ROADS IN BULGARIA
Bulgaria has a well developed road system. Several years already the European Union supplies us with funds for road maintaining, renovation, reconstruction and building of new motor ways. As a whole our roads are in good conditions, the traffic on them is not heavy, excepting several main roads near biggest towns and resorts. When I design the bike tour, I always avoid roads of heavy traffic as much as it is possible.
MOTOR
ROADS 3 band two way roads
proofed
entirely
by an enclosure we have no much of them. Bicycling on motor
ways here is forbidden, but if you
want
- nobody will
stop
you
to do it
(everything is possible in this land). I
do it not often, I usually avoid to do it. Really cars and tracks are
moving here by high velocity up to 90+ miles/hour (never mind that permissible speed is approx. 75 m/h -
we hate restrictions).
The danger here is the strong air turbulence appearing after the big heavy
trucks driving madly.
There are ordinary roads parallel to the motor ways, no traffic there, always better to use them. But if you need a little adrenaline increasing, I can recommend bicycling along the motor ways.
Here we are just in front of Varna town. The traffic along this motor way is not so heavy comparing with another motor ways.
MAIN ROADS - one way roads having mostly 2 (left photo) bands, sometimes 3 bands (right photos) - 2 bands up the hill and 1 - down the hill. Sometimes you will see signs forbidding bicycling in the dark part of the day (Between 7 PM and 5 AM - it is really better to follow this rule, it is not a stupid one!). On some of these roads the traffic is heavy, especially along international roads, near bigger towns and resorts as well.
Last 2 years the traffic on the main roads is heavy - it is better to avoid it as much as possible.
All these roads are well maintained and have a smooth surface. Most of them are wide enough, so 2 trucks can pass each other in the moment you are at the place of this passing, but drivers are always worried in such cases. I like these roads and I do bicycle along them, but a bigger attention is always necessary. At some segments of the main roads with a heavy traffic you can see signs forbidding bicycling, but the road police will not stop you to do it. There are several (3-4) such segments in the country, which really is better to be avoided.
Many restaurants, coffee places and places of relaxation are available along these roads. Usually prices of coffee and meals in restaurants near main roads are 40 - 50 % more expensive than the same in towns.
ANOTHER ROADS - conditions of these roads
are
different, frequently nice. These are roads having very very little traffic
-hours of bicycling you can see any car. My
tours are preferably along such roads. The coffee places and restaurants
near these roads are much more inexpensive rather than these along motor
ways
and main roads.
Always pleasant to bicycle along these roads. But if you feel that bigger trucks or busses will pass each other at the place you are, it is better to go out of the road it really is not so wide. If you do not go out of the road, the vehicle behind you will wait but it is not pleasant especially for trucks loaded heavily and going up the hill. Luckily velocities of heavier vehicles here is no more than 20-25 m/h, and the traffic is very little.
OFF-ROAD BICYCLING
- no everyone loves it, but I am a fan of this type of bicycling. I know
many such roads, especially in the mountains, near the seaside, in the
plane part of the country too. Often I use it like "bypass",
sometime such roads help to avoid roads of heavy traffic.
Very convenient for a "wild camping" - no traffic, no any noise in the
night.
The
"Mountain type bike is comfortable for such kind of
touring. If wheels are equipped with nice rubber (not plastics) tires,
punctures are exceptions. But sometimes there are some challenges
broken bridges, stones, pools, mud
.. but it is worth doing, I am
absolutely sure!
Here are 3 photos we did 2003 in Rodopi mountain near the Greece border -long years it was forbidden for visits zone - toward a small remote village Mugla (no possible to reach this village winter time - 4 - 8 feet snow). The road follows an endless gorge, it is just behind the highest part of this mountain. Some of the bridges over the river were broken, often on the road there were rocks, we had to carry our bikes. Maya was a hero those days ..
HOW
TO BEHAVE ON ROADS IN BG.
You will be surprised, that drivers in BG
usually
are very patient and careful with bicyclists. They feel that
bicyclists are exposed to dangers, and usually low the car velocity passing near them. Most of
drivers
will horn briefly seeing you, which here means "hello", some of
them will salute you
by hand, but please do not do the same, hold your hand bar tightly! If you have some problems, most of them will want to help you.
So the only simple rule on the road is keep you close to the right white strip as you see on the photo. Please, follow this rule! Drivers (especially truck and buss drivers) will appreciate such a behavior very high. It is nice if the cycling group on the road is a compact one, I have noticed drivers are much more careful then.
DANGERS on the road
The best situation on roads is if God is by our side, but always nice to collaborate with Him as much as we can. My long year bicycling experience shows me, that if we have in mind several features on roads, our touring will be relatively save:
- I hate it, but the helmet is really the most useful equipment for the bicyclist. Always use it! Glasses are very useful too;
- NEVER bicycle in the dark part of the day, especially out of towns. Most of drivers have very very poor eyesight in the darkness;
- Bridges are places of a bigger danger. No possible to leave the road quickly if things are growing worse. Bicycle there as fast as possible, when you are assured there will be no cars on it. I always follow this my rule. Usually the scenerys down the high bridges are beautiful and some tourists, I have noticed it, like to photo staying on the bridge. Do it only if there is enough place to stay out of the band
- Tunnels are dangerous too, especially when the road passing into it is not a straight line, luckily only 2-3 such tunnels in BG;
- For a brief relax, stop only out of the road at well visible place from the both sides without any turns; when you go again on the road, there will be enough distance and drivers will see you are on the road again;
- If the situation impose to stop on the turn, try to imagine, where would go a fast driving car loosing control while turning (tangentially to the road curvature), and stay at the opposite side;
- Often dogs attack bicyclist, but they are only noise makers, do not be afraid and do not pay them attention, only keep pedal rotating - they will not bite you. If you keep your legs at rest, the dog is able to bite you. It happened to me summer 2004;
 |
- Often is possible a bee to string you. Do not try to remove it before stop bicycling! The bee will not kill you, but if you lose control of the bike, the result may be really deplorable; I think T-shirts fitted tightly to the body prevent the bee stringing to the great extent; as far as possible keep your mouth closed while bicycling a string inside it is really unpleasant, even dangerous some time. Some pills suppressing the allergy reaction always work in such a case; |
- VERY IMPORTANT: when passing near stopped car, always have in mind that somebody in it may open the cars door suddenly. If you are too close to the car and too fast, no enough time for any reaction, that really may kill you;
- Cross rails only perpendicular to them, other wise the bike may change its direction of movement suddenly, but not the one on it;
- Sometime it happens, I know, we went out of the road because we are not so careful. The reaction is to go again on the road immediately, but it is very very wrong reaction. Often the road is on a higher level, there is an edge the effect will be the same as in the previous point. You may fall down on the road, and nobody knows what will do the car driver behind you. ALWAYS STOP AND LOOK BACK BEFORE GOING AGAIN ON THE ROAD !!! .
The purpose of all I have written here is not to underline my big experience. I always feel responsible for bicyclists with me, but when we are on bikes, I am not able to do anything for them in a case of emergency, so, please, please be careful on roads !!! all another is in my hands. I do not believe this list counts all dangers on roads, debates here are always useful so please, SHEAR your experience! I will put here your thoughts concerning this subject !!!