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Driving In Cairo:
An Adventure Not To Be Missed
It is true.
If you can drive in Cairo, you can drive anywhere. But, the
experience is not as daunting as it first appears to be. In fact,
it could be fun. I have driven in Cairo several times, and
have also been in the front seat of taxis and private cars.
Apart from the odd moment when something I did not expect actually
happened, I felt reasonably safe both as a driver and passenger.
Once I got the hang of it, it was fun.
I have not witnessed any serious car accidents in Cairo, most
incidents are minor nudges to the paint work, that ended up with
drivers saying "Ma'lesh" and drove off. These
incidents usually involved novices who could not control their
cars even at slow motion. Car insurance is a requirement in
Egypt, but many drivers drive without. This may change soon,
as the government is planning tough measures to control bad
driving habits and also protect the environment from old obsolete
cars.
There is a kind of common understanding amongst drivers in
Cairo. They all seem to agree that there is no lane discipline,
and no rules for pedestrians. Traffic lights are optional
when a warden waves you on, and double parking is no offense.
Horns are used at all occasions, and are not meant to anger
anybody. To a Cairo driver, pedestrians are mere nuisance,
to be avoided but only as long as they do not slow the car down,
or make it stop. Zebra crossings, therefore, are not
safe havens, and should be used only when the road is clear.
The first few moments behind the wheel in Cairo are worse than
sitting for a driving test. Take it slowly and carefully and
just go with the traffic. Sometimes, you can not help but go
to the lane that happen to be vacant at the time. If that
happens, and you suddenly want to turn right, across three lanes
of traffic, do it carefully by double signal: that is an indicator
and your hand at the same time. It seems an impossible task
but is usually managed with ease by consummate drivers. In
the first journey, though, you may have to go the end of the road
and back.
On the rare occasion when you have the road to yourself, do not
speed up. Some cars come up from side roads without
stopping. At night, some cars go without lights. On
those upper roads cress crossing Cairo, beware of the youngsters
with powerful cars. If you see one in your rear mirror,
swerving from one lane to another, just get out of their way.
The same applies to buses and army trucks. If you want to
argue your right of way, please choose a Fiat 500, or a Suzuki.
 The only driving lesson you need in Cairo is taking a taxi
journey as a passenger watching the road and the driver's
reactions. You will notice a fierce competition for
the limited space, with cars edging closer and closer but
whoever has a car nose in front has the right of way.
The horns would be going mad, the stern expressions of
drivers would rattle the inexperienced. But, the situation
is soon diffused by one driver following another, as if he was
planning that manoeuvre all along. You would notice also
that drivers rarely look at each other, for if they did they would
be obliged to give way. The same rule applies to
pedestrians. If they cross the road looking at the wrong
direction, they are more likely to get away with if than if they
look at drivers. If a driver knows you can see him, he will
not stop.
Your international license gives you the right to drive in
Egypt. Most international car hire companies operate
at the major airports and hotels. The rates are comparable
to those applicable in Europe, and are slightly more expensive
than in the US. But before you hire a car, make sure that
you have a parking place for it. Parking may be easy if you
are staying in a hotel out of town, say in Heliopolis or the
Pyramids district or Maadi, but in the centre of Cairo, a car is a
liability.
However, the risks increase considerably outside Cairo, on the
roads to Alexandria and the Red sea resorts. Care must be
exercised at all times. The pitfalls are many: pot holes,
sudden turns, bad lighting, lorries overtaking, poor driving
abilities and speeding motorists. There are plans in the
pipeline to make Egyptian roads outside Cairo safer, until these
are in place, it would be wiser to take a coach or a train journey
and leave the car behind. I have driven on some of those
roads, and have seen bad accidents.
The main factor which makes driving in Cairo relatively safe is
the slow pace of traffic. After a nervous start of driving
in Cairo , a driver would be inclined to unbuckle his seat belt
and try the horn a few times. You may indulge your horn, but
never be tempted to compromise your safety even if most others do.
Belt up, drive carefully and keep a watchful eye on both sides of
the car as much as to the front.
Driving in Cairo is an experience to be proud of, just as much
as seeing the Pyramids or doing the Nile cruise. In fact,
those who have driven in Cairo deserve a certificate of advanced
motoring that would entitle them to an insurance discount.
If you have driven, or drive in Cairo, please post your
experience on the BBS, under General Discussions. This could
be the start of a future club: The CD's. Arabic translation:
The Masters. |
