Tehran - Iran - page 134

Information
Dangers & Annoyances
TRAFFIC
Even for the experienced Asia hand, the chaotic traffic in Tehran is likely to come as quite
a shock. While the Metro has taken a lot of cars off the road, it's still normal to see motor-
cycles weaving between pedestrians on the footpath in an attempt to escape the gridlock;
Paykans reversing at speed along an expressway to reach that missed exit; and all manner
of cars and buses hurtling towards each other in a Darwinian game of chicken.
The sheer volume of traffic can be overwhelming and makes crossing the street seem
like Russian roulette. As a pedestrian, the best way to ensure a safe crossing is to do what
the locals do. Safety in numbers is the usual tactic - wait for one or two other road-cross-
ers to appear and, with them between you and the traffic, step boldly out into the flow. Be
aware of contra-flow bus lanes, which turn relatively harmless one-way streets into a
more dangerous street-crossing challenge.
Visitors are often surprised there are not more accidents. You might feel as if you've
had three near-death experiences in the course of a single cab ride, but in reality drivers
are adept at getting you near to death without actually killing you.
It is, however, reassuring to remember that no matter how 'crazy' a driver appears to
be, he will do everything he can to avoid running you over simply because doing so is just
too much hassle.
BAD DRIVING? IT'S ALL IN YOUR HEAD
The physical danger notwithstanding, the main problem you face as a visitor on Tehran's streets is mental: how to
deal with this manic mass of metal. After much testing, we believe the following attitudinal adjustments will not
only free you of some of the traffic-induced anxiety, but make your Tehran experience all the more memorable.
First, try not to think of Tehrani drivers as 'hopeless', 'crazy' or 'stupid'; it will just make you more scared. In-
stead, look at all the tiny gaps your taxi driver is negotiating without recourse to the brakes, the countless sticky
situations from which he extricates himself, and you start to realise these guys are actually good drivers.
Watch your driver closely: he almost never uses his mirrors (if he has any); he drapes his seatbelt across his chest
only when driving onto an expressway, where he can be fined; he rarely indicates; and he happily makes U-turns in
the middle of major roads - all without raising his heartbeat. Then think of how well you'd have to drive to get
through this nightmarish traffic unscathed. That's right, don't fight it, you know these guys are actually very good!