Middle East - Anthony Ham [555]
Road Hazards
One of your enduring (and, hopefully, not too painful) memories of the Middle East will undoubtedly be the driving standards: the driving can be appalling by Western norms. Fatalism and high speed rule supreme. Many regulations are, in practice, purely cautionary, although prison terms for speeding in Syria does seem to have noticeably improved the situation. Car horns, used at the slightest provocation, take the place of caution and courtesy. Except in well-lit urban areas, try to avoid driving at night, as you may find your vehicle is the only thing on the road with lights.
In desert regions, particularly in Egypt, beware of wind-blown sand and wandering, free-range camels – the latter can be deadly at night.
Remember that an accident in the more remote parts of the region isn’t always handled by your friendly insurance company. ‘An eye for an eye’ is likely to be the guiding principle of the other party and their relatives, whether you’re in the wrong or not. Don’t hang around to ask questions or gawp. Of course we’re not saying that you shouldn’t report an accident, but it may be more prudent to head for the nearest police station than to wait at the scene.
Road Rules
You’re unlikely even to know what the speed limit is on a particular road, let alone be forced to keep to it – the rules exist more in theory than they are enforced in reality. As a rule, only non-Middle Easterners wear motorcycle helmets or car safety belts in most countries of the region, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t if one is available.
A warning triangle is required for vehicles (except motorcycles) in most Middle Eastern countries; in Turkey two triangles and a first-aid kit are compulsory.
In all countries, driving is on the right-hand side of the road (although many motorcyclists seem to consider themselves exempt from this convention) and the rules of when to give way (at least officially) are those which apply in Continental Europe.
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HITCHING
Although many travellers hitchhike, it is never an entirely safe way of getting around and those who do so should understand that they are taking a small but potentially serious risk. There is no part of the Middle East where hitching can be recommended for unaccompanied women travellers. Just because we explain how hitching works, doesn’t mean we recommend you do it.
Hitching as commonly understood in the West hardly exists in the Middle East (except in Israel and the Palestinian Territories). Although in most countries you’ll often see people standing by the road hoping for a lift, they will nearly always expect (and be expected) to offer to pay. Hitching in the Middle Eastern sense is not so much an alternative to the public transport system as an extension of it, particularly in areas where there’s no regular public transport. The going rate is often roughly the equivalent of the bus or shared taxi fare, but may be more if a driver takes you to an address or place off their route. You may well be offered free lifts from time to time, but you won’t get very far if you set out deliberately to avoid paying for transport.
Hitching is not illegal in any Middle Eastern country and in many places it’s extremely common. However, while it’s quite normal for Middle Easterners, Asians and Africans, it isn’t something Westerners are expected to do. In many Middle Eastern countries, Westerners who try to set a precedent of any kind often attract considerable (and sometimes unwelcome) attention. While this can work to your advantage, it can also lead to suspicion from the local police.
Throughout the Middle East a raised