As my theme for NaBloPoMo, I am reflecting on thirty things I've learned during the past two years living in Egypt.
Traffic in Cairo is appalling . More than four million cars, and no palpable traffic law enforcement.
Brent has written about his adventures riding in some of Cairo's estimated 80,000 taxis , many of which are 40 years old. Nadia came in to work one day and announced, "I just saw 12 people die" in a minibus crash.
Sesame Street has pitched in to try to stem the tide of death. New laws have recently been passed .
Awareness is increasing, but the results are perhaps not quite as intended, as we witnessed while driving on the Ring Road one day:
We saw a driver putting on his seat belt. He used both hands to pull the safety belt around him. That meant he had both hands off the steering wheel as he accelerated away from the curb across eight lanes of traffic.
A motorcyclist strapped on his helmet using both hands. He chose to do this while entering the freeway and simultaneously balancing a briefcase on his lap as he accelerated.
Ben spoke to an Egyptian colleague who said that nothing will really change until the fathers change their own driving style and teach road safety to their children. Maybe instead of Sesame Street, safety progams should be broadcast during football halftime?
Traffic in Cairo is appalling . More than four million cars, and no palpable traffic law enforcement.
Brent has written about his adventures riding in some of Cairo's estimated 80,000 taxis , many of which are 40 years old. Nadia came in to work one day and announced, "I just saw 12 people die" in a minibus crash.
Sesame Street has pitched in to try to stem the tide of death. New laws have recently been passed .
Awareness is increasing, but the results are perhaps not quite as intended, as we witnessed while driving on the Ring Road one day:
We saw a driver putting on his seat belt. He used both hands to pull the safety belt around him. That meant he had both hands off the steering wheel as he accelerated away from the curb across eight lanes of traffic.
A motorcyclist strapped on his helmet using both hands. He chose to do this while entering the freeway and simultaneously balancing a briefcase on his lap as he accelerated.
Ben spoke to an Egyptian colleague who said that nothing will really change until the fathers change their own driving style and teach road safety to their children. Maybe instead of Sesame Street, safety progams should be broadcast during football halftime?
Tags: life in Egypt
