When the Jordanian tells you, “Look out for dogs – and donkeys!” on the drive to Little Petra, you better believe him – he’s not kidding. On the 20-minute drive from Petra proper, I pass through a five block area riddled with obstacles. Donkeys wandering to the left, dogs barking at the right. A child darts across the street, with a stick pushing a circular hoop. When is the last time you saw a child with a simple hoop and stick – playing? No kids staring at tiny screens in this town. So refreshing, but LOOK OUT!
I had been mentally prepared for only one thing – speed bumps – when I rented the small Suzuki from the Budget Rent A Car (US$300 for six days) franchise in Aqaba, at the southern tip of Jordan. Well, two things, really: speed bumps, which are everywhere and come in all shapes and sizes, and potholes, which are surprisingly few and far between.
What I did not expect to see was the “Caution! Camel Crossing” signs around Wadi Rum, the desert national park about an hour northeast of Aqaba. That said, here are a few tips to driving in Jordan.
- Find a co-pilot: You need someone to help spot the obstacles. Preferably, she is smart, strong and beautiful and from the mountains of Austria, like Sabine, my co-pilot on the trip from Aqaba to Amman. Now I will say a co-pilot without proper training is not particularly helpful. Sabine, who managed directions via Google Maps, missed the first couple of turns, plus one speed bump – look out! – as she settled into her new position. But after a threat to drop her off in the next village, her performance improved dramatically.
- Leave early in the morning: Whenever you rent a car in a far away and unfamiliar land, it’s best to start early when there is no traffic – and no consequences for going the wrong way down a one way street or blowing through that traffic light while you’re fiddling with your phone. Now, say, if you show up at the office a day before, like I did, to confirm the hours of said office and that an attendant will be there at said hour, do NOT expect them to show up on time the next day. They will only show up when your reservation says to show up – not a minute before. And then, expect at least 45 minutes, plus time for a coffee, to get the keys.
- The roads in Jordan are good, BUT … : There are no shoulders, mostly, and oftentimes on multi-lane roads, there are no lane markings. So you just assume that because the road is so wide that there are multiple lanes, but there is no way to confirm this. In fact, Jordaniacs (aka drivers from Jordan) drive as if EVERY road is one lane – even the highways. They sneak up on you from behind then sort of nudge you over to the right. If there happens to be a car on your left, they third party will try to squeeze through. No problem! Just move over to the right and let them pass. But remember – there’s no shoulder.
- The horn is your friend: Everyone in Jordan is happy, which is why they are constantly honking their horns at you to get the hell out of the way. Mind you, these are not long, angry honks – like the kind that might get you killed on I-90/94 in Chicago (51 shootings on highways downtown in 2019; 129 in 2020; 264 in 2021; and, 127 so far in 2022. See the data). Instead, Jordaniacs use frequent short, friendly beeps as a gentle, happy reminder to get the fuck out of the way.
- Do not drive at night: Never – I repeat, NEVER – drive at night in Jordan, especially if you are night blind, wear glasses or don’t have a co-pilot. Also, never drive in Amman. It’s just too hard. I dropped my car off just inside the city limits and without Sabine there is no way I would have been able to read the Google Map, look out for animals – cats too! – respond to multiple short honks or move over to shoulderless areas of the road AND return my Suzuki on time.
Follow these tips to the letter, and you will survive both the Jordan roads and its drivers. Your vehicle will be scratch-free and you’ll get 100 percent of your deposit back, no questions asked. Now, the car may be completely covered in red dirt and sand, but that’s not your problem. That’s just Jordan.
