Tuesday, October 18, 2011

The only time I have ever found a traffic jam interesting

Abuja isn’t big on traffic lights. Don’t ask me why, but if the standard of driving here is anything to go by it’s probably got something to do with the fact that everyone would just ignore them anyway (you just buy a driving licence here, there are no driving tests). So instead of traffic lights, at major junctions there is a person in uniform stood directing traffic. I guess the thinking is that it’s harder to ignore a person stood in uniform telling you to stop than it is to ignore a red light. I appreciate this isn’t very interesting. Bear with me. Last Saturday we were sat in a cab in a traffic jam (or a hold up as they’re called here) when I looked out the window and saw one of the traffic guys doing something a little different. I didn’t have my camera on me, but my housemate managed to find this video on youtube and it is without a doubt the same guy. There cannot be two of them in Abuja. We drove back past him a few hours later and he was still going strong, despite the heat. He’s awesome. I almost hope we get stuck in more traffic jams when he’s on duty.

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