.. one dead every two days and three seriously injured.
More in the blog post
Shocking figures on Crete road accidents..
It's no wonder when you watch cars trying to pass others, often coming around blind curves. Although my recent drive to the east of Iraklion wasn't the prettiest, I felt so much more secure with the barrier erected on the National Road right outside of the city, the first of it's kind that I've seen.
Having said that, I've been guilty of passing when I probably shouldn't, just trying to get around someone going painfully slow. I do try to remember to drive off on the shoulder though, since even if I'm not passing, I still run the risk of being nailed head-on by someone else coming around a curve.
It would be interesting to take a poll of the board members and their driving habits. How fast do you typically go? Do you pass other vehicles frequently? Do you move to the right to let others pass you?
Having said that, I've been guilty of passing when I probably shouldn't, just trying to get around someone going painfully slow. I do try to remember to drive off on the shoulder though, since even if I'm not passing, I still run the risk of being nailed head-on by someone else coming around a curve.
It would be interesting to take a poll of the board members and their driving habits. How fast do you typically go? Do you pass other vehicles frequently? Do you move to the right to let others pass you?
I drive fairly briskly but slow down for hazards and cautious where there are pedestrians. I don't prevent any vehicle from passing and I'll move over/slow down as necessary to facilitate this. BTW I'm looking for a 1.6 litre automatic. Might settle for a 1.4 but must be automatic. Haven't driven a "stick shift" in years.
I am one of the frequent visitors to Crete that in the past has complained about the poor standard of driving on the island and in Greece in general.
with the benifit of a few years down the line I can now say that as i am more used to driving on the right and learning the unwritten rules of the road in Greece, its not just as bad as i had first thought, though the standard is very poor, but even in Britain now the standards are dipping.
as for a suggested pole ..... i drive for a living and no matter where i am i have learned to drive very defensivley.
still to learn how to spell properley though
with the benifit of a few years down the line I can now say that as i am more used to driving on the right and learning the unwritten rules of the road in Greece, its not just as bad as i had first thought, though the standard is very poor, but even in Britain now the standards are dipping.
as for a suggested pole ..... i drive for a living and no matter where i am i have learned to drive very defensivley.
still to learn how to spell properley though
Last edited by Brian c on Sat Sep 19, 2009 2:07 pm, edited 1 time in total.
dont sweat the small things
OK, since I suggested the poll, I suppose I should pony up with answers for myself:
On the National Road I typically go between 100-120kph. Depends on whether I'm running the a/c, which dramatically slows down the car. I'll shut it off if I think I need to overtake someone quickly.
When I enter smaller villages and towns, I slow waaaay down. I usually go slower than most of the other vehicles passing through.
I always try to stay aware of anyone coming up behind me, and move over to the right as far as possible if I see that they're coming up fast.
My biggest fault is that I do occasionally pass on curves, something I've continually told myself not to do but still succumb to from time to time, if the person in front of me is going slow enough and I think I have time to get past them before the curve actually happens. Still...bad policy.
On the National Road I typically go between 100-120kph. Depends on whether I'm running the a/c, which dramatically slows down the car. I'll shut it off if I think I need to overtake someone quickly.
When I enter smaller villages and towns, I slow waaaay down. I usually go slower than most of the other vehicles passing through.
I always try to stay aware of anyone coming up behind me, and move over to the right as far as possible if I see that they're coming up fast.
My biggest fault is that I do occasionally pass on curves, something I've continually told myself not to do but still succumb to from time to time, if the person in front of me is going slow enough and I think I have time to get past them before the curve actually happens. Still...bad policy.
Through villages and towns I never exceed the posted limit [usually 50kph/30mph] and usually drive about 10kph below that, often to the annoyance of other local drivers. If there are children about I slow down even more.
It's somewhat different on the Ethniki. Depending on traffic, weather conditions, time of day etc., I'll drive as fast as the car is capable of. On some of the stretches between, say, the Omalos turn and Kissamos Kastelli, and where I know there are no junctions, its not unheard of to touch 180kph or so. On other sections, say, from Xania travelling East, where there is a central barrier, around 130kph but slower approaching junctions.
