January 20, 2008 6:32pm
The traffic in Iran is different to that in East Asia, though both are daunting to someone who's grown up in outback Australia. In Asia the traffic is like a river, it flows in a smooth line, moving easily around most objects. To cross a road as a pedestrian, you have to take a leap of faith, look straight ahead and step out into the traffic. Walk steadily across and don't make eye contact with the drivers, because as soon as you do they'll think you're a crazy loon of a whitey who doesn't have a clue, and then no-one will know what anyone is doing and you're likely to get cleaned up.
In Iran the traffic is more like an avalanche, crashing and careening about, cars almost—and in some cases literally—bouncing off each other. It's a jerky, stop start affair. To cross a road as a pedestrian, you have to take a leap of faith and step into the traffic, making sure you make eye contact with the drivers of oncoming vehicles in the hope that if they look you in the eye they'll be more inclined to stop or go around you and not mow you down like a little bunny.
I actually prefer the Iranian way, perhaps out of some irrational feeling that I have more influence over the situation. In both cultures, the interaction is mostly without aggression or passion. In the most part, people are just getting from A to B, and traffic is just traffic, it's not out to get you personally.
I managed to see two accidents in the two weeks I was in Iran, both minor bingles resulting in broken tail lights. I hear that Iran has an extraordinarily high road toll, but I didn't see what we saw in Vietnam, a burning bus that had driven off a mountain road. Ah, travel, full of adventure.
