Driving in Bulgaria

Driving in BG?

Road conditions vary..from holes every 50 yards in backwater places to superb single and dual carriageways...the issue is how deep is the hole?

Not a serious issue UNLESS it has rained heavily, then the question is, how deep is the hole!

So...unless you want to leave your front suspension behind NEVER drive through a puddle unless you know how deep it is!

BG drivers fall into 3 groups.

1. The old boys driving at 40kph

2. The standard BG driver (including white van men),,,fag in mouth, phone in ear and foot hard on the pedal. Corners and the brow of hills they can see round so they can overtake vast lorries on bends with impunity!

3. The 'mafiosi' who drive Merc, Audi, BMW with blacked out windows. Favorite trick is to bear down on you at approaching 200kph while you are overtaking on a dual carriage way, lights blazing and horn blaring.

My response...xod off Vladimir, the GB sign on the back of my car means I won't be intimidated by anyone especially you, so up yours Sunbeam and I'll let you by once I'm clear!

John

Hi,,,My advice is not to be intimidated by anyone behind you who thinks he is trying for Pole position in F1,,,yes BMW driver  I live in Vinograd(rural),,,the main road to Polski Trambesh was full of potholes & a few Craters which were repaired,,but due to HGV lorrys using road,,1 Crater repair is collapsing,,Rural roads are not built for HGV,s,,,water filled rural roads scare me,,me & car disappearing,,,Found also,many young aggressive drivers with BMW,s & Audi,s but not Lada drivers,,strange 

I am a "white van man" in the UK, I love driving in BG, I enjoy the lack of traffic, ok around the capital and built up area's are busier but safe enough as the traffic flow slows the speed, the rural roads are the ones where the center of the road becomes another lane and the speed limit is often ignored, I agree that the roads vary from pothole to decent surfaces, yes people will push you to get past, you too surely will pass slower vehicles agricultural traffic or horse and cart, or swerve a pothole or camber in the road?
I still see roadworks, good and bad roads, but the overall volume of traffic differs greatly in BG no long delays or diversions as a professional driver in the UK  it is stressful, cameras, roadworks, etc....it is a breeze in BG.
There are long straight roads for the speedier driver to eventually pass, it's not what I'd call an act of intimidation they want to pass as they have bigger engines simple so see it as a right of way, they still all slow down through villages, and radar patrols if manned, I don't however understand the need for using your lights on the car during the day though if it is clear why leave them on surely common sense means you can see if you need them on or not?
Carrying around a small fire extinguisher though is a statement that safety is being observed though, and I like the counting down traffic lights too.
As the driver of your car you are in sole control of your own vehicle, safely, are steady or speeding along you are behind the wheel, moving through the gears and pushing the accelerator pedal. Why worry about the guy behind flashing his lights?!
Steve.

Hi,,You  mention " Respecting Road Safety Rules",,so,,Driving a safe distance from car in front is 1,,,anyone suggesting driving bumper to bumper is not bullying(intimidating) driver in front,,so if ive got bigger engine than you,,dous,nt give me the right to put your safety in jeopardy & other road users,,and "Courtesy",,is another word for Respecting other drivers & cars with GB plates,,i was so happy to get my BG plates,,,have seen quite a few incidents in VT  & rural districts,,i drive a 2ltre 4x4,,but that dous,nt give me the  "right of way" as was suggested by member on forum,,,,,plus side is yes,,less traffic here compared to UK,,Regards eddie

My reply does not imply that a bigger engine means jeopardy to other road users mate? I simply mean they are sitting in a  bigger car be it a 2, 3 or 4 litre v6, v8 thus encouraging them to drive full out, you can be a danger going slow as well as driving fast, but it is the mind set of the person behind the wheel you will not change so a 1 litre trabant or 4 litre range rover they will all be a danger if the person driving shows no common sense.
So please do not read in to my post and assume I support the crazies on the roads I don't and I did say bigger engine = "right of way??"
I drive for a living over 2000 miles a week I see every idiot there is on the road in the UK, but I do not see them as intimidating they are idiots but you can pull back and read the road situation, you can control your own car if driving safely, so comparing the contrast BG for me is less complicated to commute around.
Regards Steve.

The standard of driving in Bulgaria varies a lot. The Bulgarians are, in general, extremely poor drivers. They do not abide by the rules of the road and will often ignore red lights, undertaking is a constant worry, driving the wrong way down a one-way street is common and I have noticed the police do this constantly. I will say that not all Bulgarian drivers are bad but most of them are. It seems that they cannot abide to see a vehicle in front of them and they must do all in their power to pass it. One must use extreme caution on the roads .

Fingers, you have summed up how the majority of Bulgarians drive in general.

driving in bulgaria no problems cant be any worse than the uk, i found the roads great  just a few pot holes here and their. i live in the pchelnik town of which seems good

I agree with last reply from vodaphone 1958 (even tho he's from manchester haha! it's a JOKE  )
I also do not like or support other posts being negative to Bulgarian drivers it's there flaming country what give's outsiders like ex-pats the right to moan or call their driving abilities, drive round the UK it is terrible at best!
I think we as ex-pats should not pass judgement on other countries we are happy enough to cash in on cheaper housing and cost of living so yes expect different cultures and attitudes, turn off your UK heads you are in Bulgaria now!?

