A consumer's guide to drivers

 I love driving, but for my 2.5 years on Clove Island I never got behind the wheel of a car. I got to experience a lot of other drivers. So, for your perusal, I present to you a few of the driving types on my African scene:


1) Classic taxi driver: this guy is young, energetic, likes to smoke, and drives fast. Heavy on the accelerator, heavy on the brakes, fuel economy isn't really his thing. What is his thing? Women. Passengers are often delayed as he stops and visits with his various girlfriends along the way.

2) Family man taxi driver: a little older, this guy will double as a "school bus" driver, filling the back of his car with 7 or 8 little kids (in addition to an adult passenger or two) whom he delivers to each of their homes. He can often be seen chewing out small children any time they do something he perceives as unsafe (hands out the window, moving around too much, exiting the car into traffic...).

3) Private car owner type 1: this person cares about their car, so they drive carefully. (alternate read-- they barely know how to drive.) I can often walk faster than this person drives, especially any time there is an oncoming car.

4) Private car owner type 2: this person is a confident driver, but often careless. They'll talk on the phone while driving, text, watch music videos, and honk at people who don't move out of the way for them. On the plus side, they're more likely to offer free rides to random people who need them.

5) Motorcyclist: motos have the fortune of not getting caught in traffic as easily as cars... but on the flip side motorcyclists tend to weave in and out of traffic quite a bit. And goats in the road are a little problematic for them. Upside: speed. Downside: rain.

6) Cairo taxi drivers: I only spent 20 hours in Cairo, but that was plenty for getting a taste of the road systems. The Cairo taxi driver is a product of his environment. He creates his own lane in traffic, merging with other lanes any time there's a clear spot ahead. He drives fast, tailgates often, and uses his horn for great advantage. PTL for taxi drivers there, because that's one place I never want to be behind the wheel.