Mom, I don’t recommend reading this. And if you read this, I warned you not to.
Let’s see, my first impressions of driving in
Top 10 interesting quirks about driving in Guyana
#10 Honking
They honk to say hi, they honk to let other cars know they are on the road, they honk when they are behind you and want you to go (regardless of whether you are at a red stoplight), they honk when you cut them off or when they want to cut you off… everybody keeps honking at me!!
#9 Stoplights
The stoplights have a countdown clock on them. Which theoretically is a great idea, but somebody must have picked the numbers out of a hat. There is no logic for how long you wait at a stoplight or how long you have to get through a light. Sometimes they don’t work and they’re just yellow flashing. I don’t know the rules on who has the right of way. Probably because I don’t think that there are rules – and if there are rules, nobody is following the same set!
#8 One way streets not marked clearly
Sometimes they just appear, sometimes there are no signs – “no entry” is painted on the road and faded or you see the sign indicating one way just a second too late . I’ve only backed up the wrong way once (as far as I know) and my policy on new roads is to only turn on to them if I can clearly see the stop line or if I am following another vehicle.
#7 Stop signs? Lanes?
There are a few stop signs, but most of the time there is a line drawn on the road and STOP written before it. Quite often this line and STOP is worn down. When there are stop signs, they are round and white with a red trim (I think just to throw me off from the Canadian stop sign that I’m looking for). Also, when there is one lane with 2-3 options (straight, turn left, turn right), it actually means that there are “three” lanes – you just can’t see them. And there isn’t actually room for them. But the drivers will squeeze their vehicles in and honk to get where they want to be.
#6 Road width
The roads are just wide enough for two vehicles, but everyone (myself included) parks on the side of the room (because there isn’t anywhere else to park!). I haven’t seen on “parking lot” and depending on the building, there are some parking spaces to pull up into. Sometimes when there is a big truck and cars parked along the side of the room, there is barely room for him!
#5 Puddles, pot holes, speed bumps, dogs…
Some roads are new, some are very well maintained, some leave a lot to be desired. Be careful of those puddles, they really are deeper than they look. And if you can’t see the bottom of them, there is potential that there is no bottom…Just swerve around the potholes, everyone else is… The paint has worn off the speed bumps – so cross your fingers that they are a different colour of pavement or that you remember where they are after your first experience hitting them too fast. And yes, the dogs. They’re everywhere. They usually have respect for vehicles on the road, but when they get wet, it’s like they become lost and disoriented and wander out in front of you…
#4 Reckless drivers
Every driver for him or herself - you have to get from point A to point B and you’ll do anything to get there. If someone is in your way, it’s their fault – not yours. I am learning to be more aggressive. I try to honk at someone at least once a day so that when Maria calls I can tell her. I pull out far when I want to cross a road or turn and push my way through traffic. I have too much respect for life to be a reckless driver, but I can hold my own most of the time.
#3 Minibus drivers
Minibuses, where to start... I thought being in one with no seatbelts, too many passengers, loud music, reckless drivers and no predictable route was scary enough. That recklessness intensifies when you are driving behind them and they pull out or pull back in randomly, or when you are driving in front of them and they pass you out of nowhere, or when you think you are in a minibus-free zone and one appears! In front of you, behind you, beside you… be careful…the minibuses are out there…
#2 Motorcycles and Bicycles
It’s one thing to be a minibus and drive like you are the only vehicle on the road (because you can hear and see them when they’re around), but if you’re just a bike- I’m bigger than you! I’m watching for you, but you also have to watch for me. They are supposed to drive on one side of the lane, but I don’t even know which side that is because I see them on both sides. They are on the road in all states of repairs…
#1 Donkey/horse carts
Remember that donkeys and horses don’t have brakes. They also move very slowly. I’m torn between having fun saying that I passed a donkey cart and relaxing behind one because no one can honk at me for going slow – because it’s donkey speed!!
I should point out that not all drivers are reckless and honk and freak me out, but they are the ones that make for the most interesting learning experience. There are those that help me when I set off my car alarm and I look helpless because it won’t turn off and the car won’t start and I don’t know who to call and then… a kind stranger with a smile and the magic trick. I provided amusement for his day – it was a fair deal. There are those that kindly wave frantically at me when I backup the wrong way on a one way street and laugh with me. There are those that will wait for me to drive through if the road isn’t wide enough for both of us because of obstacles or will let me know when there is enough space on the road for me to go ahead beside them.
Maria says that if I can drive in
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