This morning's lesson is titled "The Directionally Challenged". Now, there could be many meanings with a title like that, right? But here is where I am going with that...it is not uncommon (AT ALL) to be driving down the highway, and see a car driving AT you. This is because if it is easier/faster for a Kuwaiti to drive north in the south-bound lanes that is what they are going to do. No need to go up one exit, get off the exit and reenter going north...they simply drive the wrong way down the road. No kidding.
Another thing that adds to this fun is the fact that the sand that borders the highways is regularly used as a parking lot. Again, no need to go to the next exit, get off, turn right and come down to your house or apartment...simply pull off the highway (keep in mind this is a 120 km/hr - 75 mph highway) and park at the fence, walk through the hole in the fence to your house/apartment. At least a good 4 minutes saved, and never mind the fact that now you will be re-entering the highway doing 0 km/hr while the rest of traffic is clipping along at 120 km/hr...until you pull out in front of them and experience the joy of watching the mass chaos that will follow.
Now when they get back in their car, they often want to travel in the opposite direction of the side of the highway where they have parked. Therefore you now see the need to travel the wrong way down the highway (NOT in the sand, ON the actual highway). They also use this technique when they have dropped someone off and need to go in the opposite direction for a block or two...no reason to waste that precious 2 minutes to go up one block and turn around, simply drive where you need to go and let the others deal with it. Love it.
Monday, May 17, 2010
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Monday, May 10, 2010
Driving in Kuwait #2 - Headlights are for Sissies
Good morning everyone! Yes, you read the title correctly..."HEADLIGHTS ARE FOR SISSIES"!!!
For reasons that completely escape me, Kuwaiti's rarely use their headlights. And I'm not talking about at 6 pm when it is dusk, I am talking about EVER. Middle of the night, 4:00 am, all times when it is pitch black...the good ones at least use their parking lights at those times, but not most.
So imagine if you will driving along the highway (where the speed limit is 120 kilometers per hour...which is between 74 and 75 mph...and most of us are doing about 130, which is 81 mph), when all of a sudden out of nowhere there is someone on your bumper flashing his bright lights at you. I swear, there is no logical reason to do this...therefore the only reason I can come up with for this behavior is that they enjoy seeing the look of horror and fear rush across my face as they catch my reflection in the rear view mirror. I mean seriously, if they would USE their headlights, people would see them coming at their death-wish rate of speed and get out of the way. But they seem to find this game of peek-a-boo much more entertaining, so we continue on with the fun that is known as "driving in Kuwait".
For reasons that completely escape me, Kuwaiti's rarely use their headlights. And I'm not talking about at 6 pm when it is dusk, I am talking about EVER. Middle of the night, 4:00 am, all times when it is pitch black...the good ones at least use their parking lights at those times, but not most.
So imagine if you will driving along the highway (where the speed limit is 120 kilometers per hour...which is between 74 and 75 mph...and most of us are doing about 130, which is 81 mph), when all of a sudden out of nowhere there is someone on your bumper flashing his bright lights at you. I swear, there is no logical reason to do this...therefore the only reason I can come up with for this behavior is that they enjoy seeing the look of horror and fear rush across my face as they catch my reflection in the rear view mirror. I mean seriously, if they would USE their headlights, people would see them coming at their death-wish rate of speed and get out of the way. But they seem to find this game of peek-a-boo much more entertaining, so we continue on with the fun that is known as "driving in Kuwait".
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Driving in Kuwait
Many of you have heard bits and pieces about the hazards of driving in Kuwait. I have said it once, twice, a thousand times...I am really afraid to drive here. Every daily decision that I make revolves around what time it is and where I would have to drive to do something. Do I want to shop? Hhhmmm, not bad enough to drive toward downtown to get to the mall. Am I hungry? Hhhmmm, not hungry enough to risk getting into a car to get food. (I'll explain the magic answer to solve that problem in the next post!)
Of course I am married to someone that has not driven since we arrived in Kuwait almost 3 months ago. He is a FAB-U-LOUS passenger seat driver though, so FRET NOT I have someone helping me. :-) Yep, that has been awesome...doesn't add to my stress at all while I am trying to avoid our death in a big firey crash that BJ is saying "um, you are going too fast", "why are you in this lane???", "you need to pass him...pass him on the right...do it now", etc.
BJ thinks the reason people drive so poorly over here is because of a lack of education, topped off with the fact that 90% of the true Kuwaiti's can't see very well. I think that is partly to blame (they don't have a driver's education program, and man do they need one...), but I also think it is compounded with a healthy dose of arrogance. Now the Kuwaiti's are only part of the problem. Honestly I have seen just as many stupid things done by the American's.
So, today's lesson is "THE EMERGENCY LANE IS ACTUALLY NOT FOR EMERGENCIES, IT IS JUST AN ADDITIONAL LANE". The Kuwaitis drive very, very, very fast. They come up on you before you ever see where in the world they came from. Typically they alert you to their presence by flashing their bright lights indicating that you need to move out of their lane. This makes many people angry...not me, I'm all too happy to move over and let them continue on with their death wish. If you are one of the people that get angry and decide to remain in their way, they will simply move into the emergency lane and pass you...leaving maybe 1/4 of an inch between your car and theirs, and cutting back in front of you as close as possible. If they can't get back over they are happy to continue in the new lane (formerly known as the emergency lane). They will do this for miles and miles, kicking up dirt and rocks while they cruise along at 90 mph in the emergency lane.
The real fun comes when there is actually a disabled vehicle in the emergency lane. BJ has witnessed a really spectacular accident where this happened and the car couldn't get stopped in time to avoid the crash. Good times.
Of course I am married to someone that has not driven since we arrived in Kuwait almost 3 months ago. He is a FAB-U-LOUS passenger seat driver though, so FRET NOT I have someone helping me. :-) Yep, that has been awesome...doesn't add to my stress at all while I am trying to avoid our death in a big firey crash that BJ is saying "um, you are going too fast", "why are you in this lane???", "you need to pass him...pass him on the right...do it now", etc.
BJ thinks the reason people drive so poorly over here is because of a lack of education, topped off with the fact that 90% of the true Kuwaiti's can't see very well. I think that is partly to blame (they don't have a driver's education program, and man do they need one...), but I also think it is compounded with a healthy dose of arrogance. Now the Kuwaiti's are only part of the problem. Honestly I have seen just as many stupid things done by the American's.
So, today's lesson is "THE EMERGENCY LANE IS ACTUALLY NOT FOR EMERGENCIES, IT IS JUST AN ADDITIONAL LANE". The Kuwaitis drive very, very, very fast. They come up on you before you ever see where in the world they came from. Typically they alert you to their presence by flashing their bright lights indicating that you need to move out of their lane. This makes many people angry...not me, I'm all too happy to move over and let them continue on with their death wish. If you are one of the people that get angry and decide to remain in their way, they will simply move into the emergency lane and pass you...leaving maybe 1/4 of an inch between your car and theirs, and cutting back in front of you as close as possible. If they can't get back over they are happy to continue in the new lane (formerly known as the emergency lane). They will do this for miles and miles, kicking up dirt and rocks while they cruise along at 90 mph in the emergency lane.
The real fun comes when there is actually a disabled vehicle in the emergency lane. BJ has witnessed a really spectacular accident where this happened and the car couldn't get stopped in time to avoid the crash. Good times.
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