Learning Driving In Poland - rules?

The situation is the same as on "skrzyżowanie równorzędne" when 4 cars are going to go through the crossing at one moment. One of them must in fact force priority on the others, because in fact, according to the law, none of them can go.

I obviously meant the situation with two tdrivers turning left, not zebra :)

Yes. In fact, failure to do so can attract a fairly considerable punishment.

Probably the worst punishment for many of them would be ripping the mobile phone away from their ear as they drive through the crossing without stopping,

Seriously, if you're browsing this thread and visiting Wrocław, do not assume a driver is going to stop at a crossing. Wait on the pavement/sidewalk until he or she actually stops. Don't assume they're going to stop even if their speed seems low, because they might just be driving slowly while most of their attention is on a phone call they're doing or even texting.

According to the law the driver must give priority to the pedestrian already being on the zebra, not to the one waiting. The rule looks exactly in such a way:



So if the pedestrian stays on the pavement in front of the zebra, according to the law you don't have to stop. But if a pedestrian will enter the crossing just in front of your car - and get hurt or even dead - it will be treated as a blame of driver. Even taking into account the fact that according to another rule the pedestrian is not allowed to enter the crossing just in front of oncoming car.

Fron the point of view of pedestrian it is a good trick to put one foot on the asphalt. Then it is much more likely that some driver will stop :)

Agreed, but it is honestly true to say I have seen drivers continue forward and ignore the pedestrian, forcing the pedestrian to step back or run forward. I have seen this a good few times. Take a trip to the UK and probably the first car coming along will let you cross if they see you standing on the side. In Poland, 10 or 20 cars can pass without gving way. The only thing is that Poland has a lot more of these black and white zebra crossings than the UK, so perhaps drivers get crossing fatigue...

Because of such drivers we have more and more traffic lights and more and more jams...

Anyone advise on whether I was in the wrong in the following example? See the attached diagram.

My route meant turning left and I positioned my vehicle in 'A' while waiting for the red lights nearest 'A' to go to green.
At green, I then gave way to the traffic from the opposite direction including from 'C'.
When there was no traffic from the opposite direction or in conflict with me and with the nearest traffic lights at green, I successfully turned left and went to 'B'.

Was the above correct? (the yellow line shows my eventual path at green)

I ask because just moments before I drove on to the area marked 'A', a car from the opposite direction somehow drove (at speed) considerably over 'A', so if I had been there I would have been in his path. How did that happen? Fortunately, I was still driving along and signalling left and had not yet reached 'A'.

Was he allowed to somehow stray into 'A'? Was it my mistake somehow? It doesn't seem to be my mistake but I am not sure. In the UK I understand junctions fully and have been driving for decades. Here, I get scared, frankly.

(I know the traffic light shows a straight arrow for there, but I assume it applied to me turning left. I know buses and cars turn left there.)

• 
  Junction illustration
  

How did you manage to turn there? The markings clearly slow that no such turn is allowed...

Everyone turns there, including buses, D. Which markings are you referring to that say no turn? What is the purpose of the marked off area, for straight traffic and left turns? I see a solid white line for traffic from the other direction, which AFAIK means don't cross (for traffic opposite).

Strange. Would you like find this junction in Google Maps?


No he wasn't because he crossed solid line.

I can go take some photos if that would help. I can show you a bus turning left there or other cars. It's news to me that there's no left turn there. I only know about that left turn because the bus goes there and a rental agent drove me left there earlier this year. Problem is I never noted where they positioned their vehicle before turning left, so I just followed the markings and I hope I did ok, apart from that car that I mentioned. It wasn't a near miss, but a few moments later and it would have been.


That's what I thought, but I am not sure, so I have asked, because had I have been on that part of the road a moment or 2 earlier (to go straight or turn left) he'd have hit me.

No, I mean satelite view (from birds eye) coordinates or link.
goo.gl/maps/OcZVH

Basically, there are two types of signs at junctions - horizontal and perpendicular signs. I forget which are which, but basically, arrows on the road or on the blue signs are equal. At that junction with the traffic lights, there is only a blue sign for straight ahead - there's no possibility to turn left at those lights. If the movement isn't explicitly signed, then it isn't allowed - they don't always sign the turning ban explicitly.

