Greek traffic chaos

I am reposting an article, by Mr. A. Koskinas, which accurately describes the situation in Greek streets:

Aristotle, Greek tourist guide

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I’m borrowing a photo I saw here, which illustrates the daily traffic chaos in Greek streets better than any of mine.

Chaotic streets

Traffic in Greece is chaotic: drivers run red lights, make unexpected turns without signalling, squeeze their vehicles in between others, overtake without much regard of who’s in front or behind, go up one-way streets, drive on sidewalks and pedestrian streets, exceed the speed limit compulsively.

Pedestrians, on the other hand, jaywalk with complete disregard of zebra crossings and traffic lights, weave in an out of gridlocked vehicles and are often found walking in the street instead of on the sidewalk.

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What the law says

People who come to Greece often ask me whether our traffic code is so much different than those of other countries.

The answer is no.

The laws, rules and regulations are the same. We use the same traffic lights and…

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Who are we?

“Moms in the Street” is a group of mothers (and several others) interested in promoting the safety of pedestrians in Greece.

The initiative (and our name) stems from the fact that, in Greece, it is virtually impossible for a person to reach their destination on foot without walking in the street for a significant part of the distance. This is because footpaths are narrow, poorly constructed and often impassable or blocked by illegally parked cars and other obstructions. Sometimes no footpath exists at all.

We believe that the situation is inherently dangerous as it forces pedestrians to walk side-by-side with fast-moving vehicles. While this is risky even under normal circumstances, in the unregulated Greek streets, where red lights, speed limits and zebra crossings are often disregarded, this is a recipe for disaster. Approximately 21-24% of road fatalities in Greece are pedestrians. We want steps to be taken urgently, before more people are killed. 

If walking safely to one’s destination, however short, is difficult for able-bodied adults, it is nearly impossible for the elderly, for people with disabilities and for escorts of young children. Parents do not let children walk or cycle to any destination, even close to home; instead, for their own safety, children are driven to school, the playground and any activities. The disabled and the elderly are forced to rely on friends and relatives who drive. Those who have no access to a car are forced to either risk their lives daily, or limit their mobility so drastically that it may be compared to house arrest; this vastly deteriorates their quality of life and constitutes a gross violation of their rights. 

For all these reasons “Moms in the Street” believe that the issues of road accessibility and safety for pedestrians need to become a priority on both the state and local level.
To this end we try to raise awareness for the problem while also communicating our needs to the local and state authorities through letters, calls, meetings or rallies.

We can be reached at mamastodromo@gmail.com.