These rules are not comprehensive or exhaustive, but they should generally keep you out of trouble. Police stops and corruption are an unfortunate part of travel in Central Asia. These tips should help minimize the problems.
- City speed limit 60 kph unless otherwise marked.
- Between towns 90 kph
- Any time you see a town limit sign, you must slow to 60 kph, there will not be a separate speed limit sign.
- Special zones are usually marked 40 kph, those signs are good until the next intersection unless a specific distance is noted.
- No right turn on red.
- Watch out for pedestrians in crosswalks. As soon as someone steps off the curb, police start to stop cars that proceed across the crosswalk. Once the pedestrian passes you, you can go. This applies for intersections as well. Watch for blue signs indicating crosswalks and for “zebra stripes” on the road. Police like to sit behind crosswalks where pedestrians are obscured by trees and other objects, so be careful.
- Police must have a video clearly showing your car going over the speed limit if they stop you for speeding.
- Typical fines are 1000-3000 som.
- The rules regarding fines change frequently. At this time the police cannot take your license, they have to write you a ticket. It appears that apart from bribes, you cannot pay on the spot anymore. Call us if you have a problem with police.
- ABSOLUTELY NO ALCOHOL. If you have a beer with your lunch or dinner you cannot drive. If police can even slightly smell alcohol you are considered drunk.
- Try to avoid blowing in the breathalyzers as they are generally rigged and will show you as drunk even if you aren’t.
- Police will be standing on the side of the road and will waive you over if they want you to stop. You have the right to record what they are doing. You can also get us on the phone.
- If they ask for your passport, they mean the cars technical passport, give them the car registration documents.
- Do not show police the rental contract, while legal, it means money was involved and then they usually want some.
- Bishkek and the major highways now have an automatic camera ticketing system. The following are common mistakes:
- Not slowing before entering a village
- Being in the wrong lane (many intersections only have the signs right at the intersection)
- Not stopping completely behind the “стоп” white line. If you are across it before the light turns yellow you have the right to complete your maneuver.
- A new innovation in Bishkek, if you see an intersection with a cross hatch of lines in it, you will be ticketed for stopping for more than 5 seconds in the intersection unless you are turning.
- Not letting pedestrians cross
- Speed limits have a 10 kilometer per hour buffer, so fines in a 40 zone should start at 50.
- Fines may arrive for 1-2 months after your trip