# White line blindness



## Rema (Aug 12, 2012)

Getting used to the way of life here I have noticed a tendency for drivers (presumably locals) to take little notice of the requirement to halt at the white line at traffic lights.

I find it quite amusing to watch them edge forward until they are sometimes in the middle of the junction even though the lights are against them. Today on the Tomb of the Kings road I observed a car a van and a bus all trying to outdo each other at one set of lights.

The other thing I find amazing is their ability to park just any where in total oblivion to other motorists/pedestrians right of way - especially on blind corners and t-junctions.

I think I must have some sort of hidden desire to be a traffic cop!


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## Geraldine (Jan 3, 2009)

I think a good business to have would be a drive in supermarket, if the doors were wide enough they would be driving in now.!


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## bencooper (Mar 20, 2013)

Worse, the drivers


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## bencooper (Mar 20, 2013)

Sorry, worse are the drivers who ride the middle line round a blind bend despite the solid white line!


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## Pam n Dave (Jun 11, 2007)

Geraldine said:


> I think a good business to have would be a drive in supermarket, if the doors were wide enough they would be driving in now.!


A couple of years ago the dam near us was due to overflow down the spillway for the first time in years and became an attraction.

A burger van turned up, and the locals would drive up to the vans window, place an order and then wind their window up. When the order was finished they would get the "knock" take the delivery and drive off.


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## Mycroft (Sep 9, 2009)

bencooper said:


> Sorry, worse are the drivers who ride the middle line round a blind bend despite the solid white line!


I was told by a Cypriot that if it was intended that drivers do not cross the white line it would be a wall!!


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## PatandDave (Jul 15, 2012)

I have been beeped at endless times when stopped at a red light, by locals and then they just overtake me and drive through the red!! A local told me that traffic lights are for tourists!


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## hiatusxenia (May 6, 2013)

What always amazes me is how ex-pats are 'amazed' at driving conditions, locals' contempt for rules, etc., etc., the list is endless. What most people seem to want is in fact their own original country - just with cheaper prices and sunny weather.


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## Geraldine (Jan 3, 2009)

With respect, I think you are well off the mark...what we, as expats, would like, is to be able to drive on the roads, going from A to B safely without getting into an accident with some foolish, irresponsible local who thinks he is the only one out there.


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## mdekkers (Jul 3, 2013)

Driving in Malta taught me three rules:

1. Go with the flow
2. Drive something old
3. At all junctions have a wild crazy look in your eyes. If they think you are crazier then they are they usually stay well away.

Bonus rule: indicators are only used during Christmas and the village festa.

Martijn :ranger:


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## Rema (Aug 12, 2012)

Geraldine said:


> With respect, I think you are well off the mark...what we, as expats, would like, is to be able to drive on the roads, going from A to B safely without getting into an accident with some foolish, irresponsible local who thinks he is the only one out there.


...and it's not just the driving habits of the locals either. They seem to have no appreciation of the beautiful island they call home. When we moved here from the Middle East recently we were astounded at the amount of rubbish on the road side. (If you have not been to any ME country you will find them all generally clear of roadside rubbish, Egypt being an exception)).
We started our own clean up campaign down our road (a quiet road in Tsada) and collected 20 - yes 20! - bin bags of rubbish, tin cans, plastic bottles, etc. over the course of three days. 
The following week I was disappointed to find freshly dumped cans and bottles had returned, presumably discarded by passing motorists. The sad thing is that this is a very quiet road, no more than a dozen cars use it a day - primarily locals.
So what with rubbish, pot holes in the road and atrocious driving habits I'm pleased to have the benefit of good wines and sunshine to provide some compensation.

My dilemma. Should I 'go with the flow' and ignore the rubbish problem or be a good citizen in my new home and try to 'make a difference'?


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## Geraldine (Jan 3, 2009)

good on you...but in my experience the more you do here, the more you will be taken for a mug.

I have weed killed all down my private drive area, which fronts my neighbours house and are his weeds, cleaned all the leaves up blown from his garden and hosed it down, where was he a Greek man?, fast asleep, still in bed at 12 noon.

That is besides walking daily a poor Cypriot dog chained up 24/7 while his owners don't even notice him. I was warned when I came that the more you do the more you will be taken advantage of.

Recently a job was completed in our village ,but the rubble is still piled up, the empty bags left blowing around, a heap of soil awaiting removal. Nothing here is ever finally COMPLETED.


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## PeteandSylv (Sep 24, 2008)

A few points:

1. Rubbish. I have come to the conclusion that most Cypriots simply don't see the rubbish strewn around. It is common everywhere not just the roads. Take a look on many farmers fields and you will see pesticide, fungicide, and other containers just dropped where they were used. There is a smallholding just over the road from us where if something is not needed it is just dropped albeit a McDonald's wrapper, a fertiliser sack or the skins of freshly slaughtered pigs.

