The mindset of a particular country’s road system is shaped from traditions, customs, culture, social integration, and the general outlook of the citizenry as to who they think they are. For instance, in the United States this changes from State to State, the extreme being Los Angeles where there exists an unrequited love affair between owners and their cars. But Los Angeles went through a period when to offend another driver would be responded to by shots fired on the highway. (Too many movies!). Conversely, driving in England still involves extending road courtesy. However, English roads also report some of the worst cases of road rage. The least little thing is likely to send a perfectly normal man off like a rocket. (It´s usually the men.)
I suppose the transition of other E.U. nationals to Spain need not be quite as dramatic as those of us who are accustomed to driving on the left. A good time to regularise the situation, so that all of Europe drives on the right would probably be when the U.K. finally swops the Pound for the Euro. I am convinced it is possible to do this after a suitable period of notice and education. The whole country could simply come to a halt at say, 2 a.m. the day of the change to daylight saving time, and all together very carefully switch from left to right. Imagine!
For a newcomer to Spain’s roads it is essential to know that here impatience is king. Virtually no one is prepared to wait and give the driver trying to complete a manoeuvre the time to do so. If you are a nano-second too slow in getting going once the light turns green, expect the horns to blow. Don’t take it personally; it’s just the way it is. Perhaps it’s all that 150 proof caffeine in the coffee.
If you overtake but don’t pull back in to the right quickly enough we will pass you on the right. Always be sure that it is safe to pull into the right hand lane.
The speed limit on the Autopista seems to be the limit of how fast our car can go. I have seen grown men who are probably someone’s husband, grandfather, great-grandfather, etc. driving their high-powered car at 250 km/h down the left lane, and are genuinely surprised to catch up with traffic circulating at 120km/h. At that point they are flashing their lights and blowing their horns demanding everybody else should get out of their way. When are these people going to grow up? Probably never, because they’ll be dead.
Spain, like the rest of the world condemns driving while under the influence of drink or drugs. However, here you can fill up with gas and take a drink at the conveniently located bar on the forecourt at many service stations. Talk about mixed signs.
The custom of signalling to each other our intentions has not yet quite caught on here. Especially at roundabouts where we all have to play the guessing game. Just like Russian Roulette.
Stop signs and traffic lights seem to be mere suggestions. The light could be as red as it can get and still we continue on. Meanwhile, the pedestrian light turns red on the cross-street and vehicles start forward. Broadside collisions occur with monotonous regularity to nobody’s surprise. (Please note I refuse to call these accidents).
We don’t like to go through the whole cycle of correcting our mistakes, so if we realise we are taking the wrong exit we are very likely to make a sudden swing back to the left to rejoin the road. On the other hand if we are passing our exit we may abruptly swing right to suddenly join other vehicles on the exit road. “Sorry, coming through”, seems to be the order of the day.
Mothers out for a stroll seem to think nothing of suddenly pushing the stroller into the path of oncoming traffic. There have inevitably been collisions resulting in the death of the infant. Here’s my suggestion: when crossing the road turn the stroller around so that you pull it rather than push it. If everybody would follow this simple suggestion we would never have to ever hear about another incident of this sort that upsets everyone.
Road management also falls under my spotlight. Road works is an ongoing thing as the country upgrades its system. However, where the old road is allowed to stay in place as a secondary road the old signs need to be reviewed and changed accordingly. Have you ever been along a road approaching a junction where the speed signs advise 70-60-50-40-70? And this just as you reach the roundabout.
But some things cross over from country to country. I was surprised to find here in Spain motorcyclists dipping in and out between the cars and creating their own lanes, just like in London and my own country of Bermuda. And then there are those car drivers who simply must pass everybody, one car at a time only to end up at the same set of traffic lights with all the cars they passed. Kind of makes you want to get out of your car, knock on his window to ask ,“What in heaven’s name was that all about?”
Finally, in a country where we have young men who like to test their macho spirit by facing down charging bulls, it is inevitable that some of that spirit crosses over from the bullring to the street. Being young in charge of all that testosterone and a car is a dynamite formula in any country, but when we have young men as fearless as there are in this country, perhaps we should be afraid. Perhaps we should be very afraid!
Death on the roads? It doesn’t have to end like that!
Please don´t overtake on two-way road systems. Save your life for those who love you.
Copyright (c) 2007 Eugene Carmichael
No comments:
Post a Comment