Without Changing Lanes

Was going back home from Resala a few hours ago when I had to make a U-turn in Abbas El Akkad street. I was in the left most lane moving forward in preparation for the U-turn I was about to make a short distance ahead to my left side. I suddenly heard a sharp scratching sound from my right side. I stopped at once just to find a car approaching me from the right side and scratching against the body of my dear i10. I car coming from my right side was attempting to overtake me from my right side in order to move to the left most lane in preparation for turning left.

We both stood still for a few moments not wanting to move. The car on my right side was slightly ahead of me. Both of us did not know what to do. We both wanted to prevent any possible further damage to our cars. He then moved slowly away from my car, I can't remember backwards or forwards, probably he moved forward and away from my car towards the right side. He then took to the left lane like he intended from the start. I was in deep worry what the scratch would look like on the right side of my car.

View Larger Map

Although upon analysis of the situation we find that it was his mistake not mine since he is the once who was attempting to change lanes and he got too close to my car while I had nothing but the pavement on my left side and could not move any more to the left, yet I did want to look at it as being my mistake. I guess I could have avoided such a hazard had I looked to my right side before going forward. Yes it is not my problem to look to my right when I am just moving forward and not changing lanes, yet as a defensive driving technique I should have done so. I guess the guy expected me to stop moving forward upon his approaching me and cutting the way ahead of me. Yes his mistake, but once should train for avoiding the mistakes of others. We do not live in a perfect world after all.

Lesson: Even if you are just moving forward and not changing lanes, make sure to keep an eye on cars coming from the lane adjacent to yours just in case any of them wanted to suddenly overtake you and expected you to stop sharply upon their attempt to cut you off.

Three-Point Turn

Yesterday while I was driving nearby my house at some close by street searching for a shop I learned sold plastic containers I figured out I had made the wrong turn and had to reverse my direction in the street so I attempted a 3-point turn.

I turned left at first trying to change direction in one go without reversing (like in a U-turn). back while turning but the street turned out to be too narrow and the parked cars on the other side of the street were in the way so I stopped after turning left then reversed back to straighten out the car a bit in the new direction. As I attempted to go forward once more I noticed a had approached from the opposite direction. Not wanting to keep that other car waiting and having my car not yet fully straightened up I quickly attempted to go forward (since the other car facing me had stopped and was waiting for me to pass). I attempted this action in a haste while I focused all my attention on the car opposite me and to my left side. I noticed that the look in that car's face was a look of unrest while I headed forward making way for that car to pass. While I thought that that look of unrest and slight annoyance in that driver's face was due to being in a hurry and me taking so long to give way to the car I was not aware of the real meaning of that look until I move forward with confidence just to find another car swiftly moving from behind me and overtaking me from the right side while I focused my attention undivided on the car at my left side! It was then and only then that I realized the real meaning of the look in the first driver's face: she was feeling uneasy of my rapid movement forward without taking the slightest notice of the car approaching from behind me and swiftly overtaking me from the right.

Lesson: When making a 3-point turn, make sure you look at both sides and to your back for any approaching cars before making the final push forward after having reversed.

Trip to Rehab

It seems that I liked the idea of trip rehearsal so I decided to repeat it once again yet this time the destination was Rehab City.

Planning

My initial idea early on was to take my i10 and follow the Rehab bus from Nasr City (in front of Tiba Mall) till it reaches its final destination inside Al Rehab City. I later dismissed this idea not only because the bus stopped repeatedly during the trip to Rehab but because the path the Rehab bus took turned out to be a longer-than-usual path.

Ever since I thought of trying to drive to Rehab I been repeatedly contemplating this and wondering how come the bus takes so long to reach Rehab City from Nasr City when several others have told me it takes only 20 minutes to reach Rehab by car! I thus concluded that it can't be that those reaching Rehab city in 20 minutes by car were taking the same path as the Rehab bus. Indeed, upon checking Google Earth I discovered a parallel path, yet from the south rather than the north of Rehab City, that goes directly from Nasr City to Rehab City without passing through the many hurdles of the bus path and presumably is less busy.

Taking Off

After making a final revision of the Google Earth map very early today I got dressed and started warming up the car. It was around 5:20 AM which is after Fajr yet before again before sunrise.

The round trip was around 40.5 km door-to-door including entering Rehab City itself (from Gate 9), parking in front of the Office Building inside Rehab City then leaving from Gate 6. It took me around 1 hour 20 minutes to complete the trip 50 minutes of which were spent on my way to Rehab City and only 30 minutes on my way back. Again the reason why I returned faster was that it took me more time to go to Rehab due to taking my time to slow down and read the various signs. On my way back I drove with a higher speed yet still was mostly driving at around 60 km/hour which was anyhow better than the average 40 km/hour I was making on my way to Rehab City.

Impression

I was satisfied to have made the trip. I was especially glad to have entered Rehab City easily from the gates and having parked there. I'm looking forward to making this trip again yet that time not as a rehearsal.

