"Wild" Road Traffic - Is that true?
Posted by Builderhummel@reddit | AskBalkans | View on Reddit | 24 comments
I am going on a West balkan vacation soon (Croatia, BiH, Montenegro, Albania) with my motorcycle. Friends of mine told me that I have to be very careful because the traffic in Balkan countries can be wild, where people drive like crazy (e.g. speeding)
Is that true and do you have any advice for me?
Creamy_Commodity@reddit
I've never ridden in BiH, but I have driven. People will ride your ass like crazy even when you're doing 10 - 15 over the limit. I've seen this happen to motorcycles too.
Especially in more rural parts of the country, watch for animals of all sizes, everything from dogs to cows.
People over take where they please. About 95% of roads are two lanes, often winding through valleys. Absolutely beautiful, and probably a lot of fun. Just be aware and prepared for sudden chaos.
Creamy_Commodity@reddit
This is also generally the case in Montenegro, but I've only driven in the north and along the bay of Kotor.
cameliap@reddit
You can expect speeding, you can expect overtaking when it's not allowed, and you can expect safe distance not being maintained. It's not "wild" per se but it's probably different, more stressful and requiring more attention than what you're used to. If you're on some lone mountain road and you have a speed limit of 30 km/h because of sharp turns and you have a couple of vehicles right up your butt because those drivers know the road by heart and think they are smarter, it's probably best to pull out of the road the first chance you get to let them pass and then keep going.
PasicT@reddit
"Wild" for Western European standards but we're not India or China.
Elmalukat@reddit
China is great, have you ever been there?
Also it has far superior infrastructure to any Balkan country
magnificent_wts@reddit
Tell the wankstain
PasicT@reddit
Traffic is still horrible as in most Asian countries.
hardhuca88@reddit
just dont die
awarddeath123@reddit
Like Okra said, mountain roads are probably the most dangerous. They’re seldom kept in excellent shape (maybe better in Croatia since I last visited), and in Albania the roads are utter ass. But the biggest risk comes from negligent drivers who will, under the assumption that they’re alone on said roads, take corners at speeds or angles they usually would be barred from even attempting. In-city traffic is far tamer and more controlled. Just as anywhere else, morons do exist; but this isn’t as critical as, say, Thailand or India. You’ll be safe — just look out and please, as a motorcyclist, mind cars’ blindspots. Ride safe 🤙🏻
Elmalukat@reddit
Albania roads are perfectly well. This coming from Bosnia where the border with Montenegro had dirt roads is laughable
ahmet-chromedgeic@reddit
Croatia has excellent roads.
Bosnian roads are too congested because of an undeveloped highway network, curvy, and in a big chunk of the country go through hills, which is altogether a formula for a lot of risky overtakings.
Yto_Itinen@reddit
Montenegro is a nightmare in terms of congestion, similar to Bosnia in terms of hilly terrain with no visibility and heinous traffic near the coast, especially Budva.
Albanian road network suffers from congestion near the Montenegrin border, but then it has plenty of highways, depending on your destination. Rush hour near the coast and at the entrance of the capital will have some traffic, so plan accordingly.
Builderhummel@reddit (OP)
But is this legal? At least in Germany, they would confiscate your bike if it is way too loud.
Yto_Itinen@reddit
Just don't rev like crazy in front of the cops, but the sound is a blessing on the highway
Builderhummel@reddit (OP)
What would happen if I do? (Sorry that I ask, but here, drunk driving, running read lights and a too loud exhaust are basically on the same level)
Yto_Itinen@reddit
No, outside basic decency we don't have a way of measuring the noise on your muffler. It's not an infraction in itself, but if you mix it up with careless driving or looks like you are speeding, they will add on some bullshit fine for non-standard equipment.
Also, never antagonize cops, in any country: they are underpaid and undereducated working in hellish conditions in overcrowded roads.
7amdrei7@reddit
Albania is a little crazier. Others are like Italy.
Big-Vegetable4550@reddit
I’m not sure about the rest of the Balkans, but in B&H and Croatia (and maybe especially in Dalmatia) there seems to be a feeling by a number of drivers (maybe 5% of them?) that laws of the road do not apply to them. Speeding, passing in marked do-no-pass zones, passing in obviously dangerous places (blind curves, hill crests), wrong way on one-way streets). All of these can be very dangerous to motorcycle drivers. So drive defensively, don’t be in a hurry, anticipate other drivers doing unsafe things and you should be okay.
Note: Although driving behaviors of a substantial minority can be dangerous to others, it’s very rare to see aggressive drivers. Almost everyone drives politely in my experience.
CommunicationTop8777@reddit
It will be a good experience for you, you might learn how to drive.
gushi1-@reddit
Drive very stupid.
Odd-Organization-740@reddit
Depends where you come from. Compared to Western Europe (except Southern Europe), driving is noticeably more insane here. Deadly road accidents are more common.
Ancient-Song-8428@reddit
I must add, beside speeding, in Bosnia and Herzegovina you could expect everything on the roads depending on the part of the country, especially on lower rank roads. People, cyclists, domestic animals, wild horses, unmarked holes or unsufficiently marked road works, vehicles breakdown, tractors without signaling lights, if it is windy- rocks, branches etc.
Ancient-Song-8428@reddit
Unfortunately yes. You can't be careful enough. There are more male drivers than female and every single man driver I know drive faster than limit. Also unfortunately fatal motorcycle accidents happen every year. I don't have special advice beside ususl- do not drive tired, prefer daytime, keep the distance, overtake when situation is absolutely clear, check mirrors often, do not speed, take rest, if there is pushy or violent driver let him pass for your own good.
Equivalent-Okra-8639@reddit
I would be careful on mountain roads, sometimes people overtake without being able to see around the corner.