More on Moscow traffic

Once I get here it takes me a while to get used to the idea of driving. Eventually I climb into the drivers seat and then wonder why it took me so long.
Once you are accustomed to the peculiarities of the Moscow driver, and the 'wrong side of the road', then it is fairly straight forward. Some of the road signs are subtely different; for instance there is no negative indication of turns and when you come to a junction you are directed where you CAN go but not told where you CANNOT go. So when I look for 'no left turn', 'no entry' or 'no U turn' it just ain't there.

On Wednesday I took Olga to run some errands for her parents. When we set out I knew we would be returning in a) darkness and b) rush hour. The darkness is not too much of a problem as the streets are all well lit but the rush hour is terrifying. Most of the problems that occur are down to driver indiscipline: ignoring red lights, ignoring lanes, ignoring speed limits and monumental levels of impatience. If you leave a reasonable distance between your car and the one in front someone will fill it - and they can come at the gap from all and any direction. If another driver thinks you are not quick enough to get out of their way or too slow to take an opportunity then you will get a blast on the horn. Cars move off from lights at the change of the opposing light to red and not at the change of their own light to green. I like anticipation in a driver: it makes for better driving but this is an anticipation too far as it leaves no margin for error.
The major junction outside of the Belorus station is chaos. We had to come through it. Congestion was so bad that the crossing point was never free of traffic, so we had cars blocking our way through and it was just a matter of inching forward and squeezing in when a chance came. On top of this some cars were trying to cross three lanes at the junction because they 'forgot'(!) to get into the correct lane before the junction. 'Why don't they make a box junction?' I hear you say. Well, there would be no point as they would just ignore it. The powers that be also chose to place bus-stops on our exit road from this junction and so three lanes were trying to squeeze into one.

You do not have to commit an offence to be stopped by traffic police. They stand at most major junctions and other random places stopping whatever they fancy as it passes. I have dreaded this happening to me. Today it did! Fortunately we had a pleasant, very smart young man who looked at my European licence and dismissed us instantly. What a relief. Olga's first reaction was, 'I hope we have got enough money on us'. (For the spot fine).

I am getting cynical. I have stopped exclaiming my surprise and annoyance at this bad driving. There is no point.

Do svedanya,

Graham