Yesterday I drove the camp car - a very nice 2006 Chevrolet Lacetti - to the grocery store, marking my first experience with Ukrainian traffic. It was a slow time of day so it wasn't too busy, but a bit stressful nonetheless. I am still getting used to their affinity for having large, "stoplightless" intersections. I was following Tanya S. and since she shot through the first one without break lights or signaling (despite a large truck bearing down on us from the right), I did the same. In my driving lessons prior to the trip, Tanya gave me these gems of advise:- My drivers license lasts all the way until the 31st of December...2007. That's right, a 2 week license!
- In the city, you cannot drive faster than 60 kph, but we do anyway.
- When the traffic signal is red AND green you can go straight but must wait for people to turn first.
- To get to one of the schools for the feeding program, you just "go straight, straight, straight"...despite no less than a dozen turns and crossing the same, straight train tracks 6 times.
- If I get pulled over, give the officer my (2-week) drivers license but not the insurance unless they ask for it, though I have no idea how I will know if they ask me. Tanya's suggestion: just shrug and act like a foreigner.
I suspect that Sarah might be taking over full-time posting duty as I may be in a Ukrainian jail very soon.
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Sounds like traffic everywhere I've lived that wasn't the USA.
ReplyDeleteGood luck, and God speed!
The stop signs with white trim are optional! Hey, you forgot the most important thing...which side of the road do they drive on and which side is the steering wheel?
ReplyDeleteActually I don't think either is set in stone. They clearly determine who gets to drive where by raw tonnage of vehicle weight. Trucks can have their steering wheel (and their driving wheels) anywhere they please.
ReplyDeleteGoooood Morning from Santa Fe, NM...During our 2 1/2 years in Kerch we did not drive - for about 15-20 cents, the bus, marshrutkas and electrichkas go everywhere and if you feel so inclined, a taxi driver will gladdly take your money and rocket you off to the train station or wherever for about 6 dollars (if you can negotiate!) Living on less than 10 dollars a day, we chose to save our kopeks and walk to and from the central bazaar, post office and work at the central libary - a couple miles each way with a lovely stroll through the seaside park. Kept us slim and trim and in great shape and we could aoid driving or riding with drivers who often felt it is OK to drive even after consuming large quatities of "Ukrainian water" (vodka).
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your blog and your Kerch experiences...life is good...
Ginn (& Mark)
PC Ukraine 2005-2007
AmeriCorps*VISTA Santa Fe 2007-2008
Read our journals: www.pulverpages.com
Ginn,
ReplyDeleteTrust me when I say that I often wish we lived closer to downtown so that walking was an option. Since you know Kerch, I can tell you that we live on the far south side of town and even driving to central Kerch takes at least 15 minutes (about 6-7 miles one way). I plan to take the time to figure out the marshrutka system but usually I'm driving for program related trips as a chauffeur or trucker and don't have the option for public transport.