Cape Town :Driving around.
Discussion
I am going in a couple of weeks with my 22 year old son who is taking me to swim with sharks,my mate in Cape Town says hire a car but we are a little worried about driving into troubled areas whilst there.
Has anyone any experience of driving there bearing in mind I am generally not worried by a bit of foreign driving.
john
Has anyone any experience of driving there bearing in mind I am generally not worried by a bit of foreign driving.
john
Definitely some areas you want to stay well away from, especially near the airport.
Make sure the car has aircon, because you'll want to keep the windows up for safety.
Always keep your doors locked, and ideally stay in gear when stopped at traffic lights - makes for a quicker getaway if you need to.
Take a read in a few of the threads in the South Africa section to get a better idea.
Roads generally quite wide and traffic moves quite freely. Traffic police (different to normal police) usually hide when doing speed checks IME.
Street urchins and whatnot will beg for money at traffic lights (they call them robots over there) or sell you their wares. Windscreen wash with a spray bottle and dirty rag is common - tell them to foxtrot oscar before they start spraying or they get proper pissy if you don't pay them.
A green light for you does NOT mean that the traffic won't keep coming from the other direction, especially their taxis (minibus type things).
Good luck and enjoy the holiday. If you can ignore the odd annoyance, it is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. I was born and bred in one of the northern suburbs of Cape Town, and it still holds a very special place in my heart.
Make sure the car has aircon, because you'll want to keep the windows up for safety.
Always keep your doors locked, and ideally stay in gear when stopped at traffic lights - makes for a quicker getaway if you need to.
Take a read in a few of the threads in the South Africa section to get a better idea.
Roads generally quite wide and traffic moves quite freely. Traffic police (different to normal police) usually hide when doing speed checks IME.
Street urchins and whatnot will beg for money at traffic lights (they call them robots over there) or sell you their wares. Windscreen wash with a spray bottle and dirty rag is common - tell them to foxtrot oscar before they start spraying or they get proper pissy if you don't pay them.
A green light for you does NOT mean that the traffic won't keep coming from the other direction, especially their taxis (minibus type things).
Good luck and enjoy the holiday. If you can ignore the odd annoyance, it is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. I was born and bred in one of the northern suburbs of Cape Town, and it still holds a very special place in my heart.
Driving around Cape Town is mostly fun. When you're in the city centre or to the North or South then everything is pretty much safe.
The problem areas are the large shanty towns out to the East. There are plenty of good roads which skirt around them, so get a good map, study your route before hand and stick to it.
In the city itself you'll be asked by poor people for a little bit of money to mind your car and feed the metre. They really are only after shrapnel, so do speak to them before leaving the car, agree a small fee (ie a couple of Rand) and pay them when you get back. Nothing will happen to your car, but there's no point pissing them off.
There is good secure parking at places like the V&A waterfront and Century City (biggest shopping mall in southern hemisphere).
Outside of the Cape Town area (ie along the south coast towards the East) you really shouldn't experience any uncomfortable scenarios.
Be careful on the N1 as it leaves Cape Town, there are a few hills and many cars in SA are ridiculously underpowered. Traffic can suddenly grind to a halt on the hills as everyone loses speed up the slopes!
Enjoy, and remember - you're still in Africa, and anything can happen!
Edited to add - give way at all times to SA 'taxis' (the hyundai type mini-buses). They drive erratically and have their own rules.
The problem areas are the large shanty towns out to the East. There are plenty of good roads which skirt around them, so get a good map, study your route before hand and stick to it.
In the city itself you'll be asked by poor people for a little bit of money to mind your car and feed the metre. They really are only after shrapnel, so do speak to them before leaving the car, agree a small fee (ie a couple of Rand) and pay them when you get back. Nothing will happen to your car, but there's no point pissing them off.
There is good secure parking at places like the V&A waterfront and Century City (biggest shopping mall in southern hemisphere).
