Guidelines for Crossing the Street in Tehran

Updated: 29 August 2018

To the foreign eye, driving in Iran may seem like sheer anarchy, but once you’ve spent time here, you realize there’s an underlying harmony in the chaos. You might think Iranian drivers are terrible, but it’s the fact that they are prepared for absolutely anything at all that actually makes them… rather remarkable. Having said that, crossing the street as a pedestrian is another matter. In fact, you can count “crossing the street” as one of your adventures in Iran because it is a heart-pumping, adrenaline-inducing experience. Over these years, I’ve come up with some guidelines for crossing the street in Tehran that may help ease your fears.

But first: What makes me qualified to write this

Do you drive?

I should add this question to the list of questions Iranians ask me all the time. No, I do not drive in Iran mainly because:

1. The last thing Tehran needs is another car…
2. …and even if I did have a car, where would I park it?
3. You need nerves of steel and the patience of a saint to drive here.
4. Because I learned how to drive in the US and am used to following the rules and the rules being followed, I think I’d actually be more dangerous on the road.

So basically, I take the BRT, the metro, Snapp, and shared taxis to get around. And more often than not, I walk. It’s a chance to both explore the city and get exercise. But because I walk so much, one of the things that used to be a cause of daily stress for me was crossing the street.

From tourist to local

When I used to visit Iran, I always crossed the street with a relative who would hold my hand. And in an act of complete selflessness, my cousins would walk on the side of me that cars were coming, and then switch sides at midpoint so they would [literally] take the hit in case (zabunam lâl) anything happened. But when I moved here and was on my own, my strategy was to time my pace with another person and then nonchalantly cross with them. It took me a good 3 years to feel more comfortable crossing the street. Now 4 years later, I cross like a pro. The defining moment was when my best friend was visiting, and we had to cross the maelstrom of traffic around Azadi Square. Midway through the street, she ran back, too afraid to continue. That’s when I started yelling at her over the cacophony of the traffic for breaking the cardinal rule: NEVER step back. After that, she basically did a trust fall in the form of closing her eyes and letting me guide her across 4 lanes of oncoming traffic. It was at that moment that I realized I had become a true Tehrani. But I admit, I’ll still try to cross with someone else at any given opportunity (safety in numbers). All this experience has allowed me to notice patterns. So without further ado…

Here is My Persian Corner’s foolproof guide to crossing the street in Tehran:

Don’t expect anyone to give you the right of way

As a general rule of thumb, cars have the right of way. If you stand on the side of the street, you’ll be standing until tomorrow morning. Seriously. Unless you stick out like a sore thumb (meaning you have blonde hair, are wearing a long shirt instead of a manteau, and/or clearly have trouble managing your headscarf) and someone takes pity on the khâreji (foreigner), no one will stop for you, and taxis will honk at you because they think you need a ride. You have to take a deep breath and a leap of faith.

Don’t even expect anyone to slow down for you (even at the crosswalk)…

…because if anything, they will speed up. I can’t tell you how many times the driver has sped up after he saw me step into the street and then slammed on the brakes when he saw the sheer terror in my eyes like a deer caught in the headlights (either that or the diye– blood money- he’d have to pay was the motivating factor).

Always make eye contact with the driver

What the US calls “distracted driving” is just called “driving” in Iran. Next time you’re on the highway, take a look around. Almost every last driver has their cell phone in their hand. It’s either browsing My Persian Corner’s awesome photos on Instagram, sending a message, or following their GPS. So with all this going on, it’s important to always make eye contact with the driver to be sure they see you.

NEVER step back

The rule my BFF broke. Always walk forward. If you must, stay in place, but do not ever go backward. You have to go and stop, go and stop. It’s like a video game.

One-way streets mean nothing

Because there’s always someone who says, “ye kuchulu khalâf mirim dige…” (we’ll just do a small illegal move here…) and will either go down a one-way street or back up on the highway. So look left, look right, and look left again, and while you cross look right, look left, and look right again until you make it safely to the other side.

