DRIVING in rural Spain isn’t for the nervous of disposition. It has been known to witness holidaymakers, freshly disembarked from Granada or Malaga Airport, bursting into tears when they realise the challenges of the (dirt) road that lies ahead.…
Motorists who have cut their teeth on the relatively civilised UK highways suddenly encounter chaotic roundabouts where nobody gives way, blind bends with cars hurtling towards you on YOUR side, pedestrians wandering aimlessly in the middle of the road – seemingly unaware of any danger – and dogs diving under your car.
Remote areas of Granada bring their own challenges. For example, driving in the rural Alpujarra is more like ‘Mad Max’ than ‘Top Gear’. The area features an endless network of dirt tracks. These wind their way up steep mountainsides with sheer drops into ravines. Sometimes, cyclists make the track even narrower, goats and sheep are wandering around, and the occasional fallen tree is blocking the way.
Meanwhile, a journey to a larger town or city, such as Granada or Motril, brings its own hazards. “Lane discipline” isn’t really in the local consciousness – even if it does appear on the Spanish driving test. At a busy junction, it can be a case of finding your ‘cojones’ and hoping for the best!
In a country where machismo still prevails, beware of boy racers. Frequently favouring black Audis, these guys race round mountain passes, cutting the corner and not paying heed to oncoming traffic. If you’re really unlucky, there’ll be a collision and then everyone must patiently wait for the police and tow truck to arrive.
BLIND BENDS
Blind bends can also put you in the direct path of the “Alsina” bus or, perhaps, an articulated lorry hurtling towards your much smaller vehicle. Advice: take it steady and be prepared for an emergency stop.
SPEEDING AND DAWDLING
As well as boy racers acting as if they’re late for their own funeral, some motorists pose a danger by driving too slowly for the applicable road speed. After a few too many ‘cervezas’ in the bar, the old guy will make his way home – at a snail’s pace – while swaying towards the middle of the road or the outer verge. Keep your distance from this driver.
Also watch out for the ‘townie’ driver in his shiny ‘turismo’, with lowered suspension, who is crawling at 5kmph up the mountain track. Oblivious to etiquette, he has zero intention of letting past your powerful 4×4, with offroad tyres. This is the time to reach for the klaxon – boop boop!
REVERSING CONUNDRUMS
Driving forwards on precarious mountain tracks is relatively easy: reversing is another. Many local motorists demonstrably cannot reverse and will force your larger vehicle backwards, while they sit there, scowling, in their Fiat Panda. They don’t care if you tip a wheel or two into the nearest ‘barranco’, so long as they don’t have to touch the dreaded reverse slot on their gearbox.
Furthermore, some drivers don’t know how to reverse park and will ricochet into the vehicles in front and behind, then pretend that nothing ever happened.
Take care, in the dark, that you don’t reverse into any hidden ‘acequias’ other drainage channels running to the side of narrow roads. Other hazards include potholes and stray metal posts. Many a suspension part or rear headlamp has been replaced for such a reason!
LOST IN THE CITY?
When you visit the city, another set of hazards awaits. The region’s ‘autovias’ are full of tailgaters, trying to force your car out of the way. Equally as bad (and dangerous) as the over-eager Audi driver in your boot is the old guy doing 50kmph in the fast lane, meaning that everyone must undertake him.
Remember that lane discipline is an abstract concept in rural Andalucia. Polite and courteous? Forget it! In the city, motorists don’t give way at busy junctions, don’t indicate, don’t let you swap lane when needed, and don’t let you out when stuck at the roundabout.
In city centres, take care not to accidentally stray into a taxi and bus lane, risking a ‘multa’, and try not to drive the wrong way around a one-way system – even if your GPS says it’s the correct route.
You’ll also spot misleading road signs in many towns and cities. For example, in the middle of a random coastal town, you’ll suddenly see a sign declaring ‘Madrid’. Yeah, right…
PARKING – A CHALLENGE
Circulating and finding a parking space is a real challenge in Granada region’s towns and cities.
For starters, some motorists insist on parking their cars on tight corners, making it almost impossible to drive round the bend. This can also apply in unmanned car parks, where you can suddenly find it difficult to extract your vehicle.
Bollards and iron posts also pose a problem. These are a firm (no pun intended) favourite of ‘ayuntamientos’ who want to stop motorists from blocking the entrances to shops and businesses. Usually, these obstacles are positioned directly in your blind spot, meaning you’ll scrape the side of your car or reverse into them, causing damage.
If that’s not bad enough, other motorists will compete for the same parking space, especially if they are residents of the street (fair enough, perhaps).
Just when your nerves are in tatters, an old lady will step in front of your moving vehicle, with a wheelie shopping bag full of goodies from the local shop. If it’s the town fiesta, you’ll also risk being compromised by wandering drunks who can’t see straight.
As with most things in life, proceed with caution and remember that it’s better to be 5mins later than have an accident. Happy driving!