On the Road Again

Since we've been back in the States we've been busier than Sarah Palin's wardrobe shoppers. All of the errands we've run, relatives we've visited and places we've gone to have required a considerable amount of driving. Each time I've gotten into the car and ventured out onto the roadways I find myself thinking: “Wow it’s easy to drive here!”

Assuming you’re not on the nice new Croatian highway, if you’re a driver in Croatia you’re taking a risk every time you drive. The following is a list of obstacles you could very well encounter on a typical Croatian 2 lane (1 in each direction) roadway:
1. cars
2. trucks
3. tractors
4. combines
5. three-wheelers
6. wheelchairs
7. trams
8. bicyclists
9. pedestrians
10. sheep
11. shepherds
12. cows
During the daytime these objects are not so difficult to avoid. Wheelchairs and cows however typically do not come with brake lights so they’re a little more difficult to see after the sun has set. And sheep are very unpredictable. Fortunately, I haven’t had an accident yet.

In comparison, when driving in Massachusetts, you usually only have to watch out for numbers 1, 2, 9 and possibly 8. There is also the occasional horse rider, but that leads us to another difference – the wideness of the roads.

In Croatia there’s no breakdown lane. If a car breaks down, a truck has to make a delivery, or a driver has to stop in front of a house, you have to go into the oncoming traffic lane to continue on your way. And then obviously if there is oncoming traffic, you have to wait for the safe time to pass.

All this to say, It’s been a pleasure driving in Massachusetts especially considering the fact that gas is half the price it is in Europe. Sure I’m happy to live in Croatia, but when it comes to the risk you face when driving I’d choose driving in the States every time.