Driving Yourself in Africa

[HWL]

Eric, you should have rented /borrow a Land Cruiser 200 Series, you really would not have experienced all the difficulties you described.. One aspect the foreign/traveling hunters need to take in account is that South African drivers really are dangerous drivers,,,a lot of people are dying on our roads every year ....I for example does not start driving over a green light until I made sure all the vehicles did come to a stand still where the lights are red for them ...South African drivers usually drives at high speeds, driving overloaded vehicles, do not follow safe distances from each other, especially when there is heavy rain down pours, fog on the free ways , they just keep going as fast as possible..it all is quite an adrenaline rush that makes a charging buffalo hunt feel like playing in a park

I can confirm all this...!!!

I was Gerts passenger.....



HWL

....and survived!

 

[Gert Odendaal]

I can confirm all this...!!!

I was Gerts passenger.....



HWL

....and survived!

HWL, had first hand experience of how wild South African drivers drove , it really is a dangerous , adrenaline rush, driving on the highway as well as in the cities...another issue in SA for foreign visitors is to try and tell SAPS and customs people what is written on your German rifle permits..meaning well and trying to assist SAPS personnel may just get you in a tight spot... Better to leave it to the South African friends you are visiting to do the talking... Do you agree HWL???

 

[HWL]

HWL, had first hand experience of how wild South African drivers drove , it really is a dangerous , adrenaline rush, driving on the highway as well as in the cities...another issue in SA for foreign visitors is to try and tell SAPS and customs people what is written on your German rifle permits..meaning well and trying to assist SAPS personnel may just get you in a tight spot... Better to leave it to the South African friends you are visiting to do the talking... Do you agree HWL???

Fully,.....

And thank you for rescuing my firearms!!!

Gert Odendaal,...my sword & shield in South Africa



HWL

 

[Gert Odendaal]

 

[HWL]

...and I remember my first experience with potholes,.... German language not even has a word for!



HWL

 

[Gert Odendaal]

...and I remember my first experience with potholes,.... German language not even has a word for!



HWL

HWL, it really helps to be able to speak a third language here is South Africa, I am fortunate to be able to speak Zulu language and this really gives me the edge when getting in a difficult situation we were while checking your rifles through the customs police side ... where you just wanted to assist the police officer out of natural German hospitality and decency Unfortunately this kind gesture was not received very well ...

 

[HWL]

Whenever I think about this very special situation, one german word comes in my mind.....

HWL

 

[Gert Odendaal]

He, he, he, HWL, you need to know when to fight and when to run to be able to fight next time...that was a "talking yourself out of a difficult situation " moment so you could attend out black powder hunt...it would not have been good if you missed our hunt due to you fighting your way out of that situation ... We had a great hunt, you are an extremely talented hunter for sure my great German Friend ..

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

I dif not read thru the whole thread, but I consider a few items mandatory.
1. Toilet paper you will find most toilets lacking. If you stop alongside the road you are still going to need.

2. GPS take it off the dash when your out of the vehicle.

3. Everything that you need for repairing the type of tyres that you will be using. This includes inflation.

4. Decide on how much water you need then double it.

5. Coolant, brake fluid, engine oil air and fuel filter, fuses.

6. A basic tool kit

 

[fourfive8]

I've been a passenger over some petty long trips in most every variety of traffic or driving situation Africa has to offer in multiple cities and countries. Right now, unless I lived there, no way in hell would I try it. I assume the idea of the whole thread involves a foreigner renting a car and heading out as a tourist or simply getting from one place to another. As an American, I have rented a car in a foreign country many times and driven thousands of miles but it was not in the continent of Africa. I have driven a lot in some of the most congested traffic on the planet but it was not in Africa. I would rank all that experience in congested traffic where clearances are measured in inches not even remotely as dangerous as driving on freeways in most of the larger US cities nor in many areas of Africa. That is only in the context of accidents or strandings or breakdowns and doesn't even account for the risk to foreigners for hijacking and robbery that seems too common in some countries and cities in Africa. The only way I might try it would be in a two or more vehicle caravan with trusted locals in the caravan and only in places like rural Botswana.

 

[TheGrayRider]

Hell no!

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

I avoid driving as much as possible. South African highways are the best in Africa, but don’t break down. Zimbabwe intercity routes can be good, but some routes like Harare to Kariba in particular are bad because of the unexpected potholes. Here in Zimbabwe my little Land Rovers are the safest because you go so slowly and if you get pushed off the verge it is no big deal. And don’t ever drive at night, broken down trucks with no lights or reflectors are common.

 

[fourfive8]

I avoid driving as much as possible. South African highways are the best in Africa, but don’t break down. Zimbabwe intercity routes can be good, but some routes like Harare to Kariba in particular are bad because of the unexpected potholes. Here in Zimbabwe my little Land Rovers are the safest because you go so slowly and if you get pushed off the verge it is no big deal. And don’t ever drive at night, broken down trucks with no lights or reflectors are common.

Yes. Real and common hazards of night driving! Broken down vehicles sitting in the middle of the road with no reflectors showing. Bicycles in middle of road hauling bundles of charcoal with no reflectors showing! Donkey carts at night! Livestock, pedestrians and wildlife at night! Locally here, it is a crap shoot to avoid deer and elk, especially buck deer in the rut about this time of year, no matter day or night and no matter how aware the drivers are. Same here for livestock on highway at night, especially on the rez. Multiply that many fold in Africa. All common and potentially deadly.

 

[Flipper Dude]

Rented a car in Windhoek and spent a few days driving up and down the Skeleton Coast, Swakopmund, Walvis Bay area. Highways were excellent in those parts of Namibia.

 

[fourfive8]

I would not minimize the possible driving hazards one could encounter in Africa. Namibia and Botswana are probably the least dangerous from a crime point of view. However, planning for break downs and how to contact reliable assistance for help should be at top of list for driving anywhere in Africa. In every rural area in Africa, no matter the country, I am always impressed by the number of stripped and burned out vehicle carcasses laying along side of the road. Not just a few but a lot, everywhere. That tells me vehicle recovery and assistance after wrecks or break downs is not at all like anywhere here in the US.

 

[wesheltonj]

I don’t drive anywhere on left (wrong side of the road).

I have not hit the age where you can’t rent a car if driving on the left side if coming from a right side country, but getting close.

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

Driving at night in Africa makes no sense what so ever. Also we almost always travel with one of our workers. Someone needs to watch the vehicle while one person is away from the vehicle, you want to be sure you have something to come back to.

One other piece of advice. If you have a wheel changed at a tyre shop, supervise the tightening of the lug nuts. Otherwise you will find next time you need to change that wheel you better have old king kong with you or else those nuts are not coming off.

Lon

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

I have just driven up to Zimbabwe’s eastern highlands, and one thing you need to factor into African driving is the demise of rail and it’s replacement with myriads of trucks. This ever increasing flow on single lane highways means you either go with the flow, at their pace, or overtake many, many times. This is potentially very dangerous, so I rather potter along at their place.

 

[CBH Australia]

Following

 

[spike.t]

One other piece of advice. If you have a wheel changed at a tyre shop, supervise the tightening of the lug nuts. Otherwise you will find next time you need to change that wheel you better have old king kong with you or else those nuts are not coming off.

Lon

That is for sure....but from my experience it applies to anyone who changes a wheel ...I make sure I watch very closely when they tighten the nuts....and every time still have to stop them before they try and basically weld them on