20. There is a concept of special services vehicles on Latvian roads. These vehicles always have a priority comparing to other road users. Special service vehicles are the ones that move with flashing beacons turned on. These are ambulances, fire engines and police cars. Other vehicles should always give way to them.
21. Special service vehicles have their own lane – the extreme left one. Other drivers should avoid occupying it without any special need. When driving on a highway, try to keep as close to the right as possible, and occupy the left lane only for maneuvers.
Renting a Car in Latvia - Recommendations
If you need a car with an automatic transmission, it is recommended to book it in advance. Cars with automatic transmissions are often sparse in Latvia, so the rental confirmation may take a longer period.
When selecting a specific model for traveling throughout Latvia, we recommend to take into consideration some practical apects. If you are going to drive mostly in the cities, then a car of a small size is preferable, while for long distance trips (and trips in the mountains) we recommend to choose a larger and more powerful car.
Prior your car retrun, please clean the salon from a garbage, and do not forget to take away all your belongings from the passenger compartment.
At the car return time, please ask the officer to make a visual inspection of the vehicle for defects and to sign the acceptance report. Keep the invoice and the acceptance report for next few months.
22. Cyclists have a number of advantages in Latvia. They can move on all lanes, as well as enjoy the rights of pedestrians. This means that motorists must give way to cyclists at unregulated crossings.
23. In spite of the fact that the number of cyclists in Latvian cities is quite large, you will rarely see special lanes for cyclists. Most cyclists have to move on roads and sidewalks, and some sidewalks are even specially made for both pedestrians and cyclists.
24. Local people are very concerned about their environment, so it is simply impossible to leave a car with the engine running in a residential area. Only short stops with running engine are possible (no more than 5 minutes) - to load and unload passengers.
25. In residential areas, there are many narrow and winding roads, so it will be quite hard to navigate in such a “maze”. However, the fact that the quality of roads in cities is quite good makes the situation simpler.
26. Local motorists are not characterized by any display of aggression. They drive very carefully and always comply with the traffic regulations. Foreign guests must also respect local rules of the road and treat others with respect.
27. You will find it very difficult to travel in historic districts of large cities. Not all streets are open to public travel. In Riga, you can enter the historic center only if you have a special permit. Needless to say, for usual tourists it is literally impossible to get the permit. It is also very difficult to find parking in historic districts. You will need this permit to be able to use certain parking areas.
28. Rickshaws have become popular at the height of the tourist season on roads of Jurmala. For the first time this type of transport appeared in the resort in 2004. The main task of unusual vehicles is to serve tourists, as many of them adore a leisure ride on the environment-friendly transport.
Popular cities in Latvia with OrangeSmile.com rental points