Driving in Greece

Greece has one of the highest accident rates in Europe and Zakynthos is high in the Greek lists. This seems to be due to lack of driver education, ignorance and lack of enforcement of rules. The varying standard of road surface also adds to problems. A very smooth stretch of road may have a huge pot hole which is difficult to see. Locals know these holes and swerve to avoid them. They are especially dangerous for motor cycles. Drinking and driving is a major factor in accidents late at night. We understand that a fair percentage of cars are not insured and many drivers have no licence. Exact figures unknown.

Which side of the road do I drive on?
Drive on the right. It may not always seem like this is the law, bikes & scooters seem to use either side.

Indicators.
Don’t believe them, sometimes they use the wrong ones but mostly do not use them at all.

Hazard flashers.
I am parked (double parked) in a stupid position, possibly all day.
I am going to do something that you would never expect me to do.
As hazards are used a lot, drivers forget to cancel them.

Turning left (i.e. across on coming traffic)
Check your left side before turning, it is quite usual for a car to overtake even though you have been indicating for the last 200 meters.

Turning right
It is not unusual for a motor cycle to overtake on the inside and you turning changes nothing.

One way streets
Usually are not. Roads recently made one way are treated as 2 way.
Motor bikes seem to think they are exempt from this rule (and many others)

Traffic lights
There are currently only 3 sets and many people do not understand their function. We have been told the fine for jumping a red light is €800 but this is difficult to believe when you see the number of drivers who do not obey the signals. Again motor bikes think they are exempt.
Note added April 2007 We now have another 2 sets of major traffic lights.  The major set that is on the junction commonly known as 'suicide junction' has caused a few problems, as for them to work correctly, no one must be parked within 30 metres of them, needless to say this is Zante and no matter how many no-parking signs people still park.

Helmets
Are supposed to be compulsory but this is difficult to believe. Police are doing checks and issue €100+ fines

Seat Belts
Are compulsory although it is quite usual to see young children standing on the front seat.

Mobile phones
We have read that it is illegal to use a mobile while driving but no-one takes any notice of this. Bus drivers seem to have continuous conversations. Even motor cyclists use their phones when speeding along, how they hear or are heard is a mystery.

Parking
Not many restrictions, yellow lines have not reached Zakynthos yet. Parking in a taxi area is probably the worst offence but only in the eyes of the taxi drivers.
Zante Town has 2 pay zones, Alexander Roma Steet  &  Karvella Street (the area between National Bank and Solomos Square. There are the odd No Parking signs but generally parking is a 'free for all' and anywhere you can get a car or a cycle etc. is used. 
Laganas & Zante Town have areas where parking is only allowed on one side and the side changes each month. Police do give out parking tickets in Laganas (occasionally)  
Below is the No Parking sign you will encounter in Zante Town and Laganas.  

No Parking on Odd Month's January - March - May - July September - November	No Parking on Even Month's February - April - June - August  October - December

Drinking & Driving
There is a limit of 50mg (lower than the UK limit of 80mg) and police do use the breath test, especially after an accident and occasionally at spot checks

Driving Speed Limits
We are told is 50kph all over the island except when a sign says lower.

Signs and maps
Are not at all accurate and very often road signs do not agree with the maps. English spellings are different on different signs and different maps. Roads are being upgraded so many roads are shown on the map as dirt tracks but have now been surfaced with tar. Roads that appear on the map as a major route may in fact be a very narrow road with poor surface and few direction signs. Signs are often used for target practise.

Scooters and Mopeds
Are used as load carriers. This is anything from the whole family (2 adults and 2 children), dogs on the footplate, building materials etc. Long loads are often carried across the handle-bars (e.g. 2 meter length of timber).

Right of Way at Intersections
Historically cars emerging from the right have precedence. This is similar in many other countries. It is being changed and most junctions now have stop signs on the “minor” road. However it is impossible for a driver to know which junctions this applies to and many drivers still use the old rule, ignoring the stop sign. In fact most road signs are generally ignored and in the hills they are used as targets for shooting practice.

Horns
Use of horns is illegal in towns unless it is to stop an accident. Hard to believe this one.

Flashing of headlights
This is quite common and is usually because the driver knows someone in another car or someone at the side of the road. Sometimes it is a warning that there is a police check ahead. It very often means keep out of the way, I am not going to stop (especially trucks and buses).  It rarely means 'you go first' as in the UK.

Pedestrians
Due to lack of foot paths in most areas there are often pedestrians in the road and they often ignore the fact that there are also cars on the road. Footpaths are also used as extensions to shops and restaurants forcing pedestrians into the road. Pedestrians in the tourist resorts are the worst, walking in large groups sometimes taking up the complete width of the road and have no intention of moving for any car, bus or truck.

Animals
Expect to see any animal on the road. Herds of sheep are usually accompanied by one shepherd and wander down twisting roads. Other animals are dogs, cats, chickens, goats, ducks, horses, snakes, the odd peacock and we even once rescued a tortoise from the road seconds before another car sped around the corner.  
Be aware that you may encounter a farmer with his horse tied to the back of his truck driving along the road.  We are unsure if this is a Greek way of exercising the horse.

Front fog lamps
Are used extensively at night. We do not know why.
On the subject of lights, many cars have broken lights. The MOT is only required every 2 years so there is no urgency to repair them. Possibly they are not taken for MOT.

Mopeds, Quads, Motor bikes & Scooters
Can be hired by anyone, NO previous experience necessary. Experience is gained on the public roads. It is not unknown for a quad to crash into a parked car as they leave the hire shop. Beware scooter riders who are lost and change direction suddenly without any indication. Some tourists can be identified because they either wear no shirt, only bathing suit & flip flops or they wear long trousers, long sleeve shirt and a helmet (usually 2 per scooter). Other tourists blend in with the locals. It is not unusual to see a motor cycle speeding down the road on one wheel.

 We have used the word motor cycles quiet frequently, this represents anything on two wheels including bicycles.

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