vlad.tribnet.com / Issue #545 / Vladivostok by Braille / Reading article...

Visiting a new city in a new country can be a real challenge sometimes. The first thing you probably have to deal with is the traffic. Since it is highly unlikely that you will want to stay at the airport or in the train station, you have to participate in the traffic. Well, before doing so in Vladivostok, you might want to know a couple of things.

When I arrived at the airport I was picked up by someone from the university. On the way to the ‘obshchezhitiye’ (dormitory) I got the chance to take a look at the cars around me.

I spent one day in Moscow before arriving in Vladivostok, so I had already seen that Russians drive like maniacs. But the drivers in Vladivostok seemed to be the worst I had ever seen! For instance, don’t be surprised if you see a woman putting on make-up while she is driving.

There are also children driving, dogs driving, or nobody at all! Obviously, this scare soon came to an end, when I noticed that all these cars had the steering wheel on the right side – which to me that is the wrong side. Close ties to Japan are obvious in Vladivostok streets, and the cars are being imported without any adjustments.

There are even scarier things in Vladivostok traffic. Coming from the small, crowded country of the Netherlands, I am not at all used to these wide streets all across town. No traffic islands exist here to help you cross. I’m getting better and better at crossing the streets, but somehow it still feels like a suicide attempt, as you never know for sure if the driver of that enormous jeep has seen you, or if he has, if he is going to stop for you.

One day I wanted to cross, but a car was approaching. Since the driver didn’t seem to notice me, I thought it would be wise to wait for the car to pass. Of course, the driver was on the other side, and had seen me and stop. In this case, there was no problem, but be careful not to get in a similar situation, but then the other way around!

No better teacher than experience... Unfortunately, it is also my obligation to tell you what to do after a traffic accident, since one of my friends was hit by a car just this week. She attempted to cross the road seconds after a green pedestrian-crossing light switched on and was hit by a car which did not stop for her. The girl has flown back to America to have surgery on her knee. First lesson: a green traffic light is no guarantee that cars will stop for you when you cross the road.

Hopefully nobody will ever have to use this information, but if you do get into an accident, there are a few things you have to keep in mind. Of course, your health comes first, so medical attention is your first priority.

Second, keep in mind NOT to sign anything. If you are not the one at fault, the other driver might want you to sign a piece of paper saying that you will not sue. Even if you do not want to sue, do not sign any papers. There is always time to do so later. Right after the accident you might not even be thinking very clearly, because you might be in shock, and it is best not to make any legal decisions at that time.

After that, it is important that the police are notified. Without a police report it is hard to claim anything, if you were not at fault. It is also wise to take down the names and phone numbers of witnesses, or ask somebody else to do this if you’re not able to at the time.

My friend did not do any of these things and ultimately found herself in the position of having noone to hold liable for her injuries – the Russian couple who were at fault for hitting her with their car quietly disappeared after she had signed the paper saying she would file no claims.

Last but not least, you should inform either your country’s embassy or consulate about what happened. It might happen that they were informed before you got the chance to do this yourself, like in the case of my friend. Again, hopefully this information is not needed, but just in case, remember these pointers.

Other considerations are the state of the roads, pavements and curbs. The roads are just one thing. The holes in them are not much of a challenge for the numerous off-road vehicles in town, but to be disabled in Vladivostok would probably mean you’d never leave your house.

I have to give it to the Russians - they are definitely trying to make things easier for people in wheelchairs. Lots of staircases in town are equipped with a double rail, fitting a wheelchair exactly. With some help from others, you should be able to use them. I just wonder how those
wheelchair users are supposed to get to the stairs, as all pavements are scattered with holes in them and the average curb is about 20 centimeters high. This is probably the reason I have not seen anyone in a wheelchair out and about in Vladivostok.

When you are tired of walking through Vladivostok – and do not think you can keep jumping over holes and climbing over curbs all day! – you could take a bus. There are plenty of them and you won’t need to wait very long. But first, you have to find your bus stop… Good luck with that! There is one sentence you probably want to remember if you want to use public transport in Vladivostok: ‘Gde ostanovka?’, or ‘where is the bus stop?’

Really, there is no way of telling where the bus stops are, since there are no signs for them. Of course, a bunch of people hanging around at the side of the road might give you a hint, but at night or outside of the center, you could be lost without ‘Gde ostanovka’. Memorize it – you will need it in Vladivostok!