Youknowhowitgoes...you"redrivingalonginaforeigncountry,andallofasuddenyoufindyou"vecommittedamotoringfauxpasandthedriverbehindyouishootingandflashingandgivingyoutheautomobileequivalentoftheextendedmiddledigit.It"senoughtomakeyoucrawlbackhomeandneverleavethehouseagain.
So,inanattempttoreducethenumberofaccidentsandinternationalincidentscausedbythegrowingtrendforpeopletoturnintoragingmaniacsbehindthewheelofacar,we"vecompiledaguideforvisitorstocountriesotherthantheirownthatwillhelptoexplainanylocalhabitstheymightcomeacross.Ifyouknowanyotherdrivingetiquettethatshouldbeusedinyourcountry,orevensomeyou"venoticedwhiledrivingabroad,dosharethemwithus.
Thesedrivingetiquetteentriesshouldgiveyouanideaofwhattoexpectwhendrivinginawholeloadofcountriesaroundtheworld,buthere"safewpointsregardinggeneralroadsafetyandetiquette:
Donotstoponamainroadtoletsomeoneoutofasideroad,especiallyduringmorningrushhour.Yes,itmaybeniceandgiveyouawarmglow,butthatglowissoonextinguishedwhenyoucreateatencarpile-up.
Donotdrivetwoinchesfromthebackofthecarinfrontofyouwhiledoingover70mph.
Donotovertakeonasinglelanecarriagewaywhenthereisnowaytoseeanythingtravellingtowardsyouontheothersideoftheroadduetoabend/hill/dipintheroad.
Donotplaychickenwiththeoncomingcarswhileovertaking,beforenippinginagainatthelastminuteforcingeveryothercarontheroadtobrakefranticallytoavoidacrash.
Donotovertakethecarinfrontiftheyareatthebackofamassivelineoftrafficbeingforcedtotravelat30mphduetoaslow-movinglorryasyouwillachievenothing.
It"salsoworthnotingthatthereareafewuniversally-observedpatternsofbehaviourofmotorists.Convoys,trafficlightsandindicatorsseemtocausethemostproblems...
Theconvoyalwaystravelsatthecomfortablespeedofthefastestcarintheconvoy.Thisisgenerally10mphabovethesafespeedoftheslowestcar.
Thedriverwiththeleastknowledgeoftheroutetobetakenshouldalwaysdriveatthefront,andonlyonecarshouldhaveamap.
Allcarsinconvoyshouldover/undertakeeachotherasmuchaspossible.
Anybrakingforspeedcamerasshouldberapidandwithoutpriorwarning.
Intowns,theleadcarshoulddoitsbesttogothroughalltrafficlightsonyellow,toinsurethatallfollowingcarsmustjumptheredlightorgethopelesslylost.
Indicatorsarewidelymisunderstood.Manydriversareundertheimpressionthattheywerefittedtoyourvehicleinorderforyoutoletotherdriversknowwhichwayyouintendtogo.This,ofcourse,iscompletelywrongaccordingtosomedrivers.Theyarefittedtoyourvehiclesothatyoumayletotherdriversknowthatyouareawareofhavingturnedacorner,leftaroundabout,orchangedlanes.Forbestresults,indicateafewsecondsaftercompletingyourmanoeuvre,andmakesuretheydon"tflashonandoffmorethanonce-itruinsthebulbs.
Itisgenerallyacceptedthatyoucansafelygothroughasetoftrafficlightsonagreenlight,andnottoproceedonared.Theamberlight,however,canbetranslatedaseitheraninvitationtoimmediatelyslamonthebrakes,therebycausingthosebehindyoutoswerveinapanic;ortoimmediatelyacceleratetothecar"sfullestextent.Bewaryofdoingthisatanintersectionasyouwillalmostinvariablyhitacrossingpolicecar.
AFinalPoint
Dodrivesafely.