Driving in Ghana

A piture says more than a thousand words, right? Well, have a look at this one (which I snatched from a friend's friend's Facebook album), I'm sure you'll agree with me that indeed it does tell us more about the driving situation in Ghana, than a few sentences would.



The lack of functioning traffic lights, therefore policemen guiding traffic? Check!
Drivers' blatant disrespect of traffic lights/policemen/rules? Check!
A general disregard of policemen's authority (which can often be bought for a few Cedis? Check!
Our kokonsa (gossipy) nature, (look at the men moving in to see what exatly is happening)? Check!
Complete denial and refusal to accept being caught in the act (Because surely it's not me, the guy is atually attempting to reverse, no?)? Check!

However, I do feel we ought to commend the polie officer for his persistence in trying to force the driver to obey the law.

Happy Tuesday!

The Angry Pedestrian

I had heard of him before. Actually once when I was in Naa's car she pointed him out to me and that's how I was later able to recognise him. And today, as I turned into Labone Junction, I saw him in front of me, tall, shabby with a wild, determined look on his face. Just as I said to my mother: "That's the man who...", we suddenly locked eyes.

And of course I knew that eye contact meant I had made myself his next victim. As he flung his hand towards the car with force, I thankfully reacted quickly, swerved him and started speeding off. As I laughed at my lucky escape, I caught him in my rear view mirror - he had turned around and seemed to be following me, but at his pace I could relax, he'd never catch up.

Oh and by the way, the end of the sentence I started to my mother was "attacks people's cars!".

Dangerous driving

There are certain things that make driving in Ghana just a bit more dangerous than it has to be. For example, trotros and taxis stopping anywhere at any time, but also traffic lights not working. At times each of us has to cross major junctions simply by continuously edging forward, look left, right and straight then going for it and hoping for the best.

In the past few weeks I have noticed something even more dangerous. On two occasions, I've been at traffic lights where lights are working in one direction but not the other! Both times I have been on the main road where the lights have not been working. Knowing I have right of way, I'll sail through, only to see a car coming against me from the side, and then noticing the green light it has been given!

This happened at the Community 8/12 traffic light on Hospital road in Tema two weeks ago, and today at the junction Korle Lagoon to Mortuary road/Korle Bu to Makola. There, I was turning left from Korle Lagoon to Korle Bu when I saw a trotro coming against me. Thinking 'these crazy trotro drivers' I suddenly saw in my rear view mirror that he actually had a green light!

With all we have to deal with on the roads, isn't it a wonder we survive each day???!

Yesterday I had no internet access. Felt like I had left my best friend behind. Spent the whole day with Virgo but in the evening I actually longed to get back to my beloved internet. The slow and unreliable connection soon killed my need for an internet fix. This morning, as I opened my eyes, I stretched out for my laptop and tried again, two hours later...success! Think I am becoming a bit too attached to my own and other blogs, or maybe it was just a case of absence makes the heart grow fonder.

Had a very good discussion with Linda on Wednesday. She spent the whole day at my house and we discussed our experiences, which will be the topic of another post.

There was so much traffic in Accra yesterday. Virgo and I went to the Accra Mall (K - detta kopcentret fanns inte nar du och A halsade pa men ligger precis dar man kor upp pa motorvagen, fran Accra hallet).




From Labone to the mall, usually a ten minute drive at most, it took us about 50 mins there and 45 mins on the way back. We left Labone at 14:00 and were on our way back at 15:30, so not even rush hour! Actually, going back took much longer as we spent at least 20 minutes queuing to get out of the car park. We started our journey after a delicious lunch at Tante Marie, where I had couscous with chicken vegetable soup (they call it a soup, but it's more of a "gryta" or stew/casserole). Virgo, who ate fufu and palmnut soup crashed out as soon as we got into the car (how I wish I was one of those who could sleep anywhere at any time, of course, not whilst driving!), so I endured the whole journey without a proper travel companion, and AC that just wasn't working properly : (, but luckily being his car, at least it was an automatic.


ANYWAY, to make a short story long (as I so oft do), my point was that, something must be done about the traffic in Accra. To beat traffic, I leave my house before 6:15, although I start work at 8:30. If I leave five minutes later, I will be stuck at Tetteh Quarshie interchange for up to 45 minutes. It seems since August, traffic has doubled around there, which tells me that whilst the rest of the world is car pooling and looking at other options of eco-friendly transportation, Ghanaians are playing the game of how many cars can I stuff in my garage? I believe if you check in many households, there are more cars than people. I have to admit that in my own garden there are three cars and two persons who drive them (although oe of the cars actually needs to be laid to rest)!
When will we modify the city to allow for more bikes or better public transport. As I look at it, Accra allows for as much and as pleasant cycling as Gothenburg does. There are just enough hills and slopes to make for interesting bike rides, but as it is now, there are no bicycle lanes and cycling in Accra would be just too dangerous without them. Wouldn't it be wonderful, cheap and time efficient if half of the cars on Accra's streets were replaced by bikes, including the Danish designs that allow for an attached front carriage for children and shopping? A method of travelling that most people can afford (definitely more than those who can afford cars), no costs for servicing and fuel and after a while we'll be able to inhale fresh air. But to get there I think we may have to take matters into our own hands.

Don't be surprised if you catch me on the streets of Accra with a roller and some white paint, marking out my own bicycle lane.