I don't attempt to overtake on blind bends because even the thought of so doing scares the s**t out of me.
Theoretically, according to the handbook, the car is capable of 248kph and once, when it was new some seven years ago, I thought I'd test it ............... but bottled out at a shade over 200. Never again here or anywhere else.
When 'Er Indoors is a passenger I'm much slower as she's pushing her imaginary brake before we hit 110.
It's somewhat different on the Ethniki. Depending on traffic, weather conditions, time of day etc., I'll drive as fast as the car is capable of. On some of the stretches between, say, the Omalos turn and Kissamos Kastelli, and where I know there are no junctions, its not unheard of to touch 180kph or so. On other sections, say, from Xania travelling East, where there is a central barrier, around 130kph but slower approaching junctions.
I don't attempt to overtake on blind bends because even the thought of so doing scares the s**t out of me.
Theoretically, according to the handbook, the car is capable of 248kph and once, when it was new some seven years ago, I thought I'd test it ............... but bottled out at a shade over 200. Never again here or anywhere else.
When 'Er Indoors is a passenger I'm much slower as she's pushing her imaginary brake before we hit 110.
filippos http://creteforyou.com
- once was more than enoughBrian c wrote:200kmh, ...
"I don't attempt to overtake on blind bends because even the thought of so doing scares the s**t out of me."Brian c wrote:passing on bends jeez ..you guys have gone Greek :D
filippos http://creteforyou.com
Not unheard of 180 kph! I use the ethniki a lot, and all things taken into cosideration, cattle, strays, most people over 45 never having taken a proficiency (driving) test, you are the worst sort of person one could come across on the highway. Please buy a bycycle, and lower the death rate. A normal person on these roads travels at around 90-120, anything else is bloody stupid!!!!!
At the "other" end of the island, speeds in excess of around 80kph are just about impossible, apart from a short stretch between Pachia Ammos & Istron.
I actually enjoy driving here, having got used to the lunacy of some, because although the standard of driving is, generally, awful, it is not aggressive & awful. Having driven in London & the south east for 20 odd years before moving here, I find this far less stressful.
I actually enjoy driving here, having got used to the lunacy of some, because although the standard of driving is, generally, awful, it is not aggressive & awful. Having driven in London & the south east for 20 odd years before moving here, I find this far less stressful.
Before thrashing around with wild accusations and name calling it might be a good idea to ascertain all the circumstances [or read the post properly before becoming apopleptic].pinch wrote:Not unheard of 180 kph! I use the ethniki a lot, and all things taken into cosideration, cattle, strays, most people over 45 never having taken a proficiency (driving) test, you are the worst sort of person one could come across on the highway. Please buy a bycycle, and lower the death rate. A normal person on these roads travels at around 90-120, anything else is bloody stupid!!!!!
After the Omalos turn, heading towards Kissamos, there are a couple of stretches where there are several Km between major junctions, armco barriers and no intermediate junctions. The road is wide with an excellent surface and there are long sightlines.
On three of four occasions, very early in the morning on a dry surface and in good light, when there has been no other traffic in sight, I have put my foot down a bit and done just over an indicated 180kph. As most manufacturers are optimistic with speedometers to the tune of about 10% that's probably nearer 150kph, but we'll ignore that. [By the way, it's a con to make people believe their fuel economy is better than the reality.]
When I've done this I've slowed down immediately when I've see something coming in the opposite direction [where there's no central barrier] and eased off if there's anything in the distance heading in the same direction. I never attempt to overtake until I'm certain the driver ahead is aware of my presence, nor do I "tailgate".
The car is built to achieve 225kph/139mph [manufacturer's claim] and, perhaps just as significantly, to stop from that speed so it is nowhere near its limits. In the above circumstances 112mph [indicated]/180kph isn't excessive.
Oh, I also have a built in brake; it's called a wife.
If you travel at 90kph on much of the Ethniki some might consider you something of a mobile chicane. Driving too slowly in various situations can also be dangerous. But, without knowing all the circumstances, I wouldn't be so crass as to suggest a pinch might wake you up.