Even if there is a pedestrian light…

…watch out for motorcycles. Cars will stop well behind the line in order to avoid paying a heavy fine. Motorcycles, however, will cross, so be on the lookout.

Watch out for the blue trucks

If you remember nothing else, for the sake of your loved ones, remember this one. These merciless beasts (known as naysân) are more like tanks. Do not budge if you see one coming.

Women will never stop for you

If there’s a woman behind the wheel, stay put. I hate to say this and not have my fellow sisters’ backs (whatever, they sure as hell don’t have mine, so I’m calling them out), but it’s true. I have yet to have a female driver slow down or give me the right of way. And everyone I have run this idea by wholeheartedly agrees with me.

Old men won’t stop either

I think elderly men are at an age where they don’t care anymore and expect YOU to stop for THEM. It’s rare to never that they’ll stop for you.

If a car honks or flashes its lights at you…

…it means don’t move. They are actually signaling to make sure you see them and don’t try to cross.

The better the car, the worse your chances of crossing

Luxury autos- BMWs, Mercedes, Porsches, Maserati, etc.- and most SUVs won’t give you the right of way- ever. On the chance that they slow down, rest assured, it’s only because they are checking you out (and want you to check them out in their fly ride), not because they intend to let you cross. Do not misunderstand this.

Well geez, Pontia, so who will let you cross?

Usually, young guys (in their 20s and 30s) driving a Peugeot 206 or other models of Peugeot. It’s only these guys who, in the past, have not only slowed down but also waved for me to go, thereby assuring me that I can cross. (And after I give a wave of thanks, my immediate thought is, “Huh, he must have spent some time abroad somewhere…”. Sad, but true.) Sometimes young guys driving Pride or other Iranian made cars will let you cross, depending on their mood.

Taxis are another story. They’ll let you cross, but without stopping or slowing down. They drive around you. Time is money and they have passengers, my friend. You’re in the way.

When all else fails…

…play the role of traffic police and stick out your hand to stop cars. They will then be aware that they need to slow down (and will- just enough to let you pass, anyway).

A word about motorcycles

They have their own rules

The farther south you go in Tehran, the greater the number of motorcycles. You may not even realize this because your ears will quickly become accustomed to their constant buzz. It’s only once you leave this area that you’ll notice it’s a bit quieter. Motorcycles march to the beat of their own drum. They cross red lights, weave in and out of cars, go any which way on the street, and best of all…

…Motorcycles also use the sidewalk

They’ll creep up behind you and then honk for you to get out of the way. So prevalent is it that many sidewalks have metal and concrete poles in the middle to prevent motorcycles from driving there. One time, the guy kept a safe distance behind me and eventually went into the street when he realized the sidewalk was actually more crowded. Another time, the guy was polite enough to say “excuse me”, so I let him pass. Otherwise, depending on my mood, I like to block their way just to piss them off.

But with all of this, I must admit that sometimes, I do understand the drivers’ POV

The driver that speeds up instead of slowing down when he sees you on the crosswalk? Yah, I kind of understand him. I’ve noticed that when they do let a pedestrian cross, that person will take their sweet time, thereby frustrating the driver (who’s always in a hurry). And then the driver in the car behind will honk at the first driver for holding him up because he was trying to be a good Samaritan. And that sets off a chain reaction where the driver won’t stop for anyone anymore. It’s a lose-lose situation. In the US, you jog and try to cross a little faster and not hold anyone up. Basically, you try to work together with this person who was kind enough to let you pass. Not so much in Iran. To add to that, most people will cross anywhere on the street, not just the crosswalk. And I’ve seen countless instances of careless pedestrians texting while crossing a busy intersection or not even bothering to check for cars. Which is why, sometimes, I do get why the drivers are such jerks.

These guidelines for crossing the street in Tehran can also be applied to other cities in Iran, but believe it or not, I find Tehran easier. I find that in smaller cities, there’s a higher volume of cars in a smaller area, plus the added competition of bicycles and even more motorcycles. But then again, maybe I’m just used to the rhythm of traffic in Tehran.

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