Coming from the US, all I will say is driving here requires paying very close attention at all times to dodge the grandpa while not getting run over by a big black Euro car. The US is very tame and well mannered in comparison.

Expat.com Moderator,,asks for " Difficulties one might face" regarding driving,,so all members on site should should be allowed to share there own personal experiences thank you!!! 

To all

There is a massive program going on fitting speed cameras throughout BG which is been taken seriously as the Police are losing money, these cameras are very small over head light grey and are on gantrys, having been talking to a traffic officers that lives in our village this system will find any one in any country and they will chase the fine at your cost!!!
And yes there 3 types of drivers here in BG

Well these cameras once up and running will effectively slow up the majority of speedier drivers then, and that'll please everyone!
Maybe the revenue created from the fines will go towards filling in pot holes that will cheer up other people!
In fairness you wouldn't clatter down the road full of pot holes and cameras anyway?
How do these fines get sent as I recently read on this forum that the BG postal service is a little slow!
Anyway all positive moves towards safety, which is to be welcomed. 

At the boarders they are now asking for the V5 this is so the car/van can be traced back to the registered owner so the fine can be issued.

I wonder how long a lot of these rural cameras will be in place before someone takes a liking to them and they disappear never to be replaced.

I wouldn't worry about the cameras, for 450lv you can by a GPS guided radar that tells you where they are.
As for driving slow and being safe, that's what the right lane is for. You think it's annoying when someone is on ur ass trying to pass you? Try having to slam on your breaks from going 200 when someone decides to drive 120 in the fast lane. How do you know what's slow driving and what's fast and witch lane you should be in? Well if someone is on your ass then you are in the wrong lane. I'm all about safe driving and I know how someone will come here and say 200 is not a safe speed, I would have to say that depends on what car you are driving, if your car and driving experience allows you to feel comfortable going 200 than that is a safe speed for you, it varies for everyone.

That's why you see loads of shrines on the road side as Bularians drive like idiots at 200kph thinging they are the dogs bollocks at driving just look at Novita web site 22 dead and 222 injured over the weekend.  WHY it's just plain crazy plus most of the dead or injured are from Sofia.

Really Bulgarians don't drive any worse than French, Italians and most of the rest of Europe. If there is a nice straight clear piece of road to pass on they will invariably wait for the blind bend or the solid white line or brow of a hill. As long as you realise what they are like and use your rearview mirror as you should you should be fine.
I would like to live somewhere that the potholes are only every 50 metres or so, just trying to leave my village is a 10KmH slalom. The VT to Sofia road is much better now until you get nearer to Sofia on the motorway where the road works are going on but even there I haven't been held up, unlike UK road works. But then you see more traffic in 10 mins there than you see in 10 days here.
Overall I much prefer driving here any day.

Kosarka wrote:

just look at Novita web site 22 dead and 222 injured over the weekend.

Jesus, that's like a war situation.

I just want to say my comments are about my driving observations and I was not being critical of anyone in Bulgaria or Europe. The Bulgarians in my life have been incredibly kind and generous and living here continues to be a great experience. That being said, driving here is different than the US and I am very careful and pay close attention.

what is the drink/driving limit in BG and how rigourously enforced ? Does it vary from admin areas ? Also are thses rules applicable to ALL road users such as bicycles , horses and donkey traps ?

I am not sure of the actual limit. I know my Bulgarian friends who actually follow the laws will not drive after a single beer here, so I assume it is quite low.

I have never been stopped in a village. Outside of Plovdiv, there were regular traffic stops (about once a month) to check for drunk driving and check your documents/insurance. I think I got stopped about 4 times in 2 years, as a passenger in a friend's car. No where else have I been stopped, so maybe it is jsut that region that is so aggressive about it.

The official drink/drive limit in Bulgaria is 0.05mg which is practically zero tolerance. Also the police have been following zero tolerance of late so it is best not to drink at all. Regarding cyclists and horse drawn vehicles I have no knowledge, but I do not think there are any restrictions.

I don't drive, my husband does. Driving is scary, ok?

Coming from Norway, I must say Bulgarians drive very recklessly. To be honest, I'm just waiting to witness a front-to-front collision.

We often drive from Sofia to Velingrad, on a road that takes us up to the mountains. It has many turns, which creates poor visibility, which doesn't deter fearless and shameless drivers.

Typically, it's the newer BMWs, Audis and Mercedeses that are prone to speeding and to drive by, despite a obvious risk that a car might very well be coming towards them at any minute.

Small trucks and gypsies with horse carts can create some dangerous situations too.

A friend of my husbands father picked my husband and me up at the Sofia airport, and we drove back home. That was a scary journey, as he drove without seatbelt, between 140 and 160 km/h (husband didn't know the car could go that fast!).

