Strange Hungarian Customs

[Lotsokids]

I bought an Audi TT here and today I went to the parts store to buy an oil filter. They demanded the VIN before they would sell me the filter. I had to go back out to the car and get the registration so they could look at the engine numbers [?] even though I told them it was a 1.8 turbo. It's not like there are 1.8 turbos that used a different oil filter - there's only one application. So I bought one, and from now on I will buy them on Ebay... like most of my other auto parts.

Also I added a dome light in my Trabant, which originally did not have one installed. A Hungarian friend told me today that for my technical inspection, I will be required to remove it because it is not original equipment.

A friend bought a Fiat Polski here and installed halogen headlights. They required him to install the dim yellowish original headlights to pass his inspection!

MAN this country sucks sometimes.

[Lotsokids]

More on the "please pass me" Hungarian culture...

Coming home from work today in my Audi, I was going pretty fast and coming up behind a car pretty hot. It was a training vehicle with a driver's ed student behind the wheel. As I got closer (rapidly), the car's right blinker came on and pulled off the road to the right about half way onto the shoulder. I thought they were turning right onto an approaching road, but when I passed, the car pulled left back over into my lane and continued on. I see this all the time. I probably tailgate too much, but the other drivers do whatever it takes to get out of my way. They wave me around, signal when it's clear for me to pass them, etc... What a concept. Exactly the opposite of most U.S. drivers. Now that I saw this action from a training vehicle, I assume it's taught as formal instruction.

Basically, if I drive fast, everyone else peels off to the right. Then after I pass and move right, I get passed by the 200 MPH Lamborghini, and everyone's happy!

[movenon]

Spent some time in Aviano, IT..  Same kind of rules. "Pull to the right as far as possable" (this includes your right wheel off into the grass or dirt). Flashing lights in your rear view mirror, pull over out of the way..... The cops have nice little ping pong size paddles they will hold up "requesting" you pull over. There partner has a sub machine gun.... pull over...  If your auto gets stolen and you do not have your vehicle papers and insurance on your person when the police show up then YOU are part of the problem. You can not tell the cops what to look for....... A lot of Americans die of G force injurys. They look ok but there heart or internal organs seperated upon impact. Brings a whole new concept of looking both ways before you enter a roadway.
When I was in Japan if the car in back of you honks his or her horn then they have the rightawy... So EVERYONE is allways honking there damn horn "just incase". In South Korea don't even think about driving, your not up to it...
I am told that in Russia IF you plead not guilty to a crime and are found guilty then the judge by law must sentance you to the maximun sentance for the crime. If you plead guilty then the judge has the authority to give you a very light sentnce, they probably figure you are owning up to the crime and not wasting there time. Its an interesting world. "When in Rome".......

[movenon]

Oh, I forgot. In Japan if there is a riot or large disturbance and the police show up they circle the crowd and EVERBODY inside the perimeter is guilty... If you are walking home with your fried rice in hand and you see a disturbace or large crowd then you have a descion to make. See whats happening, try to get though it before the cops show or go around the block and take a different route. The law is pretty simple. You are there you are guilty....
In Oman they have traffic cams and if they take your picture driving down the road on a cell phone its a 150.00 US fine. No appeal, the ownerof the car pays 150.00 US. They don't care who was on the phone the owner of the car pays. If rented you are consided the owner. No cell phone while driveing in Oman.... Pretty good for a place that 25 years ago didn't have any paved roads......

[Lotsokids]

"Car-Free Day"

I received a message at work yesterday notifying us of "Car-Free Day" in Budapest. It's a European observance of not using cars for transportation. That's all good and everything if you wish to participate. But we were told the Police have blocked off the main roads in Budapest, forcibly preventing driving whatsoever. I mentioned this to a Hungarian co-worker and he said "That's a good idea." I told him (jokinglly) that America has a bike-free day. Everyone is required to drive their car everywhere on that day, and you will be arrested if you are seen on a bike or walking.

Seriously, liberty is something not found in Eastern Bloc countries.

[Lotsokids]

Happy OCTOBER 15!!!

Our building at work finally got the heat turned on. Seems regardless of the temperature, the heat will not be turned on until Oct. 15.

It is also illegal to drive without snow tires after Oct. 15. We were told that if you are in an accident after Oct 15 without snow tires on your vehicle, you are automatically at fault.

[aviationfred]

Happy OCTOBER 15!!!

Our building at work finally got the heat turned on. Seems regardless of the temperature, the heat will not be turned on until Oct. 15.

That sounds a lot like how our Barracks was back in the 80's when I was in the service. The heat was turned on Oct. 15th. No more Air Conditioner. April 15th the reverse happened.

Fred

[Lotsokids]

What a beautiful sunset tonight - common here in Hungary. Complete with massive steaming pile of manure in the foreground.

Yeah, we're in the country!

[keand3]

Must say i had a couple of laughs reading your stories from Hungary.
It's strange how thees old eastern countries are compared to the rest of western Europa. The difference is big.
Heck, the difference is big even within western Europa :-)

Cheers.

[Lotsokids]

I took this picture today of this guy pulling his wife with his powered wheelchair... on the road, of course. Awesome.

[Lotsokids]

For lunch today I went to a restaurant and got some fried pork stuffed with chicken liver and peas. I'm a liver lover anyway, but WOW, that was good. Hey, don't knock it 'till you try it.

Slipping into a food coma now.......

[Lotsokids]

Went to pick up my pizza last night and this guy was performing. The video does not capture how LOUD it was.

http://s5.photobucket.com/albums/y177/Lotsokids/Hungary/?action=view&current=Performer.mp4

[Lotsokids]

Let's talk about cars for a minute.

I saw this "Caddylac" on the highway. Yes, a Volkswagen.



I took this picture this morning of a Camaro Z28. In the U.S. you see these all over, but this is the first and only one I've seen in the country (actually in ALL of my travels in Europe) since 2009. The reason? The buyer pays an additional 27% VAT on American cars imported here.

[Lotsokids]

Well, let me resurrect this post. I'll share 3 recent interesting stories.

- A friend went to a parts store here and needed to buy a turbo part for his VW Passat. They told him a mechanic needed to install it. Through the conversation, he realized they were not going to sell it to him to install himself. They actually made him promise that he would have a mechanic install the part before they would sell it to him! He agreed, then drove the car across the street and installed the part himself. They are MUCH more interested in rules than selling anything here.

- I changed the color of my Trabant from tan to red. I've been to the registration office, service shops, etc., and everywhere they look at me like I'm crazy, and they do not know what to do. Now I need to drive 45 minutes away to an office that will give me a form verifying my car is now red. THEN I can get it registered.

- I was renewing my insurance, and they said I underpaid by about $2. I reached into my pocket, but they stopped me and told me I needed to pay with a credit card. Whatever. So I move to the end of the counter near the security guy. My card sometimes does not swipe down, but works when it is swiped up. She swiped it down 3 times, then said the card was bad. I explained that she should swipe it the opposite way. "NO." was her response. I argued a little and told her it would work if she swiped it the other way. Again, "NO." This time also from the security guy. They started making a scene and I thought they would send me to jail. Their reaction was like, you cannot just go the opposite way. There's an embossed arrow showing the direction.

The theme of all this: There is NO LIBERTY HERE. My pastor spent some time in Budapest after the Berlin Wall came down. He told me before we moved here, "Communism has always been an enemy of liberty." They seem to be hanging on to the same way of thinking. You cannot just do what you want.

[fj1289]

Wow!  You would have been detained if you'd have tried to get them to wrap a plastic bag around it and swipe it!