I often see the same question: is it hard to learn how to drive in Cyprus, since the steering wheel is on the other side? I actually wrote about driving in Cyprus a few years ago — Cyprus: Driving. But in that post, I went straight into the details.
If you already have driving experience anywhere else, you can just start driving without any help. There are limits on how long you can drive with a national license (varies by country). And if you’re just exchanging your license — it’s just a matter of going and replacing it. But to get a license “from scratch,” you need to take lessons with an instructor. Or if you want to improve your practical driving skills — that can also be helpful.
I took a few lessons with an instructor, since Belarusians can’t simply exchange their licenses. For us, the process is as if we have no license at all (even if you’ve been driving for 20 years). The most useful thing I got out of those lessons was: just relax, and everything will be fine. Also, the experience of driving with a Cypriot instructor explains a lot about the island — the local driving style and even the mentality.
But better than a thousand words, this short video from the wonderful Cypriot Smurf explains it all. You’ll understand everything right away:
Cypriots are generally calm on the road and almost always let others pass. However, there’s one situation where you’ll often get honked at—traffic lights. Cypriots have a genetic-level dislike for them and for red lights. They’ll pull into the middle of the intersection, creep forward as if that somehow doesn’t count as running a red, and honk at anyone who doesn’t start moving the instant the light turns yellowish-green. Smurf illustrated this perfectly too:
And the cherry on top — directions. Only in the past year have Cypriots started realizing that GPS and actual addresses exist. Before that, any directions sounded like: “Drive until you see the Coca-Cola sign, then turn right, then look for Grandpa Yannis — it’s the third left after him.” And they expect you to give directions the same way when ordering pizza, for example. And an address just won’t do here.
Don’t believe me? Here’s proof from Smurf:
Jokes aside, over the years I’ve really grown to love Cyprus and even come to view the local drivers with a touch of irony. Even though their carelessness can sometimes drive me crazy, there’s still something good-natured about it.
And if anyone happens to be looking for a good driving instructor, I can wholeheartedly recommend a Brit named Alex. He taught my eldest daughter and many of our friends. He doesn’t speak Russian, but he’s a great instructor. He’s also a bit annoyed by the local driving style — something he regularly illustrates with examples on his Facebook: Alex Driving School Nicosia.
