12/01/2016
WINTER DRIVING URGENT !!!
If you are planning on driving in Iceland during wintertime, PLEASE PLEASE get advice from your car rental people.
Iceland is a harsh place, our winters are hard and cold and many roads can get impassable in just a few minutes.
Even if the sun is shining and the weather looks beautiful, the wind can blow the snow in large heaps on the roads which make it very hard to drive.
Recent events have shown that if people run of the icy road or get stuck in the snow they may have to wait quite a long time for someone to help them if there is no danger to the people.
The police and rescue teams in Iceland ONLY help if there is danger to the people themselfes, you will have to call private companies to get them to help you at high cost to yourself.
Make sure your rental car has winter tires, ask your car rental for phone numbers you can call if you get into trouble and make sure you have warm clothes, a shovel and something to drink and eat in the car if you are planning on driving outside the cities in Iceland because if you get into trouble you may have to wait for several hours before someone rescues you.
If you are driving in cities and towns and your car gets stuck, usually the locals will help you get the car loose, but if you are unable to get help, leave the car and head for the next gas station or cafe and wait it off, be prepared that the car might get towed away if it blocks traffic or snow movers, contact the police if that happens to find out where you can get your car.
The law in Iceland is, that if a car is towing another car, the towing car is responisble for any damages that may occur on the towed car, because of these laws some icelanders are hesitant of towing stuck cars, since it could cost them large amounts if the towed car gets damaged, please respect this fact and dont get annoyed if someone, even driving a large truck is not ready to tow your car.
Sometimes a light push is enough to get your car unstuck, and icelanders usually do not hesitate to stop, get out of their cars and push other peoples cars, pay it forward and do the same, it gets your blood flowing and brings a smile to everyones faces.