Bucharest city tales: Driver etiquette for road users in Bucharest

Columnist Eleonore af Schaumburg-Lippe writes in her weekly column about life as an expat in Romania. This week she comments on a few rules of driver etiquette.

The traffic in Bucharest and the problems with parking are something we can all share and whinge about. Especially in Bucharest, which has its own unique rules of etiquette, essential for newcomers to learn in order to survive the capital's mean streets. So for the uninitiated, here are my top five Bucharest driving tips. 1) While waiting at a junction, there is no need to worry about being able to see the traffic lights. Fellow travelers will always provide an alert with several small bips on their horns. Those who are busy texting or adjusting their makeup, or changing the CD, or chatting to the driver in the next lane, needn't worry at all, their fellow road users will help by keeping their hands on their horns, a friendly signal that the light has turned green. Anyone in a car behind someone absorbed in any or all of the above should feel free to join in. It is an excellent way to express frustrations, and of course it will make a difference, and the driver in front will, with a smile, set off ASAP. 2) Please be kind and polite to other drivers; when turning, and after dutifully putting on the indicators, remember to give way to the car traveling at 100 Kph up the inside. The driver probably didn’t see the indicators and anyway, the arbitrary 'rules of the road' are far less important than having to wait for a few seconds or drive at reasonable speed. So instead of blocking them, which is not considered polite, make space for them, because they have the right to come first, and they will surely smile and appreciate the courtesy. 3) Although you do not have a contract with the city council, the section of road directly in front of the front door to your house is yours, and never forget to claim your rights. Should another driver park his or her car in this space, they can easily be shown their mistake by lifting their windscreen wipers and placing them at right angles to the car. Finding the sinner's home and notifying of the error is also useful. Should a particular driver repeatedly take the place, with a flagrant disregard of the rules, you have every right to help him/her understand by taking a little air out of the tires of the offending car every day. Remember, you're exercising your rights and performing a civic duty by helping a fellow human being to learn. 4) Pavements are for parking and yes, park anywhere you want to or feel like, the problems of finding a bona fide parking space mean it is important to dump the car wherever. Thinking about others in this situation cannot be recommended. Leave space on the pavement for women with children in pushchairs? Why can't they just use the road? 5) Remember the car is sacrosanct, any damage to it, or scratching of the paint is a heinous crime. Sadly, some stubborn pedestrians insist on trying to use the pavement, which as we all know is for parking, not walking. This can result in accidental scratching. No smiles here. The offender should be met with righteous anger and all the best swear words. Remember, the car is always right, the bigger, more expensive and badly driven, the more right it is. Happy driving!