Below is my take on the Highway Code to Sri Lanka. I should add that this is based on observation and in no way represents the views of the Lanka government, its agencies and employees etc.
The Sri Lankan Highway Code in questions and answers
Q: What side of the road do the Sri Lankans drive on?
A: Usually on the opposite side of the road to oncoming traffic… but only usually
Q: What do Sri Lankan roadsigns look like?
A: What roadsigns? After 50 hours on Lankan roads, I didn't see any!
Q: If there are no road signs, how do you know where you are?
A: Each town has a distinctive school uniform. In Colombo it is all white with a red tie. In Kalutara it is all white with a green tie. In Bentoto it is all white with a yellow tie, etc.
Q: How do you know where you are if you don’t happen to drive through a town between 2 and 2:30pm on a weekday?
A: Erm…? You don’t!
Bicycles on the road: Must always be cycled into the face of oncoming traffic
Cows: Preferably must be left to graze in the middle of the road
Q: When must you NEVER overtake?
A: On the one stretch of 1km of dual carriageway in Colombo (you might knock over the street vendors in the inside lane)
A: When the way ahead is clear
A: When on a straight stretch of road
A: You must never NEVER overtake
Q: When MUST you overtake?
A: On the approach to a hill
A: While going round a corner
A: When there’s a bus coming towards you on your side of the road
A: When there’s a cow grazing in the middle of the road to overtake too
A: When you are overtaking a bus, which is overtaking a trike, which is overtaking a bicycle (which is coming straight towards the traffic)
A: At any time as long as you place at least half of your wheels off the tarmaced surface
A: And most ideally of all on the wrong side of the road, while going round a bend, towards the brow of a hill, while overtaking a bus overtaking a trike overtaking a bicycle coming towards you while going round the grazing cow, placing two wheels off the tarmac and also swerving to avoid the dog aimlessly wandering round.
Q: If two cars are approaching a trike, who has the right to overtake?
A: The vehicle with the loudest horn. If that is the trike then you don’t pass!
Q: If you can’t hire a car (and after those observations, why would you want to?) how do you get around the island?
A: You hire a chauffeur driven car and at least you can close your eyes when you overtake anything, especially when overtaking on a road with a 300ft drop off one side as you climb into the Hill Country!
The Sri Lankan Highway Code in questions and answers
Q: What side of the road do the Sri Lankans drive on?
A: Usually on the opposite side of the road to oncoming traffic… but only usually
Q: What do Sri Lankan roadsigns look like?
A: What roadsigns? After 50 hours on Lankan roads, I didn't see any!
Q: If there are no road signs, how do you know where you are?
A: Each town has a distinctive school uniform. In Colombo it is all white with a red tie. In Kalutara it is all white with a green tie. In Bentoto it is all white with a yellow tie, etc.
Q: How do you know where you are if you don’t happen to drive through a town between 2 and 2:30pm on a weekday?
A: Erm…? You don’t!
Bicycles on the road: Must always be cycled into the face of oncoming traffic
Cows: Preferably must be left to graze in the middle of the road
Q: When must you NEVER overtake?
A: On the one stretch of 1km of dual carriageway in Colombo (you might knock over the street vendors in the inside lane)
A: When the way ahead is clear
A: When on a straight stretch of road
A: You must never NEVER overtake
Q: When MUST you overtake?
A: On the approach to a hill
A: While going round a corner
A: When there’s a bus coming towards you on your side of the road
A: When there’s a cow grazing in the middle of the road to overtake too
A: When you are overtaking a bus, which is overtaking a trike, which is overtaking a bicycle (which is coming straight towards the traffic)
A: At any time as long as you place at least half of your wheels off the tarmaced surface
A: And most ideally of all on the wrong side of the road, while going round a bend, towards the brow of a hill, while overtaking a bus overtaking a trike overtaking a bicycle coming towards you while going round the grazing cow, placing two wheels off the tarmac and also swerving to avoid the dog aimlessly wandering round.
Q: If two cars are approaching a trike, who has the right to overtake?
A: The vehicle with the loudest horn. If that is the trike then you don’t pass!
Q: If you can’t hire a car (and after those observations, why would you want to?) how do you get around the island?
A: You hire a chauffeur driven car and at least you can close your eyes when you overtake anything, especially when overtaking on a road with a 300ft drop off one side as you climb into the Hill Country!
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