Driving in Karachi is… an acquired taste. For anyone new to driving in this perplexing city (Pakistani and foreigner alike), I thought a brief guide might be useful. Like many things in Pakistan, go with the flow and it will all work out!
Appreciation
In Australia, it's customary to give someone a "wave" if they allow you to merge into their lane, or give way.
Not so in Pakistan. You nudge, barge and fight your way into the traffic, because you're on a mission and everyone else can go to hell. (Or at least that's what it looks like from the expression on many an auntie's face.)
Weaving
If you want to get ahead, you've gotta weave. If you want to drive beyond 40 km/h and get out of the hordes of traffic, you have to weave too!
No licenses
It's common for people to not have driving licenses. And they get away with it. Out of a household of 3 (that includes 2 Pakistanis), I'm the only one with a full licence. Failed your driving test? Don't sweat it!
Out of order traffic lights
Due to load shedding, or perhaps just dodgy software, many traffic lights tend to stop working at night (Teen Talwar, I'm looking at you), resulting in a free-for-all in getting through the intersection. You have two options:
- Play chicken, flick your lights and honk your horn and drive straight through, Blues Brothers style.
- Wait until you've amassed an entourage, and barge your way through the intersection.
Intersections
Right of way? What's that?
At intersections, the normal rules of "right of way" don't apply. The usual pecking order applies (i.e. if I'm driving a Prado or Land Cruiser, get the hell out of my way or I'll squash you).
Traffic going straight through (red arrow) will generally give way to turning traffic (blue arrow), which launches itself into the intersection.
Big roundabouts
Oncoming traffic?
The usual "right of way" rules are thrown right out the window here. If you're already on the roundabout, be prepared to stop and give way to other traffic entering the roundabout, which thinks it's more important than the rest of you!
If you want a real taste of what this is like, visit Do Talwar around 5pm each day. Fun for the whole family.
Small roundabouts
What's a roundabout?
Being a British-colonised country, in Pakistan we drive on the left-hand side of the road. But drivers are also a lazy bunch, and routinely decide to bypass small roundabouts entirely and take a direct right turn (blue and red arrows).
Fun ensues when someone decides to bypass the roundabout (any "normal" driver) and others (i.e. me) decide to drive the right way.
U-Turns at roundabouts
Bypass
Similar to bypassing roundabouts to make a right-turn, if you can't be bothered to go ALLLLLL the way around the roundabout (who knows why they called it that!), there's a simple solution:
Just take a u-turn right before.
Never mind the oncoming traffic.
Driving on the wrong side of the road
Efficiency
Driving on the wrong side of the road is a novel way to save time when there's a turning point (cut) in the road, which gives you access to the street you want to take.
An efficient bunch we are.
Creative use of space
Who needs lane markings?
Karachi drivers know how to make use of space.
If you're driving in a two-lane road, I guarantee you can find a way to fit four cars, 50 motorbikes and a donkey cart in that area.
As I mentioned, efficient!
Park anywhere you want
Park anywhere you want!
It's not uncommon to find a street blocked because of double-parking, parking on both sides, a car stopped in the middle to pick up people, or a combination of all three. Remember the golden rule: if you can make a parking space, it's yours.
Never a dull moment in Karachi!
