'Hit & Run' incidents & vehicle accidents?

Hi Roy,

as you suggest the quality of driving in Malta is third-world and hit-and-run damages to cars themselves are normal. I have found my own car with 3 major damages and many minor damages in 4 years just by parking in the street. It's like with the 3 monkeys: Don't hear , don't see and don't smell -))) Malta is centuries away from any form of considerate and responsible driving.

As to incidents on the roads with pedestrians you have to realize that the Maltese way of thinking is that the roads , and in many cases, the pavements belong to cars because they pay road taxes and pedestrians don't. So don't expect any driver to slow down and let you cross the street. If you get hit it will be your own fault . If you get hit on a pedestrian crossing it is hardly ever the drivers fault either as he normally can't see the vanished markings anyway and a pedestrian has to wait at the crossing until a car chooses to stop. Or any other of hundreds of reason for not being able to stop. It is not a right of way. You should even wait for following cars to stop too! It is quite common to get knocked down on a crossing by a following second or even third car. A car stopping at a crossing is a reason for some to overtake it and not stop behind it !

The same goes for pedestrian lights. Do not count on cars and especially motor bikes stopping when you have green lights as a pedestrian.

I know it sounds quite bad but the reallity is ...............worse!

Emergency service in Malta? Try and avoid needing them - especially in the rush hours.

Cheers
Ricky