This year in Antigua, we have a car and are discovering some of the challenges of driving on the island.
First of all, you need to become familiar with driving on the left-hand side of the road while watching for craters, culverts in the road and curbs with rough edges that can quickly flatten a tire.
My partner is doing most of the driving right now. I’ve made one trip up and down a nearby road which is divided by an enormous pot hole (see below).
Antigua’s hilly terrain lends itself to winding roads and lanes. Many are so narrow that one can’t imagine two vehicles being able to pass and yet, they do with just inches to spare. The busy downtown streets of St. John’s are also crowded with market stalls and pedestrians. We avoid driving in that area when at all possible.
Motorists on all types of vehicles throng the island’s streets and highways. There are small cars, big road-sucking SUVs and various sizes of trucks. Throw in some scooters, a few dirt bikes and the occasional ATV and traffic can be lively at times.
Thank goodness for the handful of fairly new highways with a bit more room and smoother surfaces that help us circumvent some of poorly maintained older streets.
Some puzzling habits of Antiguan drivers:
- Not pulling off the road, simply stopping in their lane and exiting their vehicle to run into a store of business.
- Blatant parking on no-parking lines which are painted on the street. More of the lines are obliterated by cars then are visible. I have yet to see anyone being ticketed or even a parking enforcement presence.
- Lots of beeping horns. Not all negative, there are beeps for thanks, and even a simple greeting, a means of communication between some motorists. Still makes me jump.
- Mostly driving along the middle of the road and only moving over when an oncoming car gets really close.
- The habit of passing other cars on curves and blind crests, of which there are many. Heart stopping at times.
I see the outcome of some of the driving peculiarities in the worn suspensions, dented bumpers and caved-in sides of vehicles which didn’t succeed in getting out of the way fast enough.
Hopefully, we and our vehicle will remain intact while we learn to get around.