Driving In Israel's Blog

The Traffic Circle Tourist

drivinginisrael — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 08:10:15 +0000

At the entrance to Jaffa, just before the Clock Tower, there is a traffic circle (roundabout to any English readers). It has 2 lanes around it and is generally busy with vehicles of all sizes plus innumerable sightseers on foot come to admire the Clock Tower and the shops around.

It is where, yesterday, I encountered a new Israeli driver species – the ‘Traffic Circle Tourist.

At around 5PM, I arrived near one entrance to the circle, to find my way impeded. To my amazement there was The Traffic Circle Tourist. He was crawling round (more than once) the circle, occupying both lanes and looking only forwards. Fellow drivers (in best Israeli fashion) hooted and hooted – in vain. Pedestrians halted, because they could not decide what he would do. Finally, with neither sign nor signal he selected an exit and disappeared down a side road.

This driver seemed to conform to the Israeli Drivers Mantra #1: “No-else exists on the road except myself. As only I exist, I can do whatever I like.”

The considerate way to move your mattress

drivinginisrael — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 07:05:32 +0000

Today I witnessed something which I had to check more than twice to see if my eyesight was still good. An oldish car was proceeding along a main road within Tel Aviv. On its roof was a double mattress that more than covered the width of the car – though the mattress also seemed rather loose tied to the car. At the same time the driver appeared relaxed, with one hand out of the window.

The reason became clear at the next red traffic signal. The hand disappeared only to reappear (along with another hand on the passenger side). two hands grasped the mattress as the car accelerated. The reason that the mattress looked loose was it was loose; there was no attachment of said mattress to the car – except the hand on each side.

For me it was definitely time to switch traffic lanes before the mattress became a flying weapon to imperil those behind.

The lady, the baby and the police car

drivinginisrael — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 11:28:45 +0000

Recently I was driving through Tel Aviv along a busy one-way street with a slight bend about 500m ahead. I was in the middle lane (of 3) with a police car about 3-4 cars and 100m ahead in the left hand lane. All was normal until the police car suddenly swerved from the left into the middle traffic lane 9and almost caused an accident.

Why? A lady on a bicycle – with a child at the front – was pedaling remorselessly against the one way traffic flow.

Irrespective of the continuing danger to her and her child, what was perhaps most notable was that the police did nothing. The police car just carried on as if no accident might have happened.

And the lady: she also continued against the stream of traffic, apparently impervious (or uncaring) about the possibility that she was endangering others, including the child.

Hello world! Have you driven in Israel?

drivinginisrael — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 10:47:42 +0000

Driving In Israel is like nowhere else I have driven (which includes 5 of the 7 continents). I first arrived in Tel Aviv in late 2008. During the past year I have watched with incredulity at the behavior behind a steering wheel (or motor or bicycle handles) of so many Israeli drivers (in Tel Aviv and outside). I have wondered at their, and even my own, survival.

Being a generally curious person, who has lived in other countries, I have also tried to find explanations for Israeli driving (I think back to my father who always fervently believed that one of his best friends was so bad a driver because he had been taught to drive in a tank). These explanations have varied from the near obscene to the frighteningly elegant pursuit of implausible and polite excuses. Thus far, nothing quite fits – except for the deepening suspicion that the driving habits of Israelis are a window into what makes them function – which is not necessarily a pretty thought.

This blog will, therefore and when occasions warrant, try to describe what actually happens. Sometimes there may even be comment. Yet it is not for me to judge: I will leave others to do that, or even to contribute their own descriptions about what they find – good, bad or indifferent – about driving in Israel.