There are a lot of motorcycles, scooters, and mopeds here. It makes sense, I suppose; my guess is that they’re more fuel efficient, and the way the rules of the road work here (to use several terms very loosely), the divider lines on the roads actually function as motorcycle lanes, allowing them to not have to be stuck in traffic as much.
Well, today on the bus home from the Ethniki Amyna metro station, we passed a car wreck. A hatchback of some variety was straddling two lanes, the bumper had the heck dented out of it and was sitting on the ground, and the rear window of the hatch was smashed. Immediately at the back wheels of the car was a motorcycle.
It was very evident what had happened; the car was changing lanes as the motorcycle was coming up along the lane divider line.
I will note again that the window was smashed. As in, to bits and pieces. Unforunately, given the various heights involved, I can only think of one thing likely to have been responsible for the impact, and I really hope the motorcycle rider was wearing a helmet.
Nope. Driving here, at least within Athens, isn’t something I have any desire to do.
Leitourgeia kai Qurbana: Contra den Zeitgeist 
0 Responses to “Why I wouldn’t want to drive in Athens”