Driving in Israel

Hi,

What do you think of the way people drive in Israel? How different is it from your home country?

Respecting the road safety rules, driving etiquette such as general courtesy, speed excess… what are the characteristics of the driving style in Israel?

Share with us the difficulties one may face when driving in Israel: peak hours, road conditions, accident, etc. and your advice to drive safely in the country.

Thank you in advance for participating,

Maximilien

Hi,
If you ask  people in Israel to choose the more dangerous option between war and driving conditions, most of them will choose the second one. There is an opinion that because of the  long and intensive military service , the  Israeli drivers do not distinguish between  tanks and  private vehicles. In most cases they  refer to other drivers on the road as a potential enemy.Traffic laws and signs are often  interpreted as a guideline only. I noticed an interesting phenomenon regarding the Israeli drivers: when  they travel in England, most of them are afraid to drive, but in Israel they will probably enjoy to drive the British system, which means  to the left (the opposite side) and with reference to the speed limit as miles instead of kilometers.
Israel peak hours are as everywhere, in the morning until 10 or so, and in the afternoon from 16 to 18.
Another problem is the  using  smartphone while driving. If they do not talk , they type messages or surf. And if you were after all  lucky enough to arrive at your destination safely, you still have to fight for  parking. The Israelis hate paying for parking , and prefer to push the car to every possible corner, including handicapped parking or blocking of the vehicle in front of them.
Israeli roads are in good condition, but the signs are not enough clear. Using a navigation system is recommended, and the most important is......DO NOT FORGET TO PRAY BEFORE AND AFTER DRIVING