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A Few Road Tips
- The first and most important one is to just be alert. This will keep you safe on road 99.99% of time. I realised recently that I am now no longer just looking at car in front of me when I drive, but I am also unconsciously looking through his windshield at car in front of him. You will soon develop quicker reactions and a sixth sense for when someone is going to do something unorthodox. Driving back in UK would probably feel pretty dull now!
- Care needs to be taken on roundabouts, because it seems that rule is person who drives most aggressively, regardless of whether they are already on roundabout or entering it, is one who has priority.
- Unlike in UK, when another driver flashes his headlights at you, he is not letting you pass, he is warning you that he is coming and to stay out of way. The same goes for when someone honks their horn. If someone is letting you pass, they will usually wave you through with their hand.
- In built-up areas, go carefully through crossroads, because people do not always respect stop signs and may also have their view of you blocked by cars parked right on street corner.
- In response to what I said earlier about red traffic lights, when lights turn green do not move off without checking that there are no latecomers coming from another junction. When I first started driving here, I thought that people had a slow reaction time when lights turn green but now I realise they are just being careful.
Emmanuel Mendonca is the webmaster and publisher of Athens Room at www.athensroom.com - a free service for finding and advertising property for rent in Athens, with a wealth of information about visiting, living and working in Greece.