Trevor Laffan: I’m living in a country with the most courteous drivers? Pah!

‘Cyprus has the most courteous drivers in the world!’ That was a headline on the Cyprus Mail here recently.

They reported that, according to a survey from discovercars.com, the island ranks number one for driver politeness - just ahead of New Zealand in second place, and Turkey in third.

When I read that headline, my first reaction was to laugh out loud, which caused a few people to look in my direction.

Before reading the article, I went straight to the comments in the online version to see if I was the only doubting Thomas here. Seems I wasn’t. Here are just a few samples.

“Yes, we might shout at each other, but disputes rarely escalate into violence. Most Cypriots have high family values and even though we shout a lot, rarely does a confrontation escalate into something worse!”

“The claim is nonsense! Everyone on this island thinks the road belongs just to them. We’re not polite - none of us. And driving in Cyprus is getting worse, not better.”

“I think the list of countries has been published upside down.”

Now, before I go any further, let me be clear about one thing, I’m a big fan of the Cypriot people. I wouldn’t be spending half my life here if I wasn’t.

It’s easy to get the impression they’re always fighting with each other, but that’s their way. They are loud and very expressive, but when you get to know them, you find they are really warm, decent people.

They are also very family-oriented, hospitable and sociable. They love nothing more than a good get-together, but they are different and some of their ways take a bit of getting used to - like driving.

Driving in Cyprus is a challenge, and anything is possible.

For example, indicators are considered unnecessary. When driving through a built-up area, you can definitely expect a parked car to suddenly pull out in front of you without warning.

Eventually, you start doing the same thing yourself because it’s not easy to rejoin the flow of traffic from a parked position. You could go through a flask of tea and sandwiches while waiting for an invitation.

Drivers will also pull into a parking space without warning, and it doesn’t matter if the whole car doesn’t fit. Once the front wheels are in, that’s good enough so be ready to drive around it.

I saw a good example of that recently when I went to Larnaca Airport to collect a friend.

There are two entrances to the short-term car park, but all the cars in front of me were using one entrance only. I assumed the other barrier was faulty, so I joined the queue.

When I reached the entrance, I discovered the problem. Someone had parked their car just inside the other barrier. They were so close to it, you couldn’t get through because of the obstruction.

At a roundabout, you are best advised to assume that everyone else is going to go where you least expect. Correct lane positioning is an alien concept so be prepared to have your nose cut off.

Part of the reason for this mayhem is that Cypriots are always on their mobile phones while driving. They even use them when riding motorbikes.

I saw one guy on a bike with his phone to his ear with one hand and a cigarette in the other.

Pedestrian crossings are another hazard. Many pedestrians think they have an automatic right to cross the road. When they reach a crossing point, they immediately step onto it without looking, which is a very unhealthy practice given that the majority of drivers here have little regard for such things.

You should never trust entry and exit signs either. Cypriots treat these as advisory notices only.

Neither should you ever assume that just because you have a green light, it’s safe to proceed. It pays to be cautious.

In 2015, a justice ministry survey described Cypriot drivers as “bad, careless, always in a hurry, stubborn and dangerous” - even “rude and selfish on the roads”.

And in February, 2025, a bus driver was reported to have chased down a fellow driver, yelling, swearing and threatening physical violence.

That kind of aggression is rare, drivers here are too laidback to fight. Generally speaking, if you give another driver the right of way or allow them to pull out into traffic, they probably won’t even acknowledge it, but they don’t expect it from you either.

Sometimes, a driver might raise his chin skywards as a gesture of gratitude but that’s as good as it gets.

The Cypriot drivers may not always be courteous, careful, safe, or polite, but they are definitely tolerant. I have over the years taken wrong turns and driven down one-way streets, thanks mostly to Google Maps.

On one occasion, I even managed to create havoc much to my embarrassment, but I was the only person getting upset

Everyone else just pulled into the side of the road and allowed me to pass. There was no honking horns or fist waving that I could see, and if any of them had a problem with me, they kept it to themselves.

They’re not always as polite on the motorways though. The speed limit there is 100 km/h but very few drivers stick to it.

On those rare occasions I find myself in the overtaking lane, there will undoubtedly be a guy at my bumper trying to bully me back into my own lane.

To tackle this problem, they increased the number of speed cameras, and it wasn’t long before drivers were hitting 12 penalty points and having their licences suspended.

After many complaints, the Cyprus’ Parliament decided to raise the threshold for a driving licence suspension from 12 to 16 penalty points.

There, that’ll sort it.