Driving in Zambia

There are many different rules or practices when it comes to driving in Zambia. Thankfully they drive on the same side of the road as us Aussies, after that it is all different.

You can pass anyone, at any time, on any side of the road you like. Safe passing distances do not come into the decision to overtake. You have to keep a constant watch on the people behind you because you just don’t know what they are likely to do, or what they are thinking you should do.

Flashing your lights can mean

You are going too slow go faster

I am going to overtake you move over

I am going to let you into the traffic

I am not going to let you into the traffic.

Using an indicator can mean:

I am going to turn

I am not going to turn

You can overtake me

That is the middle of the road watch out for me

Using your hazard lights can mean:

I am broken down

Someone in front of me is broken down

Someone in front of me is going slow

I am going to stop here in the middle of the road, watch out for me.

               Tree branches on the road can mean:

I am broken down and this is the best way to let you know not to hit me.

There was something broken down here once

               Driving at night in the rain is the most scariest driving I have ever done. One time the wipers stopped working properly and we could not work out the demister. It is quite acceptable to use your high beams at any time at night, no matter how close the on coming traffic is. There are no street lights, there are no reflectors in the middle of the road, the edge of the bitumen could have a 600mm drop off, or maybe not. People want to pass you on any side and the trucks coming the other way may just move into your lane to get around a mini bus on the side of the road. And of course there is always someone walking along the side of the road, or riding a bike. Seeing a dark skinned person in dark clothes on a dark rainy night is very difficult.

               On the positive side you can pull off at many places and get a car wash. In town you can get a watch and wash (you pay someone to watch your car and when you come back they have washed it as well – up sizing in the car watching business). Under every second tree is a tyre repair shop/place/area. There is a constant stream of blue and white mini busses carting people every which way, chugging out huge clouds of black smoke. Road rage is not an issue – everyone drives crazy so there is no point getting mad with any one person in particular.

Once you get off the bitumen the road become a series of holes connected by some flat ground. Corrugations are not a problem, they aren’t here. Sometimes there is way more hole than road and you weave a twisted trail from side to side looking for the least bumpy way. We do it very slowly, but a good Zambian driver goes just as fast on the dirt as the bitumen.