Anecdotal Observation - Passing in Greece: The Video Game

Over the course of two weeks, we have made some fairly odd observations about driving in Greece, and more importantly, about the art of passing other vehicles.  I have reduced this to the newest idea for a video game.

This is your typical three-lane highway.  Yes, there are only two actual defined lanes, but the breakdown lane on either side is enough pavement for another whole lane if you drive over the double line in the center.  And yes, that is a double white line, not yellow.  It makes no difference to the game, or to actual driving.

Now, follow the red car as it passes the SUV which has graciously moved over partially into the breakdown lane to allow the car to pass.

And then as the red car continues to pass on a blind curve.

And then as both the red car and the green car pass the trailer truck in the face of oncoming truck!

Both cars made it safely past, and now you can see the line of cars behind the oncoming truck.  Despite the lack of a clear view, everyone made it safely past.

In another example, we see a truck with 5 cars lined up and one SUV already passing.

Passing one car and then another, fully across the double line.

Now, you can imagine that if there are two trucks, one behind each other, that passing is nearly impossible.  It is one thing to leap frog another car to get behind the truck and then get around its 3-5 axles, but another when two slow-moving and large vehicles are effectively barricading the way.  Game over.

As a further aside, motorcycles, like in the US, follow no rules.  The center line is their lane.

It should be noted that none of this was at all unusual; this kind of thing happens every time we go out driving.  We just happened to take pictures today so we could write about it.

So, as navigator, I have the job of not just calling out distance, turns and the quality of the turns, but also assessing when passing is required, when it is possible based on the relative straightness of the road, and assisting observing and assessing oncoming traffic.

Randall keeps talking about how he will need to rein in his newly acquired driving skills  Personally, I think it would be fun to pass slow traffic in Cambridge.


Now, as a video game, imagine that you are the thirteenth car behind a tour bus on a two-lane winding highway from Epidavros to Napflio.  Begin.