Driving in Libya

Driving in Libya is not for the faint-hearted!

Lane discipline and road manners do not exist (with the very rare exception) and accidents are common, especially end-to-end shunts and minor scrapes.

All drivers must carry an original Libyan driving licence with them in the car, along with the insurance and car registration documents.

It is compulsory to wear seat belts in the front seats, but not in the back, and it is common to see kids scrambling all over the front and back seats without restraints.

What to do if you are stopped by the police?

The chances of being stopped by the police are higher if you are driving a foreign owned car (identified by the blue numbers on the registration plates), as they see foreigners as an easy target.

Common reasons for being pulled over are:

- Having a dirty car;

- Driving too slowly;

- Keeping in the correct lane at the lights (instead of following the other idiots all over the place);

- Signalling too soon before turning.

I $hit you not...

You'll be expected to hand over your licence and car documents for inspection and your licence will be confistcated by the cop. Usually they will write you a ticket and hand you a copy - give this to your company PR / facilitator to sort out. If it's the weekend or close to a public holiday, the cop may request a "charitable donation" to make your problem go away. Don't give them money, they are all after some extra cash to take their girlfriend/boyfriend out.

If you are really unlucky, you'll be stopped by another cop 1 minute down the road from the first one - it's not unheard of for them to set up drivers like this.

If you are not carrying your documents, you're liable to be arrested and have to drive (with the cop) to the local station, where they will impound the car.