Trip Rehersal

Heliopolis Trip

Having become better in driving I decided yesterday to go to my destination in Helopolis by car. My original trip to Heliopolis was supposed to take place somewhere before noon yet I woke up early in the morning and made the drive to Heliopolis right after sunrise. I arrived to my destination their, did not even park and came back home once again. It was merely a rehearsal for the real thing!

The reason why I went through this early-in-the-day rehearsal was that the streets had very low traffic in the morning, specially on a Friday (which is a holiday in Egypt). I was able to take my time, learn the road well and practice the different maneuvers needed to complete the trip. When the time came later in the day to make the real trip I found myself driving with confidence and ease most of the way despite the slightly heavier traffic that was present around noon.

Lesson: If you are planning to make a new trip that you have not done before it is a good idea to make a rehearsal first by driving all the way to your planned destination and back during a time when the streets have low traffic. This exercise will make you drive more confidently when you make the trip again while the streets are busy.

Mohandeseen Trip

Today I though of making my (much farther) trip to Mohandeseen by car instead of taking the ACT bus. I remembered the successful trip I made the day before to Heliopolis and how rehearsal had played a great role in that so I decided to try and do the same for the Mohandeseen trip. I woke up very early in the morning and headed to Mohandiseen at around 5:30 AM which is before sunrise. Having checked the road through Google Maps and finding that the 6th of October Bridge was a good way to go I took the bridge all the way to there from Nasr City to Mohandeseen.

The round trip was around 33 km. It took me around an hour to reach Mustafa Mahmoud Mosque in Mohandeseen around 40 minutes to reach my destination and just above 20 minutes on my way back. I kept looking at the signs to know my way as I headed to Mohandeseen which slowed me down while I came with a much higher speed on my way back.

It's really interesting to make such road rehearsals. Perhaps I should try that again with other roads and tips in the future God willing.

Reflecting Triangle and First Aid Kit

I have just bought, at last, the mandatory (effective July 2009) reflective triangle and first aid kits to keep in my car. I've been postponing this (easy) step for quite a while although the headquarters of the Nasr City Traffic Department are at a 10-minutes walking distance from my home and they have kiosks inside that sell that stuff. The issue is that when went to license my car I forgot to buy them from there and remembered only after leaving and kept postponing since then.

I bought the reflecting triangle for 25 Egyptian pounds and the first aid kit for 40 Egyptian pounds. There were cheaper varieties but I found that a total of 65 Egyptian pounds was no big deal and it was like a once-in-a-very-long-time thing to do. There was also another kiosk next to the one I bought from but I did not ask him about the price of his stuff. The guy who sold them to me told me the only difference between the ones I bought and the other cheaper ones was the casing as mine were kept inside plastic boxes while the others were kept in a bag made of cloth (for the first aid kit) and a cardboard box (for the triangle) and that other than that the contents of the two packages was identical. I bought the mandatory stuff, carried them happily to my car and rested them at the back of my car.

Driving License

Yesterday I managed to get my driving licence at long last from the Nasr City Traffic Department which is located in New Cairo. The license coasted all in all under 100 Egyptian pounds.

I've been there the day before yesterday but unfortunately I had accidentally locked my keys inside the car and by the time I was able to get my spare keys it was too late in the day to apply for the license so I went back home without getting it.

Although by the end of the day I was able to grab the licence yet it was no easy process. I faced a lot of hurdles before managing to finally get it.

Keys Locked Inside Car

Driving License

Today was my second time to have my key locked inside the car except that this time the car was not parked in front of my home like the first time, instead, it was parked some 30 km away from home in front of the Nasr City Traffic Office located in New Cairo! I went there today in an attempt to get my driving license.

Spare Key

To make a long story short, I finally reached a friend who was available and ready to help. He went to my home, got the spare key and brought it to me in New Cairo. By then it was too late for me to apply for the driving licence which we were informed is applied for from 9 - 11 AM. We drove back home (me and my cousin who accompanied me during this 'trip') a bit unhappy because I did not get the driving licence nor even take the test or apply for the licence yet I was satisfied that my friend had indeed brought me the key. I'll take that as a big learning lesson.

Rear Light Hit

I've also noticed today a small broken piece of glass at my right rear lights. I don't know when that happened and if it had taken place days before without me observing it. Yet I guess the car was hit while parked because that was the light facing the street while the car was parked during the last few days. Yet the rear lights are elevated and are not low enough for a car to come crashing from behind not to mention that I had been parking it too close to the pavement particularly compared to the car parked behind it which makes it unlikely for another car in the street to bump into it. Probably it was someone carrying something heavy accidentally hitting the right side rear light as we had some neighbors moving from their apartment yesterday and taking their furniture with them. I felt sad to see the small crushed glass at the rear light, yet I quickly recovered since I had already went through car scratches twice before.

Lesson: Never lock the car and forget your keys inside. Always take the keys out and put them in your pocked as soon as you turn the car off. Keep a second spare key in your pocket at all times.