Outside of the Cape Town area (ie along the south coast towards the East) you really shouldn't experience any uncomfortable scenarios.
Be careful on the N1 as it leaves Cape Town, there are a few hills and many cars in SA are ridiculously underpowered. Traffic can suddenly grind to a halt on the hills as everyone loses speed up the slopes!
Enjoy, and remember - you're still in Africa, and anything can happen!
Edited to add - give way at all times to SA 'taxis' (the hyundai type mini-buses). They drive erratically and have their own rules.
Bookmarked. Will be spending 3 weeks of our honeymoon in SA for most of it we'll have a car, safety wise you hear some horror stories-just go over to the SA sub forum on here, hard not to go over with a seige mentality which will no doubt spoils things a bit. Still can't wait though somewhere I've always wanted to go.
Been to Cape Town twice....did a lot of driving both times and never felt threatened. As others have said some places where you park (i.e. near the beaches) there will be guys in reflective vests looking for some cash to look after your car/help you find a parking space.....give them a tiny amount and your car will be fine. They are probably stopping your car being broken into by being there....certainly the locals seem to have no problem with it.
Like any city it has good and bad areas.....it's just that the bad areas in CT are worse than they are in say London.
You just need to use common sense, don't wear expensive jewllery/watches and just carry cash. Don't carry a wallet full of credit cards and wear a rolex! Our hire car was upgraded to a 3 series when on our second visit which is the first time I have ever not wanted a hire car upgrade but there are now plenty of expensive cars over there.
It's a fantactis place for a holdiay, the people are wonderful and Cape Town has a stunning setting.
Like any city it has good and bad areas.....it's just that the bad areas in CT are worse than they are in say London.
You just need to use common sense, don't wear expensive jewllery/watches and just carry cash. Don't carry a wallet full of credit cards and wear a rolex! Our hire car was upgraded to a 3 series when on our second visit which is the first time I have ever not wanted a hire car upgrade but there are now plenty of expensive cars over there.
It's a fantactis place for a holdiay, the people are wonderful and Cape Town has a stunning setting.
Been twice including inc J/Berg and the whole Garden Route never had a problem,even in coastal side roads where you pay an old lady sat by the road to "look after your car".Make sure the hire car has a big boot,never carry anything on the back seat,lock doors,shut windows in towns and be patient with hawkers at traffic lights.There are some dodgy places like shanty towns but you will have no need to go anyway near them,just stick to all the popular tourist routes.I`m sure you will have a great time and it will be a hell of a lot cheaper than the UK & Europe.
Old Merc said:
....you pay an old lady sat by the road to "look after your car"..
This made me smile.I was once going out with a girl who lived behind Arsenal's old ground.
I parked my new car there one Saturday to be greeted by three seven year olds on BMX's.
"Nice motah mate", piped up one. "Give us a quid and I'll look after it".
"Thanks, son, but my dog's in the back seat it'll be fine" I said, walking off.
Without a nanosecond for thought, the kid shouts
"Your dog put out fires does it?"
Clever little sh t.
OK we got back this morning and there are no problems,we even drove through a shanty town near the airport.People approach the car at lights if you hold upyour hand and say no they wander on.
We took a very very underpowered Suzuki Alto very cheap but not a classic.
SAT NAV works fine and is worthwhile.
This was my first trip to Cape Town can I just say it is one of the most beautiful cities and environs I have every seen.
We took a very very underpowered Suzuki Alto very cheap but not a classic.
SAT NAV works fine and is worthwhile.
This was my first trip to Cape Town can I just say it is one of the most beautiful cities and environs I have every seen.
Puggit said:
If the situation ever stabilises in SA, then property prices in CT will be astronomical
have you checked out the price of houses in camps bay and along the coast road too ct? They are already astronomicalthis was my stead for a 2 week stay, did alot of driving around cape town, wine region and down to false bay. also if you are doing the shark diving with the notorious shark lady you will drive along St Lowrys Pass on the way which is fantastic road with amazing scenery.
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