June 09 2018, 12:27

Over the two and a half years in the USA, I never had to pass oncoming traffic while overtaking, nor was I overtaken by someone passing oncoming traffic. In Russia, it’s not just part of the rules—it’s part of the daily routine (I’m referring to allowable situations—no sign or prohibiting markings). Here, somehow, it’s managed without this. For when is it necessary to overtake facing oncoming traffic? When the vehicle ahead is creeping slower than the permitted speed on that stretch (not considering when it’s slower than you need). Around me, there are simply no such situations. Everyone drives equally fast, around the permitted speed, or maybe a bit faster. If you need to overtake, you’ll have to accelerate faster, which clearly breaches the speed limit.

I have also never seen a car turn around not at an intersection. I don’t know why, but it just doesn’t happen. Although the rules seem to allow it (since you can turn left even across the “double solid line”).

And no one violates minor things either. For example, people fly through intersections on a yellow light, which isn’t good, but understandable. But to drive into an intersection and stop, waiting for the oncoming traffic to pass, or to double up in the left turn lane, sticking to the left lane, or to drive a few dozen meters on the shoulder (for instance, when the straight lane is in a traffic jam, the right turn lane begins in 20 meters, and it’s empty, but you have to either wait or drive on the shoulder to it).

On the other hand, there are plenty of dangerous places related to the road’s terrain here. For example, you need to turn left and let all oncoming cars pass, but they’re not visible over the hill. And if some daredevil is driving pedal-to-the-metal, you might not have enough time to turn.

There’s also the unpleasant situation when you need to pull out from a minor road (or even a driveway) LEFT, which requires crossing all lanes, including the “double solid line” (plus, there could be four usual lanes in such situations), and, combined with the aforementioned hill and rush hour, this is quite challenging. There’s always the option to go straight and turn around, but the rules don’t prohibit crossing directly. You drive at speed, and it’s unclear where a car might pull out from your side.