Regarding seatbelts, it appears they are not required for the backseat passengers, which differs from Norway

There is little concern for pedestrians here. In Norway, you are required to stop if someone is crossing a pedestrian field, not so much in Bulgaria There is one particular place here, where 3 roads connect, and it has a pedestrian crossing. I call it "the crossing of death", as I was almost run over twice in a day, and even your typical Eastern European tough guy with the Addidas tracksuit runs over, with fear in his eyes.

Not all Bulgarians are bad drivers, but I will admit I'm often scared. Or raising my hand a little and expressing "what the fuck".

Road standard is so-so, Sofia doesn't seem to bad, and they're fixing the high way, but other places it can be ... fun. Oh, and they do have a fetish for high road bumps.

Bulgarians and driving in one sentence?
More money to KAT! (road police)

Daiime wrote:

Regarding seatbelts, it appears they are not required for the backseat passengers, which differs from Norway

Its required, my mates in the back got tickets once upon a time. Most of the time they won't bother though.

Krisoxo: You think that driving at 200 kph is okay if you feel confident to do so. What a load of rubbish. We are talking about driving on public highways not racetracks. If you have a blow-out at this speed you are going to crash and your next journey will be much slower at your funeral. Also you obviously have no respect for the speed limit which is 140 kph on motorways in Bulgaria. I suggest you keep off the roads.

Lol funny you should say that cuz I did have a blowout at that speed couple years back and all good, slowed down, pulled over, changed the tire and I was back on the road I guess you've never heard of run flat tires? appreciate your opinion, stay warm and keep right

I agree. For someone to say that someone going 10-20 km under the speed limit is more dangerous than someone going 60-70 km over the speed limit is absurd. Because there IS a speed limit in Bulgaria, it sets expectations. When someone is going significantly above the expected speed, it can throw the entire flow of traffic off.

Yes, the person going 120 should get in the slow lane, but the person going 200 will still have issues with people following the speed limit, going 140. Those people should be allowed to use the fast lane... otherwise you have people getting into the slow lane going 140 or more, to let speeding cars through, causing them to have to brake drastically to accomodate the 120 driver. And what happens more often is that the person driving 200 feels entitled to not have to slow down at all so weaves over the road, often not using their signals.

Driving in bulgaria generally sucks, but the way to make it safer for everyone is to follow the rules, not "do as others do," because you feel entitled or "safe" to do so. It is not about just your safety, but the progression of all vehicles on the road. If you want to drive that fast, go to where it is legal and expected.

But then, I guess legality is not a concern, considering you suggest that people overstay their visa period and that you won't bother getting a Bulgarian dl (even though you are only allowed to use your US one for a year.)

Still no answer to my question so let me spell it out.
Can i drink myself stupid and let my donkey and trap take me home without risk of me waking up in the drunk tank(police station cell) ? thank you 

Get over to Bulgaria and try the roads you'll see for yourself whether sober or p#ssed you do not really want to choose a Donkey and trap! (an amoured tank might be a suggestion!)
There is more chance of you ending up in a ditch ran off the road by driver!
What really are the chances of being checked by the police, it'll be like the worst eposide of "Police chase" ever!! 
Sure in a little village back lane I assume if you drank too much vino you could amble along un-noticed but you'd be a pain in the arse to be stuck behind there are enough hinderence's as it is, the idea of running the risk of getting caught by local police baffles me it is not like they'll just ruffle the donkey's coat and give you a warning.
Respect the country and the rules, get drunk if you need to but either on your own land or walk/stagger home? 

Thanks, for the answer Steve.  yes i hear the driving is a bit mad.
It is good for my partner Sean cos he is a mad driver too.  I prefer to plod along but i pull over if i have a queue of more than 5 cars behind me.  I dont drive in the city, just between villages and small towns.  We too have many horses on the road here in cornwall.  I hope that this will continue.
I have been drunk in charge of a bycle here in the UK.  The offence carrries a £50 fine but the police made fun of me and told me to push the bycle home.  I think they thought it was funny to see a 50 year old woman trying to ride a bycle drunk in just a bikini.
We like to laugh down west. 
We have also undergone massive cuts to Police. In 2010, before the austerity regime began to bite, the number of police was 3,500 for Devon and Cornwall (an area twice the size of Varna).  This years £54 million budget cuts would reduce the number to about 2,240.
However, most people cannot aford to go get drunk with 35% proof Vodka at 5 EURO for 25ml in our pubs here.

I told you I did not know of any restrictions for cyclists and trap drivers. I suggest you sober up and research it for yourself.
I will tell you about an experience I had with the police whilst cycling in the UK. I was pulled over for doing 46mph in a 30mph zone. I was not charged which, in a way, disappointed me. I think the view of the court would have proven hilarious.

Hahaha don't worry gramps I highly doubt we run in the same circles so the chances of us running into each other are close to none. Once again thanks for you opinion, you make this forum fun.   you gotta understand that things have changed a lot since the horse and carriage days of your youth.

To all,

Some posts have been referred for moderation.  In the meantime, a kind reminder to please stay on topic.

Thanks

Romaniac
Expat-Blog Experts Team