Driving In Nigeria

Thank God it's Friday!!!

Hope your week was fruitful, and you achieved a larger percentage of all you set out to achieve this week? Well, if you didn't, don't beat yourself up about it.

When I visited Dubai, one of the things that amazed me was how calm the cab drivers seemed;
everybody was just driving smoothly, no honking of horns, they all patiently waited at a traffic sign, etc. Hmmmm... I couldn't help but compare it to the way we drive in Nigeria. See, we are a peculiar people, I swear; we seem to take delight in two things while driving: indiscriminate honking of our horns, and disobeying traffic rules. Something about the Nigerian roads will turn you into a mad person, lol.

There are the sane drivers, like moi *winks, lol, then there are the mad ones. You'd see some drivers driving slowly, but when they see that you're about to overtake them, they increase their speed and fly away. Why? Is it a competition?? Someone would be driving slowly, and once he/she sees that the traffic light has turned yellow, about to change to red, watch and see how he/she would speed up like a bat out of hell. I bet that those people who beat traffic lights and disobey traffic wardens feel they're the cool, smart people, right? If only they know how irresponsible and foolish they appear to be.

Some drivers are the ones I call the 'follow-follow' type; they won't be the first to break the traffic rules, but once another driver breaks the rule, they follow suit immediately, as if they were waiting for who'd be the first to make a move. The road rage is something else. You hear all sorts of abusive words in various languages from the drivers. Even the hot guy or babe you're admiring behind the wheels of a sleek car would break forth and spew all sorts of abusive words if another driver crosses him badly. It's incredible. 

Driving varies from city to city in Nigeria o! The way you drive in Abuja is definitely not the way you'd drive in Lagos or Port-Harcourt. My friend who was a very calm driver in Abuja moved to Lagos and became a maniac on the road. I was shocked the first time she picked me from the Airport and was zig-zagging through Lagos traffic, and when I questioned her she replied that if she didn't drive like that she'd get hit by other drivers, lol. No dulling on Lagos roads.

In Nigeria, there's nothing like 'speed lane' and slow lane anymore, you'd see someone driving with the 'L' sign on a speed lane, or a tricycle crawling on the speed lane. Often, drivers overtake from the right side or the slow lane. So, don't go expecting that truck or the slow car to get off the speed lane so you'd overtake them. If you see space from any side, please move on and leave them.  They say you have to do the driving for four people while driving in Nigeria: yours, the person in front of you, the one beside you and the one driving behind you, and it is true. Don't assume the other drivers know what they're doing o!That assumption is to your own detriment o! Assume they're all mad and you're the only sane person, that way you'd be extra careful and extra vigilant.

Ever noticed how the road blocks in seconds in the absence of a traffic warden or a functional traffic lights? Then you'd see that human beings are actually animals. Impatience, lack of coordination and disorderliness become the order of the day. In Nigeria, you'd see a mad man at a junction, controlling and coordinating how supposedly sane people drive and they'd obey him; isn't that just ironic? Hahahahah...Warning, never struggle for space with a cab driver, or a car that has different colours of paint on it. I bet you he has nothing to lose by scratching your car. Avoid them like a plague, those few seconds it'd take him to pass won't kill you. 

For me, the best cure for road rage is music, yes. Once I'm driving and listening to good music of any genre, I hardly pay attention to the nonsense they're driving before, beside or behind me. I just give you space to fly past, and surely you'd see that driver at the next traffic stop. You then wonder where he was flying to in the first place. Why the rush? In my opinion, if it is not a medical emergency, or security emergency, there's no need to drive like demons are pursuing you. I had always thought that owners of luxury cars didn't drive them recklessly; we had this assumption that once you see a person driving a fine car recklessly, he/she couldn't be the owner. Now, I must confess my view on that has changed, owners of luxury cars drive them as recklessly as the rickety cab who have nothing to lose if they scratch your car.

What's your been your experience with drivers in Nigeria? Care to share in the comment section? 

Enjoy ya weekend

Peace...