, drive, you won't regret it. PS. For competely INSANE local drivers you need to go to Lake Como (Italy), this where I got my batism of fire driving in Southern Europe...but that's another story... Just to add..

(I’m from Autralia and we drive on the opposite side of the road, as well).

I have just got back (July 2009) from driving in the southern Greek mainland, Crete, Mykonos and Santorini (& entering /leaving Athens) and I can ABSOLUTELY verify all of the above.

Even though driving in Greece is ‘character building’ to say the least, the thing I experienced was that if you maintain your ‘cool’ , indicate what you want to do, don’t hesitate, and drive within the speed limit you will be basically OK. Reason being is that no one wants to hit you and they will back off.

Also, if after a while the ‘character building’ gets to you and you wish to aggravate the local drivers all you need to is keep within (or under) the speed limit. By staying within the speed limit (it keeps you safe) but it UTTERLY frustrates the Greek drivers. It’s amazing, in their daily life Greeks will take all the time in the world to actually complete a task ( I have Greek relatives) but when it comes to driving they want to get to their destination ‘yesterday’ (my nephew was doing 140km/h in the inner north of Athens – scared the kaka out of me and my family… made him slow down.).
The Greeks believe the the speed limit signs are a decoration or they can’t read Greco/Roman numerical characters.

Overall, to see Greece properly, drive, you won’t regret it.

PS. For competely INSANE local drivers you need to go to Lake Como (Italy), this where I got my batism of fire driving in Southern Europe…but that’s another story…

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