Driving in Egypt - Page 3

aisha24 · #21 07-07-2008, 10:19 AM

Hi I really like the alternate laws sent by other Egypt search forum members:

the fines are paid not by the driver but the perpetrator in my law. [Wink] but prizes are also on offer.

Being hassled or directed by any man or child whilst trying to park your car.
On the spot 150 press ups for offender.

Any policemen found asleep on any road or highway.
1000 press ups on the spot.

Any police cars found with sleeping or dozing policemen lying on the seats.
1000 lines each of ' I must not fall asleep whilst on duty' and a 50le fine.

Driving car with seat in the fully reclined position with one hand on a mobile phone and the other on any type of fast food. 12 months solitary confinement in Luxor prison.

Driving a truck and navigating a right hand bend with one hand holding a shisha pipe and the other
rolling a joint. Top Gear award for advanced driving skills.

Sitting children or other small animals in anything but a padded restraint in the back seat of the car. Transfer of entire bank accounts into one of 5 recognised charities.

Killing a sleeping policemen sleeping on the stop line at traffic lights by running your front wheels over the line. Blue Peter badge and free Happy meal at Mac Donalds.

Driving your car with a foreigner in it.
30 days in prison.

Driving your car with anything foreign in it including a Blaupunkt stereo system. 500le fine

Driving a foreign car in Egypt. 3 years compulsory military service.

Egyptian male driving 3 scantily clad Russian tourists in his car. Firing squad.

Driving any type of vehicle with any type of licence. Instant revoking of Sporting Club membership and 1000le fine.

Driving and spotting ANY traffic light on any highway or street working or faulty. 500le in prize money.

Driving in any direction but straight ahead. 5000le fine and mandatory alcohol and drug test.

Exceeding the speed limits by anything less than 50kmph will result in 3 years incarceration in the state mental facility.

Stopping at any checkpoint or stop signal, or train level crossing whilst train approaching. CAT scan and frontal lobectomy.

Transporting more than 15 passengers in a 4 door family saloon car . Compulsory adoption of 3 Tanzanian children and their care till age 45 years.

Knocking a tourist policeman off his camel at the pyramids. 2 week holiday in Tenerife all inclusive for 4.

Being able to provide photographic evidence of donkeys or other farm animals using pedestrian foot bridges, crossings, or flyovers. Brand spanking new top of the range camcorder of your choice to the value of 10,000le.

Taking clear photographs over the walls of military buildings whilst riding side saddle on a moped or other vehicle below 50cc capacity.

The Evel Kinevel Award for outrageous stunts performed whilst either highly intoxicated or insane.

Bald tyres
No cap with rag wicks stuffed in the benzene tanks [Eek!]
No brakes
No lights
No mirrors
No indication
Bumpers held on with Chiclets
10 and under drivers
No baffle on the exhausts
No exhausts
No windscreens
Driving at night with no lights
Driving during the day with all lights on
Horns attached to accelerator pedals
Closed venetian blinds on all windows whilst driving and silver reflectors on passenger side of the windscreen.
Family saloon car
Driving with so many stuffed animals on the back window shelf, that the rear-vision mirror’s use is rendered useless.

Talking on the mobile with one hand and gesturing with the other while the car is left to steer itself.

I am sure there are many more

Lsab · #22 07-07-2008, 12:14 PM

Brilliant!!! You are obviously a woman with much experience of driving in Egypt...thanks for a good, long laugh!

(I recognised a good half of what you wrote from the driving standards in Bahrain too but what's scarier there is you can add fast cars and good roads into the equation, so seeing a Baharini mum zooming along with her baby on her lap, mobile phone clamped to her ear, is terrifying. All the laws are in place but rarely enforced.

)

Peter Mitry · #23 07-07-2008, 12:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lsab

Brilliant!!! You are obviously a woman with much experience of driving in Egypt...thanks for a good, long laugh!

(I recognised a good half of what you wrote from the driving standards in Bahrain too but what's scarier there is you can add fast cars and good roads into the equation, so seeing a Baharini mum zooming along with her baby on her lap, mobile phone clamped to her ear, is terrifying. All the laws are in place but rarely enforced.

)

From my limited experience of driving in Egypt the 'Golden Rule' seems to be 'there are no rules'!!

propertastic · #24 19-07-2008, 09:47 AM

Does anyone know any petrol station in Hurghada that has some petrol at the moment?

I drove around four last night and they'd all run out.

I'm just running on fumes now!

dave99 · #25 19-07-2008, 09:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peter Mitry

From my limited experience of driving in Egypt the 'Golden Rule' seems to be 'there are no rules'!!

Last week I noticed some new road signs in Hurghada for:
No Parking
No sounding horns

- it will be interesting to see if it works and the traffic police take action.
.
..

aisha24 · #26 19-07-2008, 12:32 PM

Hi just arrived back from Hurghada last night and thought you may like to know that 2 sets of Pedestrian crossings appeared over night in front of El Fayrouz beach nr Kentucky in Segalla and in front of the Telephone exchange in front of seagull Hotel.
They are bright yellow stripes and pictures of walking people drawn on the floor. The words written in Arabic says "slow".

However as usual these are to no avail, I watched many a tourist take their life in their hands trying to cross the road in the mistaken belief that if they stepped on to this crossing that traffic would stop.. in fact the cars went faster.

When the odd car did stop to let anyone across the traffic behind broke into bedlam shouting and tooting car horns repeatedly.
i am sure that if traffic lights are not put up at these crossings asap that their will be a terrible accident.
The traffic in Segalla is horrendous now and without proper control it is about to become a little Cairo.

Peter Mitry · #27 19-07-2008, 12:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by propertastic

Does anyone know any petrol station in Hurghada that has some petrol at the moment?

I drove around four last night and they'd all run out.

I'm just running on fumes now!

Call Bob Khalil; there was one in Dahar this morning near the Visa office that had 90 octane!!

dave99 · #28 19-07-2008, 02:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aisha24

Hi just arrived back from Hurghada last night and thought you may like to know that 2 sets of Pedestrian crossings appeared over night in front of El Fayrouz beach nr Kentucky in Segalla and in front of the Telephone exchange in front of seagull Hotel.
They are bright yellow stripes and pictures of walking people drawn on the floor. The words written in Arabic says "slow".

However as usual these are to no avail, I watched many a tourist take their life in their hands trying to cross the road in the mistaken belief that if they stepped on to this crossing that traffic would stop.. in fact the cars went faster.

When the odd car did stop to let anyone across the traffic behind broke into bedlam shouting and tooting car horns repeatedly.
i am sure that if traffic lights are not put up at these crossings asap that their will be a terrible accident.
The traffic in Segalla is horrendous now and without proper control it is about to become a little Cairo.

I also noted that at some of the busy roundabouts that there are now some large trafic lights with a countdown timer - just made for the race track !!!

.
.

aisha24 · #29 19-07-2008, 04:50 PM

Hi
Yes I also saw these traffic lights in Midan and Dahar... mad.. the cars sit there revving their engines as the timer counts down.. hilarious.
I also saw a man on the back of a donkey waiting for the lights to go green.....

Peter Mitry · #30 19-07-2008, 05:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aisha24

Hi
Yes I also saw these traffic lights in Midan and Dahar... mad.. the cars sit there revving their engines as the timer counts down.. hilarious.
I also saw a man on the back of a donkey waiting for the lights to go green.....

I thought this was a great idea and it would save anyone 'jumping the lights'. The theory was good but in practice they ignore the counter and go anyway! When I say anything to anyone I get the standard reply 'Welcome to Egypt'.!!