No, I'm not talking of how physically large a person is, nor the color of their skin. I'm talking about how people apparently self-rate their importance on Kiev streets.
In the US, whenever you saw the big vehicles drive by with only a driver, you always joked that the driver was trying to compensate for a shortcoming elsewhere. Unless the driver was a woman. She must be compensating for some other type of shortcoming.
In Kiev, the top self-ranking goes to the "big and black". Everyone who owns a "big and black" definitely believes they are important. So, traffic rules can be ignored when the situation dictates. And they expect you to recognize their importance too. They will drive up the wrong side of the road if space permits, and sometimes if it doesn't. When they must merge back into traffic, they may sometimes signal their intention, but most often, they will just force their way over. If you just knew how important they are, you would immediately yield the right of way, or incur their anger. This also goes for making right turns from the left lane, or vice versa. Not surprisingly, they are just your common, ordinary road bullies, and will fume and sulk if they don't get their way. Out on the highway, they drive at a high rate of speed with their lights on, and when they come up behind you and blink their headlights two or three times, you just know they're important.
I've heard people here have pity on people driving old Soviet Ladas or Zhigulis should they be in an accident with someone "important". But my experience is different. Nine out of ten accidents I've seen in this town involve only cars that are big, are black, or big and black. People driving old Soviet models are content to leave enough time for the trip and take their time. Only people too important to follow the rules are involved in accidents, or so it seems.
Hey here's a thought. If you must be somewhere in an hour, leave an hour to get there. I'm really not all that impressed at you or your driver needs to compensate for your personal shortcomings.
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