If you were told that traffic in Cairo has very few rules you were told wrong, There are no rules. Of course no formal rules traffic is crazy, however within the city there are very few accidents compared to other cities and compared to the crazy traffic.
Drivers in Egypt however mange to circulate by a common sense commonly understood by local drivers and pedestrians, this is why it is very difficult for a first visitor to unveil this sense of "When to croiss" and "When not".
This sense will be acquired by time.
What to do to cross the street:
1. Ask Policeman to stop the traffic (possibly him give on Egyptian pound or two - Almost 1/4 Dollar)
2. Ask one of the locals to help you crossing teh streets (Better let foreign females ask local females) Because crowded areas are mostly local areas, otherwise traffic is much easier.
3. If it is a huge road stop a cab and ask him to drop you onm the other side.
4. Use the underground way to cross to the other side of the road.
This is only an issue with main roads and in downtown (Tahrir square) otherwise it is very manageable to cross the streets. And this is an issue only in Cairo and some parts of Alexandria, otherwise there is absoluetely no need to worry.
When is the traffic crowded? and when not?
1. The traffic is most crowded Rush hours which is basically from 1:30 till 7:00 during week days (Weekend is Friday and Saturday- In some places sunday, also Thursday for Gov. agencies). So try to be during this period in a museum or avoid long distance travel within Cairo. If you are going from one end of the city to the other do it early morning or evening, to avoid traffic jam.
Also traffic is crowded Thursday and Friday evening because people are going out, but uncomparable to the rush hours.
2. It is amazing to hang out in the mornings during Thursday (Government agencies are off), Friuday and Saturday, all the day.
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on Mar 16, 2003
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