Driving to Poznan!
After getting ready to head out the door by 11:00, we reviewed the maps again and decided 45 minutes later that it was just too much to deal with to go into Wroclaw, find a parking spot, and do a marathon visit on our way to Poznan. So Wroclaw got a "bye".
Now that we aren't using the GPS, Melodie is very capable of getting us to our destination the old-fashioned way...a paper map! So let's talk about driving.
Most speed limit signs state 70 kph (kilmeters per hour) which is about 45 mph, give or take. If I try to "go with the flow", I'm usually driving 143 kph. That's 143 times 5/8 = 90 mph! My top speed has been 155 kph and I still get passed like I'm standing still. I zoomed past Policja with no sirens coming after me so I guess the speed limit is a suggestion and not a law. I was told to be sure and stay in the right lane if I was going to drive the speed limit but it's just too much fun to drive 90! I may have trouble adjusting when I return home.
And you'd better watch out for the cars who are coming up behind you at high speeds and MOVE OVER! They will get on your bumper and blink their headlights. And on a two-lane road, while passing, I think I could reach out and touch their rear view mirror on their passenger's side. There's another whole lane there but they pass quickly and close to the side of my car on a regular basis.
Then there's the lines on the road. A double solid doesn't always mean no passing. If there are white lines and yellow lines (added during construction), you're supposed to follow the yellow instead of the white.
Road signs...if there are any...will give you the name of the road (S7, E40, A4) and then the name of the cities located in each direction. Well, if you're like us with a limited area map, you never see the city to know if you're supposed to go east or west or north or south until it's too late. Then you drive miles to find an exit and turn around. If you rely on the Tom Tom (which we discovered to be unreliable in Europe), it will never tell you to do a u-turn but will take you 5 miles in a circle down narrow one lane roads to get back to the motorway and reach the opposite direction. I've decided to do a u-turn whenever possible and ask forgiveness if I get stopped.
"E" roads are international roads but not necessarily 4-lane divided roads. "A" roads are motorways and "S" roads are expressways with limited access roads (and exits). Be sure to study a map of Poland to make good decisions as to which direction and road you will take.
And never be afraid to ask for directions. Since we've been lost at least 5 times so far, even the Poles who say they don't know English will try with great hand gestures and winning smiles to assist you. You meet the nicest people that way.
Red lights turn amber just before the green so you can get a jump on the light if pedestrians have cleared the way. The walking lights for pedestrians sound an alarm during the walk phase and the alarm doubles in frequency when they are about to turn red and stop you from walking. Silence at an intersection means no walking across the street is allowed. Most pedestrians don't cross a road except where lines indicate a crosswalk and they even go out of their way to cross correctly. There must be some kind of big fine for jaywalking. And the bike lanes are used but not has much as in Copenhagen. Just be advised to walk on the pedestrian path and leave the bike lanes free of walkers.
Many of the yellow triangle cautionary signs are self-explanatory. The red circle is "no" and whatever happens to be inside of it. The black diagonal ends a restriction (as in the case of a u-turn in this example) and this can be seen over the speed limit as well when the 70 limit ends. Seldom do you see a speed limit sign as you drive. They usually appear as you get on a motorway and not afterwards. If you see a sign for 120, it is usually followed very shortly by 80 then 60 because there is either road construction or lane closures ahead so slow down!
I have to admit that the adjustment has been a little stressful with the number of "getting lost" incidents but we're getting better and things are looking up!
Now that we aren't using the GPS, Melodie is very capable of getting us to our destination the old-fashioned way...a paper map! So let's talk about driving.
Most speed limit signs state 70 kph (kilmeters per hour) which is about 45 mph, give or take. If I try to "go with the flow", I'm usually driving 143 kph. That's 143 times 5/8 = 90 mph! My top speed has been 155 kph and I still get passed like I'm standing still. I zoomed past Policja with no sirens coming after me so I guess the speed limit is a suggestion and not a law. I was told to be sure and stay in the right lane if I was going to drive the speed limit but it's just too much fun to drive 90! I may have trouble adjusting when I return home.
And you'd better watch out for the cars who are coming up behind you at high speeds and MOVE OVER! They will get on your bumper and blink their headlights. And on a two-lane road, while passing, I think I could reach out and touch their rear view mirror on their passenger's side. There's another whole lane there but they pass quickly and close to the side of my car on a regular basis.
Then there's the lines on the road. A double solid doesn't always mean no passing. If there are white lines and yellow lines (added during construction), you're supposed to follow the yellow instead of the white.
Road signs...if there are any...will give you the name of the road (S7, E40, A4) and then the name of the cities located in each direction. Well, if you're like us with a limited area map, you never see the city to know if you're supposed to go east or west or north or south until it's too late. Then you drive miles to find an exit and turn around. If you rely on the Tom Tom (which we discovered to be unreliable in Europe), it will never tell you to do a u-turn but will take you 5 miles in a circle down narrow one lane roads to get back to the motorway and reach the opposite direction. I've decided to do a u-turn whenever possible and ask forgiveness if I get stopped.
"E" roads are international roads but not necessarily 4-lane divided roads. "A" roads are motorways and "S" roads are expressways with limited access roads (and exits). Be sure to study a map of Poland to make good decisions as to which direction and road you will take.
And never be afraid to ask for directions. Since we've been lost at least 5 times so far, even the Poles who say they don't know English will try with great hand gestures and winning smiles to assist you. You meet the nicest people that way.
Red lights turn amber just before the green so you can get a jump on the light if pedestrians have cleared the way. The walking lights for pedestrians sound an alarm during the walk phase and the alarm doubles in frequency when they are about to turn red and stop you from walking. Silence at an intersection means no walking across the street is allowed. Most pedestrians don't cross a road except where lines indicate a crosswalk and they even go out of their way to cross correctly. There must be some kind of big fine for jaywalking. And the bike lanes are used but not has much as in Copenhagen. Just be advised to walk on the pedestrian path and leave the bike lanes free of walkers.
Many of the yellow triangle cautionary signs are self-explanatory. The red circle is "no" and whatever happens to be inside of it. The black diagonal ends a restriction (as in the case of a u-turn in this example) and this can be seen over the speed limit as well when the 70 limit ends. Seldom do you see a speed limit sign as you drive. They usually appear as you get on a motorway and not afterwards. If you see a sign for 120, it is usually followed very shortly by 80 then 60 because there is either road construction or lane closures ahead so slow down!
I have to admit that the adjustment has been a little stressful with the number of "getting lost" incidents but we're getting better and things are looking up!
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