PS Since I've haven't been involved in any way in an accident with another vehicle since about 1968 I'm not sure how I might have cut the death rate.
filippos http://creteforyou.com
I suspect there’s a gender divide here, mostly relating to speed.
Five separate western European females of my acquaintance have complained to me in recent years about the quality of their male partner’s driving since they came to live in Crete. Speeding, tailgating, taking daft risks – generally “driving like Greeks”. One of the five told me that going out in the car was a nightmare, that she was frightened every time she got into the passenger seat, and every trip involved a row about his driving.
Of those five women, three drive here, safely, slowly and defensively. I’m a passenger witness to that. The other two have wimped out of getting behind the wheel. One says it’s not the potholes, bends, unfenced drops that spook her, it’s all those lovely, helmetless risk-taking young people on motor bikes and scooters. She can’t bear the thought of injuring some other mother’s son.
Those five male motorists I mentioned are all in their 50s or 60s, in other words experienced drivers who ought to have more sense than to take risks. But my impression is that any man behind a wheel will go faster than he should, if he knows he can get away with it. And we all know it’s much easier to get away with traffic violations here than it is say in the UK. I also think it’s a boy thing to know how fast your car can potentially go. Girls, do you know what it says in your handbook and do you care? What’s the point of having that high speed available to you if if you can’t legally use it?
In a previous thread on a similar theme, I pointed out that the maximum speed limit on the ethniki is 90kph. If anyone knows differently, for sure, please speak up. Speed limits are there for a reason and I can’t think of many other areas in life where people would unabashedly admit to breaking the law.
Please, guys, the statistic that matters is not how many vroom-vrooms you have, or what speed you achieved one dark night on the ethniki – it’s the one that headlined this thread. Please take more care and listen to ‘er beside you.
Five separate western European females of my acquaintance have complained to me in recent years about the quality of their male partner’s driving since they came to live in Crete. Speeding, tailgating, taking daft risks – generally “driving like Greeks”. One of the five told me that going out in the car was a nightmare, that she was frightened every time she got into the passenger seat, and every trip involved a row about his driving.
Of those five women, three drive here, safely, slowly and defensively. I’m a passenger witness to that. The other two have wimped out of getting behind the wheel. One says it’s not the potholes, bends, unfenced drops that spook her, it’s all those lovely, helmetless risk-taking young people on motor bikes and scooters. She can’t bear the thought of injuring some other mother’s son.
Those five male motorists I mentioned are all in their 50s or 60s, in other words experienced drivers who ought to have more sense than to take risks. But my impression is that any man behind a wheel will go faster than he should, if he knows he can get away with it. And we all know it’s much easier to get away with traffic violations here than it is say in the UK. I also think it’s a boy thing to know how fast your car can potentially go. Girls, do you know what it says in your handbook and do you care? What’s the point of having that high speed available to you if if you can’t legally use it?
In a previous thread on a similar theme, I pointed out that the maximum speed limit on the ethniki is 90kph. If anyone knows differently, for sure, please speak up. Speed limits are there for a reason and I can’t think of many other areas in life where people would unabashedly admit to breaking the law.
Please, guys, the statistic that matters is not how many vroom-vrooms you have, or what speed you achieved one dark night on the ethniki – it’s the one that headlined this thread. Please take more care and listen to ‘er beside you.
I must admit to driving too fast (on the ethniki) and too recklessly a lot of the time, but I only overtake on double white lines when I know the road ahead 
The one thing I really hate is when I'm going pretty fast and some nutter tries to overtake ME on a blind bend. If he gets hit by oncoming traffic, I'll be a casualty too.
I drive a lot and have seen the results of many accidents on the roads. It's very sobering and certainly slows me down for a few hours afterwards.
The one thing I really hate is when I'm going pretty fast and some nutter tries to overtake ME on a blind bend. If he gets hit by oncoming traffic, I'll be a casualty too.
I drive a lot and have seen the results of many accidents on the roads. It's very sobering and certainly slows me down for a few hours afterwards.
Carol www.livingincrete.net
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