Driving

We haven’t yet posted anything about the driving. I think it is because we have been to Guatemala where there are no driving rules, and Alex actually drove while we were there, so the driving here doesn’t shock us. However, the drivers here are definitely crazier than those in the United States. I don’t think I have seen any traffic lights in this town. They have stop signs and it seems like the bravest car is the one that gets to go first. If you are a pedestrian, you better beware because, although there are many crosswalks that are very clearly marked, they seem to only be a suggestion that the cars actually stop. With us having a baby, the cars appear to be more willing to stop more often for us, however we still have to be very cautious and cross the road quickly in case the driver changes their mind!

I have to post something about Oleg and his car because he reminds me so much of Alex. Oleg really loves his car. According to Oksana, it is his second wife (or maybe even his first wife, she says). He treats his car like it is his baby. I initially thought that his opening my door was an act of chivalry but have realized that it is because he doesn’t want me to close the door too hard – he likes to “gently” close the door himself. One day, Elena hit her head of the roof of the car and told Oleg that she hated his car. Oleg seemed genuinely offended by this comment and would not speak to Elena for a while after this!

The roads here are filled with potholes. I should probably actually say that the potholes are occasionally accompanied by some road. It almost seems that in some places, they would be better off tearing up the road and leaving just the dirt road under it because in order to drive the roads here and still end up with a car afterwards, you have to slowly swerve from one side of the road to the other – much like a maze – to avoid a pothole. You would never want to drive at night here, as you may drive into a pothole and never come out.

One day, Alex and his friends were watching YouTube videos of funny driving. Usually these videos involved a female trying to park and on one of the cars there was a sign shaped like a yield sign with a picture of a high heel in the middle. They found this hilarious because they thought it was a joke. Alex asked Elena about whether it was a joke because he had seen a car here with that sign on it. Elena said that it is not a joke here and Alex asked her what the purpose of the sign is then. Elena said it was to let other drivers know that a woman was behind the wheel. Alex asked why that would not be considered a joke because in the United States that would be something funny. Elena said that it is a caution thing – if other drivers know that a woman is driving than they will be more courteous and careful when driving in the vicinity of this vehicle. Alex is now on a quest to find these signs because the fact that they serve a “serious” purpose and actually exist makes them even more hilarious. So beware – you may get one of these when we get home!