Israeli Traffic Laws 101

If you ever wanted to drive in Israel (it is a beautiful country to explore), then there are a few driving tips you will need to know first:

1. Anything goes.

2.  Drivers are aggressive.  Aggressive is sometimes an understatement.

3.  Traffic around Tel Aviv can be likened to that of Washington DC, San Fran or NYC.

4. There are no personal safety rules.  You will sometimes see children in car seats, other times on the laps of drivers or passengers.

5. Motorcycles, mopeds, and electric scooters/bikes have no legal restrictions whatsoever.  Therefore, you will see and experience scantily clad motorists sans helmet whipping around you on all sides all the time.  This can be very unnerving.

6.  Fender benders happen routinely without any penalty.  Bumper car driving, as we like to call it, is the norm.  Have a hard time getting in and out of that tight parking space?  Just bump the car to your right or left until you're clear.  Tired of waiting in traffic?  give the car in front of you a little tap to display your impatience.  I have now witnessed 3 "accidents" first hand where absolutely NOTHING was done.  Motorcyclist flipped off his motorcycle - was able to stand up, pull his motorcycle off the road, and then hopped back on.  Man dented the car to his left pulling out of a parking space - drove off.  Car in front of me rear ends the car in front of him.  Both drivers hop out, survey the noticeable dent, decide it's not a problem, and both hop back in their cars - whole thing happens and is over by the time the light changes.

7.  Parking: NEVER park where the curb is painted with white and red stripes.  SOMETIMES park when there are blue and white stripes (i.e. never park when there are blue and white stripes) ANYTIME park where the curb is unpainted grey or you invent or discover any other type of unidentified parking area, such as the sidewalk.

8. Traffic light etiquette:  In Israel there is also a yellow light between red and green in addition to the yellow light between green and red.  So, once the light turns yellow from red, your foot must be off the brake and on the gas by the time it turns green.  Otherwise, NYC honking ensues.

9.  Lanes shmanes.

10. Pray without ceasing.

More on Israeli parking: