Yesterday I looked over to see exactly how fast my cab was racing down the road and only became confused by the kilometre readings on the dial. Today I looked over and had to contain my laughter when I saw that the speedometer didn’t even work! Later in the same day I found myself feeling increasingly thankful for my up-to-date tetanus vaccination when I climbed in a car that’s interior seemed to have been removed years ago – based on the rust and exposed jagged edges on the doors! Cab fares here have fixed rates since there are no meters, so sitting on someone’s lap won’t save either of you any money, but you will get where you’re going! With the holidays approaching there’s a great amount of inflation occurring as the demand for transport is increasing so the driver’s are able to demand more for the same route. Sometimes a L$30 ride will become a L$50 ride if the driver feels like it. Luckily though, if they’re inflating the price they announce it as your board the car so you do have the opportunity to get back out and wait for an undetermined amount of time until you find an open spot in another car (an opportunity that I have seized several times this week). But every once in a while it’s worth an extra L$5-10 to just be on my way home, out of the sun and sitting down. Sometimes I pass by cabs that have chickens riding along...I’m yet to ride with a chicken but am eager for the excitement it probably adds!
The communal cab rides are something that I continue to support – and may advocate for some day in the US (except that Americans are real funny about their space, you know what I’m talking about!). I’ve noticed that they often create opportunities for great community discussions between strangers – sometimes based on the radio’s broadcasts (they have several NPR-like stations here) and other times based on the behaviours of locals. Earlier this week I listened in while riders discussed recent violence that erupted at the Firestone rubber plantation; I was intrigued by the different perspectives on the event. Last week when climbing into a cab there was a man pushing up against my purse, I couldn’t tell at first what he was doing but I immediately registered it as not good/normal so I grabbed my bag and hurried to get in the car and shut the door, checking instinctively to make sure my cash and cell phone were still where they belonged. Before I could even say anything, a woman in the cab was going on and on about ‘What was he doing with your bag? Trying to put a flower in it?’ and there was also a man outside the car who I heard telling the man to move along and stop bothering people. After much discussion among my fellow car-riders (me mostly listening) it was determined that he was (perhaps harmlessly) trying to put some fake flower on my bag but that he should know better and leave other people alone. I was amazed by how outraged the other passengers were, but also immediately felt comforted knowing that people here really are looking out for each other.
I encourage you all to share a cab at least once in your life! I don’t think you’ll regret it!
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