I refuse to drive here --even a bike or scooter -more than 10min. from our home. There is no way to explain the way they drive here--but I want to try. First of all it is a "me first" way of life here. They will quickly tell you how they don't wait in lines --and driving is the same way. The white dashed lines that show the boundries of the lane --mean nothing here. Where it is 3 lanes --there will be 4-5 at all times --and even if there are no other cars on the road --strattling the lines --driving in two lanes is always done.
Today we took the van out --to the discount shopping area that takes us 20-30min. by scooter to get to. After an hour of driving we arrived. At one point a yellow vester directed us to the bus lane because of so much traffic --we followed the buses for a while before being able to get out of that gated lane. When we got almost home there was another (maybe #5) traffic jam at a intersection without a light or stop sign near out house. We sat for 30minutes --with cars and bikes and people, carts and horses stopped from all directions and everyone refusing to give an inch and more people ramming in from every direction -it was crazy! I walked home with the kids while Steve tried to just get to the side of the road to park until things got straightened out.
If you never make eye contact with someone you can do whatever you want --pull out in front of them --cut them off --walk in front of them at a green light --just make sure you never make eye contact.
My biggest fear is we will hit someone or hurt someone. When we bought our van we asked if they could install seat belts for the kids in the back --so far there has been "no solution" to ordering a few sets of seat belts --we are still looking and waiting... in the mean time kids have been flying out of seats like pinballs in the back. When I drive my 3 wheele scooter with kids on the back we use a bungee chord to strap them on --it's quite cute! A week or so ago there was a 3 wheele bike with two toddlers standing in the back and when the dad stopped one fell straight on his head on the pavement --you could hear his head hit. We have seen so many accidents with puddles of blood left behind.
Although I will never drive here...I LOVE to ride on the back of Steve's scooter with him. We dream of when we are old riding around on a Harley till we die --this is our preview of that! Even though I am getting bigger --at least once a week Steve takes me across town on his scooter for a date -our neighbors think we are crazy "safty first!" they yell at us every time. (I have started wearing a helmet since I am pregnant).
Today we took the van out --to the discount shopping area that takes us 20-30min. by scooter to get to. After an hour of driving we arrived. At one point a yellow vester directed us to the bus lane because of so much traffic --we followed the buses for a while before being able to get out of that gated lane. When we got almost home there was another (maybe #5) traffic jam at a intersection without a light or stop sign near out house. We sat for 30minutes --with cars and bikes and people, carts and horses stopped from all directions and everyone refusing to give an inch and more people ramming in from every direction -it was crazy! I walked home with the kids while Steve tried to just get to the side of the road to park until things got straightened out.
If you never make eye contact with someone you can do whatever you want --pull out in front of them --cut them off --walk in front of them at a green light --just make sure you never make eye contact.
My biggest fear is we will hit someone or hurt someone. When we bought our van we asked if they could install seat belts for the kids in the back --so far there has been "no solution" to ordering a few sets of seat belts --we are still looking and waiting... in the mean time kids have been flying out of seats like pinballs in the back. When I drive my 3 wheele scooter with kids on the back we use a bungee chord to strap them on --it's quite cute! A week or so ago there was a 3 wheele bike with two toddlers standing in the back and when the dad stopped one fell straight on his head on the pavement --you could hear his head hit. We have seen so many accidents with puddles of blood left behind.
Although I will never drive here...I LOVE to ride on the back of Steve's scooter with him. We dream of when we are old riding around on a Harley till we die --this is our preview of that! Even though I am getting bigger --at least once a week Steve takes me across town on his scooter for a date -our neighbors think we are crazy "safty first!" they yell at us every time. (I have started wearing a helmet since I am pregnant).
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