It is however not dissimilar from the Britain of my childhood where throwing litter on the street was normal. It took a long campaign (remember "Keep Britain Tidy" stickers everywhere?) to alter people's habits together with fines of dropping litter. Sadly the problem is increasing again in the UK due to the enormously increased costs of disposing of rubbish under the environmental flag.

2. Driving. It always amuses me how some ex-pats sound off about driving over here as if it is the worst in the world. It always indicates to me that these people have little experience of driving anywhere else. In fact I believe that driving in Cyprus is simply sloppy with a number of bad habits which have become endemic. Lane discipline and parking are ill disciplined while the worst habits are probably overtaking and tailgating. Nevertheless with the low number of vehicles on the roads luck is on your side and so sloppy driving habits are survivable.

To counter my opinion people have rolled out accident death statistics which are relatively high but it is interesting to observe that whenever fatal accidents are reported in the Cyprus Mail they are nearly always drunk, young people in cars driving much too fast without seatbelts on and losing control or young people on motorcycles not wearing helmets and driving too fast before losing control.

An education program to gradually change attitudes is required to improve all these issues led by the Government. They may however have other priorities at present.

Pete


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## Rema (Aug 12, 2012)

Don't lets get too wound up about driving habits here! When I started this thread I mentioned "my amusement" in how locals deal with both traffic lights and parking - I haven't actually witnessed any dangerous driving just indifference to the rules re traffic lights and inconsiderate parking.
I myself have see driving habits across many countries and most involve getting from A to B in the shortest time without consideration to any body else creating much more dangerous situations. Lets face it, the condition of the roads here limit the speed you can drive and creeping forward at the lights isn't too life threatening.

Having said all that I realise I'm more upset about the rubbish problem than driving habits. I will continue to keep my patch and road clear whatever others do. I can't control them, just my own reaction to their inconsiderate behaviour.

Long may the sun shine and the wine flow!


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## PatandDave (Jul 15, 2012)

hiatusxenia said:


> What always amazes me is how ex-pats are 'amazed' at driving conditions, locals' contempt for rules, etc., etc., the list is endless. What most people seem to want is in fact their own original country - just with cheaper prices and sunny weather.


Cheaper prices! You have got to be having a laugh, surely? I'm not amazed, just making an observation. In fairness, if I don't look after my safety nobody else will, especially not the locals....but when in Rome?! I will however, grant you the sunny weather!


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## Guest (Jul 5, 2013)

PeteandSylv said:


> A few points:
> 
> 1. Rubbish. I have come to the conclusion that most Cypriots simply don't see the rubbish strewn around. It is common everywhere not just the roads. Take a look on many farmers fields and you will see pesticide, fungicide, and other containers just dropped where they were used. There is a smallholding just over the road from us where if something is not needed it is just dropped albeit a McDonald's wrapper, a fertiliser sack or the skins of freshly slaughtered pigs.
> 
> ...


2012 I drove about 165000 km in work all over europe. I really can't say that cypriots drive that bad comparing with many others having been on the road here daily for the last 2 months chasing papers.
There is some bad habits here, parking is one but the the one I hate and consider really dangerous is the habit to stop in the middle of a crossing just to be first when light switch. I am sure this cause many accidents

Anders


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## soppik (Apr 30, 2012)

Or even a bus on the motorway between Secret Valley and Pissouri reversing up the slip road!!!


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## PeteandSylv (Sep 24, 2008)

Vegaanders said:


> 2012 I drove about 165000 km in work all over europe. I really can't say that cypriots drive that bad comparing with many others having been on the road here daily for the last 2 months chasing papers.
> There is some bad habits here, parking is one but the the one I hate and consider really dangerous is the habit to stop in the middle of a crossing just to be first when light switch. I am sure this cause many accidents
> 
> Anders


The habit of creeping across red lights is stupid and pointless but I'm not sure it causes accidents.

It does amuse me however when at some junctions someone will slowly creep across until they can no longer see the traffic lights and are left sitting there with everyone else passing them when the lights change to green!

Pete


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## Rema (Aug 12, 2012)

PeteandSylv said:


> The habit of creeping across red lights is stupid and pointless but I'm not sure it causes accidents.
> 
> It does amuse me however when at some junctions someone will slowly creep across until they can no longer see the traffic lights and are left sitting there with everyone else passing them when the lights change to green!
> 
> Pete


In town I saw one lady driver creeping forward across the line. We were both in pole position and I exclaimed "where is she going, it's still red!" however as our windows were both open she heard me and smiled across but did stop creeping. When the lights changed to green I proceeded to move off and heard her call out "can I go now?" - she could not see the lights had changed!

My wife and I both laughed at the stupidity of this local driving habit.

Richard


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## hiatusxenia (May 6, 2013)

If you read all these posts, you surely must agree with me. The 'locals' do this, or they don't do that. They do not do anything at all the way we do!! I was merely pointing out that we British especially, seem to move somewhere else and then expect everyone to behave as we do. I was guilty of it myself.


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