Hit the road, Jack

If you already drive on the left side of the road, you’ll be more than capable of driving in South Africa. If you’re a right side driver, just remember the junctions are different! With our esteemed taxi drivers on the loose, the driving can at times be somewhat frustrating but generally we’re a pretty normal driving population who happen to have an appaling track record for accidents and deaths on the road.

There are differences between driving styles depending on where you are and whom you talk to. Gautengers and Capetonians both accuse each other of not being able to indicate and really, they’re both as bad as each other. Rural drivers are polite to the point of infuriating, causing unnecessary tailbacks of politeness and smiles mingled with the faint smell of baking. Capetonians do tend to drive on your tail and change position suddenly and without much warning. Gautengers just love to drive everywhere as fast as possible, gesticulating madly at anyone who’ll pay attention to them.

On the road

We’re a metric country. Not surprisingly, all signs are metric. Forgetting this could land you in hot water if you use any other form of measuring system.

The general speed limit in urban areas is 60 kph (around 37 mph). You may find urban dual carriageways that allow 70 or 80 kph (around 43 or 49 mph) but these will be clearly sign posted. Freeways (or highways/motorways) allow a top speed of 120 kph (around 75 mph). Rule of thumb, travel at the speed the signs say.

Our traffic cops are partial to issuing fines on anything that vehicles can use. So be warned! Please don’t try and bribe them either – even if they hint unsubtly. Not only is it illegal to bribe, but your encouraging them makes our lives more intolerable once you’ve left. They may well be armed but they won’t shoot you for refusing to pay a bribe!

Like everyone else, we are just as capable of being in the wrong lane, at the wrong time, when its least needed – so please don’t get too irritated on the roads. Road rage is a relatively new phenomenon here and people generally less visibly agitated than elsewhere, but bear in mind we have been known to use real weapons in the odd road rage incident.

One quirk of driving in South Africa for some is the ‘four way stop’. These junctions are clearly marked both by road markings and by ‘stop’ signs. The rule is; first vehicle to come to a screeching halt (on the line marking or as close as physically possible) has right of way. This requires a degree of concentration as you have to simultaneously scope out three potential competitors coming from three different directions, judging their distance, speed and driving skill and aggression.

If driving at night, be on the look out for un-roadworthy vehicles that have poor or no lighting. They are a hazard and should not be on the roads, but are something to be aware of.

One for the road?

Don't drink and drive. The Department of Transport road safety campain Arrive Alive, says it quite succinctly. Their website has a heap of good information - have a look.

The police will invariably pitch a road block on the road your on after you had a couple too many. Spot checks are a nationwide thing and especially prevalent at peak driving times (Easter and Christmas), but this is not a hard and fast rule. The police can breathalise you but can't sample body fluids, unless you're dating a policeman.

We just love our police force, and you'll see them out and about in a variety of colours, liveries and branding. Metro Police, Traffic Police, regular Police - be nice to them all!

Parking

Parking bays are generally clearly marked in urban areas. Yellow or red lines mean you should look for instructions on a pole somewhere. Special bays (disabled, deliver, medic etc) are usually clearly marked by paint or a sign. To park in a disabled bay, you need to display the appropriate ‘permit’ (see your Automobile Association) for details. Roads with no markings are generally fine to park in. Some street parking may be metered.

In Cape Town, parking meter wardens replaced all city ‘centre’ meters. Good for job creation. Look for the person wearing a yellow vest and a ticket machine around their neck. You tell them how long you want to park and they press buttons. No ticket is issued apparently.

All malls have parking usually a mixture of paid and unpaid areas. We’re not big on valet parking, so rather not expect it.

Footing it

Anyone on foot more or less has right of way (both unwritten and written). You will find pedestrians everywhere they shouldn’t be, sometimes doing the silliest things. Watch out for people pushing scrap metal (anything with a resale value) in worn out shopping trolleys. Even better, watch out for people crossing a busy freeway at night in non-reflective clothing. As the law stands, the driver is liable if a pedestrian is injured.

There are ‘walk, don’t walk’ signs but they are sometimes ‘ignored, not ignored’. They do allow pedestrians right of way in front of incoming turning traffic (flashing red, don’t walk).

License

You will need to check whether your current driving license allows you to drive in South Africa, but generally an ‘International Driving License’ is acceptable. Your local Automobile Association should be able to advise. Always ensure you have some form of photo identification with you too.