There may be an exception for buses - this is quite common, and it will be marked before the junction.

And yes, the car that crossed that solid line was there illegally.

If you can give us the location, I can tell you for certain about what's allowed at that junction. But from that picture, the only allowed movement is straight ahead or right.

Clear as mud then as others turn left there, and of course the bus does too, D.

I feel like a criminal now, if you're right.

I'll have to lie low, wear a hoodie etc, avoid the old bill if I see 'em, I'd better leg it back to STN sharpish...!

What's likely is that left turns are permitted for buses (very common in Poznan, at least) - they will follow the lights, but make a left turn. The left turn won't be signed on the blue signs, because it's normally marked with a no left turn sign with a "except for public transport" sign. You can see that the blue signs and the lights clearly refer to the dashed line before the lights, too.

Is this on the road out towards Bielany by any chance?

I've noticed the birds eye view doesn't match the streetview (different years, road redone). I will go there and photograph it this week if it's on my route this week. I will of course be wearing dark glasses and a hat...


Not far, but the location is top secret now while I go and photograph some cars and buses turning there and look for 'buses only' signage ;o)

Oh we see. Don't count on us next time.


We don't need offenders parade. We need junction diagram and horizontal signs, lanes, tyre prints etc :)

I've been back there, and the good news is that my left turn was absolutely perfect, I watched where the left-turning bus went and I was spot on the other day. The bad news is I'm not a bus. As there's a camera there I shall expect a ticket in the post.


You're right, there is a no left turn sign and another sign next to it says in Polish 'does not apply to public transport'. Next to that is a yellow diamond and diagram of the junction and it shows a left turn as well as right turn priority (thick black line), but I now realise the left means just for buses. The no left is also quite near another left turning, so slightly ambiguous. Unfortunately, I didn't spot the sign as I've been on the bus many times on that route and of course seen other non-bus vehicles turn there (I even saw one tonight when I was there briefly, along with legally turning buses). I also saw a car overtake a stopped bus tonight and narrowly avoid a head-on with a vehicle coming the other way. In fact, it's seldom that I don't see others' near-misses on almost every trip I make. The other day it was nearly me involved when that car came the wrong side, so I think I'll stick to the trams and buses for the remaining time I'm here, I'm just not comfy on these roads or perhaps just not smart enough to drive here. Never had road phobia before, but I think I'm going to throw the towel in on this one before I end up as a statistic. Now, where did I put my Urbancard...

If you're on a British licence and if the car isn't registered to you, then just inform them that you were driving and give the UK address. Highly unlikely they'll chase it up.


I think you have to abandon all British sensibility when driving here. It's the only way to survive ;)

Wroclaw is pretty bad when it comes to traffic.

Thanks D. If I come back to Polska for a long stay again, I'll take driving lessons to try to get over this fear, but then again I might just get an urbancard for 3 months :o)


Well, it scares me anyway, and I drove in rush hours and all hours in London and the M25 for 20 years.

In my experience, this negative review of Poland's roads and drivers is quite near the mark. Sure, bad drivers aren't all around, it's not everyone. But, there are enough fools on the roads to make it far more challenging than in, for example, the UK. Also, roads are often indeed poor, in layout, lighting and marking.

/poland/driving-to-poland.html

Best advice from DD, driving in Poland is art, most people make it up as they go along. The jungle dictates the more high end your car is the more rights you have - except in the underground car park at a shopping mall.

Poles do not drive so bad... Go to Turkey, when you will have seen how they drive, you will change your mind :)

Istanbul has the worst driving I've ever seen. Khartoum a close second. Poland must be among the worst in Europe where even now with driving examiners assigned randomly by computer it's still possible to bribe in some places. A few years ago it was normal.

Belgium comes a close second, with driving tests only introduced in 1977.

Bangkok now that's crazy driving....