There are some things I object to:
1… romanians are better drivers then what I’ve seen in Canada or Austria (2 countries that I know a bit better)
NOT driving accordingly to the rules doesn’t make you a bad driver, although you may be in a hurry (95%) or plain stupid (5%). Now the reason I consider 95% of romanians driving like that are in a hurry is because our infrastructure is just the basic 70′ roads … in the US of EU when you need to make a 300km trip you know you’ll be there in 3 hours… in romania this takes a bit over 4 and a half WITH speeding.
so this is the first and foremost important rule about driving in romania:
EXPECT ! everyone to be in a hurry and overtake you even if it seems physically impossible ! it’s a jungle, survival of the fittest… if you know you’re a lame slow driver, don’t bother !!! visit some other place, we don’t want you clogging up the roads over here !
now once you are settled with this rule and fully understand it you may also want to consider some other stuff:
2nd don’t get intimidated if a cop stops you, if he starts making shi|t up ask to go with him to the station, call someone who can properly translate for you… hell you could even try threatening the guy that you’ll call a news station to report his actions… DON’T let yourself get intimidated, it’s not about the law, it’s about who has the biggest bal|s, this thing still lingers even after 20 years of capitalism.
3rd rule … if you have to drive during the night you should be careful about youngs doing road races (yes, just like in the movies… I used to do it myself, 200km/h in the city was my record, I’m not joking). if you find yourself in the middle of such an event try to let them go even if they may be rude to you.
4 … winter means mayham in romania, most of the roads aren’t properly marked and if they are covered with snow or ice they are potencial deathtraps, especially if you hit a pothole, so beeing extra careful during winters would be advised

now what I have to say about the old Dacia 1310… well I had one too, after I got my license, I drove it for almost 2 years between 2005 and 2007 and I have to say that it shaped me into a pretty good driver, I managed to get unharmed out of a couple of pretty gruesome stuff (winter, speeding, others speeding) and all in all it taught me how to react to certain situations. now it’s 2009, almost 2010 and most of those cars have been taken off the streets, including mine :(

also I would like to add something about what some romanians commented here, those that pointed out in which ways west and cetral romania is better… that’s just a preconception some romanians have, they like to think they are more civilised and so on then people from Bucuresti or… god forbid Moldova, but it really isn’t true…if we look at it statistically, on the roads, more deaths occur in the western part of romania then the rest…in other words, don’t worry ! it’s pretty damn dangerous anywhere on the road, in romania :D

yes, almost forgot, when walking, in romania, you’d better be more alert then an airport air traffic controler !!! there is no telling when someone might zoom over you even on the sidewalk, and also NEVER !!! cross the street without checking, even if you have a green light ;)

so… all that beeing said, I wish you all the best when visiting romania !

I remember driving through Bucuresti fighting with 3 other cars for 3 marked lanes, busted up Dacia on one side, new Merc on the other. Get through the intersection and 3 lanes becomes 2, well 1.5 because the cars parked on the footpath are hanging out into the road…. and the same cars are still trying to force their way infront of everyone else.

Sitting at the front at a red light in the inside lane (marked with an arrow to go straight, no left turn) and as soon as the cars stopped coming from the right and with our light still red, the cars from the very right lane starting making left turns, forcing everyone else to go the same way (and I had the drivers behind on the horn when I didn’t go while the lights were still red).

Nearly took out a horse-and-cart when they pulled out in front of me just the other side of Curtea de Arges… truck coming the other way meant I couldn’t overtake, only just slowed up about 2 foot behind wiht the old lady sitting on the back shaking her fist at me.

As a pedestrian I learnt quickly to look both ways when crossing the road for the people reversing back 20m to the intersection instead of going down the street to the next one… and to listen for the horn of the driver going along the footpath to avoid the traffic on the road.

I hope they have a few more street signs up now giving directions to go places… the signs to go to Pitesti were the size of normal street name signs when I was there lol

The pedestrian is the lowest form of life here, less regarded even than the packs of savage dogs that rush out on the road to attack your car. You take your life in your hands every time you get into a car, or cross a street, even one with a crossing signal.Today I was crossing at a pedestrian crossing signal, and barely escaped being mowed down by a speeding car disregarding the light.

I have driven for many years, in many countries, and have never had an accident, but I was involved in an accident within three months of moving to Bucharest (traffic light out, and speeding driver making a left hand-turn with no indicator). Just last week I also got hit by a car while walking on a main street here. The car was backing up into oncoming traffic, from it’s parking place on the pedestrian sidewalk! Of course, the Romanians are all walking on the street- it’s because there is no place to walk on the sidewalk – it is too full of parked cars!

Does anyone know if the detor via Romainia is worth it (from a driving and hastel free point of view not a touristic one?)

cheers

Following on from this, I to am driving to Bulgaria in a few weeks. Time wise, Serbia looks better but more hassle. Also does anyone know how long it takes from Szeged to Pitesti? Google maps say 9 hours for 300 miles!!!
By the way, this was a great read. Thanks