Traffic, Cairo

I guess traffic will be around the clock in Cairo. Everytime we went out, we spent some time in the traffic. Many crazy drivers in here and they like to horn many times. Oh my. You can imagine how the traffic will be when everybody will horn.

You will find that the traffic is always hectic in Cairo, you see trucks with people hanging off them & everything, i once saw a truck which was loaded with lots of house furniture & there were loads of men sat on the back of the truck & it honestly looked as though the truck was going to tumble over.
Here is a photo i managed to take of two guys on a Scooter & the passenger was holding a stand up Fan on the back of it.... how dangerous is that??

Watching the traffic is very interesting but you got to be aware of all the hazards too.

When visiting Cairo you will notice that it is a very hectic city, lots of Cars, Motorbikes & Pollution! Its almost like a movie, people charging around the streets on bikes & cars driving allover the place, be careful when crossing a road because they do not stop for anyone..... however it is much safer to cross at a more quieter area of Cairo but not in the main town.

When you first get in a car driven by a local person you get scared for sure. (I was thinking that people in my city are not driving well but after the Cairo experience I feel better.).

The red light is taken into account as a "stop" sign (or even a "don't stop" sign - is there something like this?): they cut some speed, they look left, look right and move on. So be careful if you are a pedestrian, even if you are crossing the street where the traffic lights are - you are never safe :)

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In order to understand Cairo traffic, you have to see it. Cairo traffic is never-ending! It can last all day and into the early hours of the morning. You will see the roads shared with cars, tour buses, taxicabs, mopeds or motorbikes, bicycles, local public transportation (VW Vans), and an occasional donkey and cart. Stop lights are rare so procede with caution!

If you must cross the street, do not expect the driver to stop for you. Instead, wait until the car has almost past you and proceed, DO NOT walk into oncoming traffic! Many streets in Cairo have no sidewalks, so you wiil have to walk on the shoulder of the road. When doing this, walk facing the traffic as often as possible, not with your back to it. It is best to watch oncoming traffic. Be Safe!

Cairo holds a population on 16.000.000 maybe more as we`re speaking,so you have to imagine the amount of cars all over the street and,yes,unfortunately parked on the side walks.

So if you are planning on walking,take care,because there are not many sidewalks,and if there were they are not in their perfect condition,so it maybe a hassle to walk with high heels and almost impossible with a baby`s stroller,specially in old Cairo area.

Don`t ever ride a taxi that parked infront of your hotel, this taxi will not move unless you pay big money,instead walk a couple of meters and other taxies will take you for less than half price!

becareful,,some drivers will say that they know the place & address that yo need to visit but then you will find yourself going in circles!

Traffic in Egypt is something crazy. There are always traffic jams and there are no rules ( i mean, it looks like that…)..
If you are walking trought the streets, take absolutely care of motorbikes, car, taxis and every kind of motor type…
They will never stop to allow you cross the street, there is no way to make it happend !

The city does cater to 18 million people after all and the infrastructure has not developed to the same level as the population. Taxis are everywhere and very cheap but I suggest to agree on the price before getting into the cab to avoid any disappointments. Every taxi seems to be battered (almost like dodgem cars) so sit in the middle in the back :o) Its not quite that bad but little bumps happen regularly. Get used to the sound of the car horn because they beep the horn to say hello, get out of my way, I am going first or let me through. After the first couple of days I actually started to enjoy it.

Obviously from news reports over the last year there seems to be a problem with tour buses travelling on the country roads. I would suggest engaging a local whom you can pre test their car with and also their driving capability/style.

People!
Cairo is a crazy, insane city with 20.000.000 of population!
If there are some traffic rules, they will never be related to eternal eternally heavy nuts traffic in Cairo. Unfortunately,t here were lots of accidents, esp. with foreign tourists who were just run down.
BE CAREFUL!!!!!!!
Some ppl advise to take a taxi just for transferring you to the other side of the street:)