Portugal's dangerous roads

[Vakond]

We have just recently got back from Santiago after completing Camino Portuguese.

We had a good time, met many lovely people seen many nice things but also had couple of annoyances too.

I have done this route 4 years ago by myself and I did it in the most minimalistic way. I slept under the stars, didn't go to many albergues, just to have my washing done...etc.
Since I found many changes around here but one thing didn't change and that is the speed driving.

Camino Portuguese unfortunately involves quite a significant amount of walking on or next to main roads. This is exhausting and very dangerous. Cars and camions speeding by, didn't slow down, on many occasions we had to jump into the bush to avoid any collision!

Especially walking out of Porto can be a very tricky start to your journey...

We have to bear in mind that Portugal has the highest road accident rate in Europe!

So, please be careful and hope that the culture of driving will eventually change...

K

 

[jeff001]

On some of the narrowest stretches I carried a stick held out toward the traffic to force the cars to keep their distance. I think some were trying to see how close they could come. At one point my pack was brushed by the mirror of a passing truck. You do need to take care and try to walk on the outside of the sharp corners even if it means crossing back and forth across the road.

 

[peregrina2000]

I haven't walked from Porto to the border, but Lisbon-Porto is almost entirely on a road of some kind. But luckily on this section there isn't much danger, just the discomfort of having to walk on asphalt all the time. I do remember a couple of stretches along the side of a heavily trafficked national highway, but the shoulder was very wide so there wasn't much danger. I have walked on much more dangerous segments on other Caminos, but the problem with Lisbon-Porto is the unrelenting nature of the road walking. It does take a toll.

As far as the driving culture in Portugal, I wouldn't hold my breath. I don't know what happens, but the very nice Portuguese people turn into demons behind the wheel.

Buen camino, Laurie

 

[Anniesantiago]

ROFLOL! I'm Portuguese and I've been called a demon behind the wheel.. once or twice! ::laughing::

 

[hel&scott]

Camino Portuguese unfortunately involves quite a significant amount of walking on or next to main roads. This is exhausting and very dangerous...K

We have heard this and you have just reminded me to get the reflective tape I need for my pack as we found on the Camino Frances and Via del la Plata you tend to start off on the road early in the morning leaving towns and can be hard to see in the gloom...

And it's not just Portuguese drivers you have to watch out for, here at home training for our next walk we have to watch out for the local kiwi drivers who also seam to think the roads / paths are there for their exclusive use.

 

[mmonomm]

hi,

i walked from Porto this May, and tried to wear colorful clothes especially on the road i had no problems. even truck drivers stopped to help me get the direction

 

[periperi]

I thought it was me that was dangerous on these roads- as an Aussie used to London, the light tricks me into thinking the cars will be driven on the left hand side of the road by right-hand drive cars- I regularly get freaked out by people being passengers in driver-less cars..

But on this subject, someone had given me a Portuguese car-flag to attach to my pack (they'd been worried about how badly I cross roads, but it was just that I was trying to keep up with a Spanish/Italian crowd who didn't need to pause to think where the cars would come from). It has the advantage of being red and so visible to other drivers, but whilst it's a friendly gesture (as well as safety measure and connection with my pilgrim family) I feel like a bit of a fraud carrying it, and I hate disappointing Portuguese-speakers who approach me to chat as my language skills are so limited.

Does anyone have a view on this? Ideally I'd find an Aussie flag (preferably an aboriginal one which has a lot more red), but the only ones I can get are full-size. I did try carrying a bright bandana last time, but the sun bleached it so quickly it lost its value as a hazard warning.