Moved East

Krsto · Joined: 18 Oct 2007 Posts: 10 Location: Novi Sad Serbia

In my experience the most underprivileged group, at least here in Serbia, are pedestrians. Cars can park on any pavement, pedestrian crossing or road junction with impunity, and there are virtually no streets that pedestrians can walk down without stepping out into the road because of parked cars. When will someone realise we are all pedestrians, at least for part of the day.
As a pedestrian I am supposed to cross the road only at official crossings. However these are far too dangerous with regular deaths and serious accidents to pedestrians so I always take a quick look to see there are no coppers around and dash across in the most convenient spot, when nothing is coming.
Crossings are far too dangerous as drivers tend to accelerate when they approach presumably deliberately to get across before a pedestrian appears, and even if one vehicle stops to let you across you can be fairly sure that the one behind him will pull out into the inside or outside lane and overtake on the crossing.
I have actually had vehicles stop and park on the crossing while I was waiting on the pavement to cross!

adam562 · Joined: 18 Oct 2007 Posts: 16 Location: Belgrade, Serbia

I must admit I'm a bit of a sucker for the law in Serbia where you should not cross the road unless you are at a crossing and the green man is on. I fear getting caught and having to pay, I think, that 1000 dinar fine.

My fear stems from my first three weeks in Belgrade, merrily crossing roads right left and centre, especially Terazije, before I discovered the underground tunnels on my year abroad. I'm used to just crossing the road whenever I feel like it in Scotland.

Then someone told me that it's illegal and now I even feel a slight nervouseness when one of those 'friendly' traffic police are about even if the green man is on. And I mean ON, even if I know he's gonna come on in a few seconds and the traffic light is red I won't cross!

(Ok, perhaps it's not so serious now, but at first I was a sucker! - as long as there no cop and no car I'm crossing - but Terazije and Srpska Vladara...underground tunnels all the way!)

PS: Slavija, scares the s*** out of me - I know they're supposed to stop but I just don't quite trust them to do so!

Krsto · Joined: 18 Oct 2007 Posts: 10 Location: Novi Sad Serbia

I think they are supposed to stop at every crossing. But that's little comfort when you are lying in your hospital bed. Traffic rule number one is: If he's driving a black jeep he's always in the right.

markowe · Posted: Fri Oct 19, 2007 10:03 pm Post subject:

I don't think this is true of the whole region though - Slovenia is very civilised in this respect (well, and most others, come to think of it), with drivers stopping for you before you even reach the crossing.

I am pretty sure the same is true for Czech and other central European countries. However, I remember in Turkey having the distinct feeling that the cars were actually aiming at me and accelerating...

Krsto · Joined: 18 Oct 2007 Posts: 10 Location: Novi Sad Serbia

adam562 · Joined: 18 Oct 2007 Posts: 16 Location: Belgrade, Serbia

Krsto, ok, considering one of my friends hasn't paid three fines for travelling on the buses without a ticket, you have a point there!

markowe · Posted: Sun Oct 21, 2007 6:10 pm Post subject:

The only consolation about using pedestrian crossings in Serbia is that when you get mown down by a car ON the crossing, at least you are pretty much in the clear when it comes to the insurance payout. All 100 EUR of it.