Driving standards around the world vary hugely. As frustrated as you might be with old grannies driving at 20mph or being stuck behind some muppet in the middle lane of the M1, it's nothing compared to the shenanigans they get up to around the world.
In Vietnam, where motorbikes are the vehicle of choice, they approach intersections without touching the brakes, and effortlessly cross three other paths of traffic without so much of a prang - for the most part anyway. It's like watching the Red Devil Motorcyle display team - nothing short of genius.
In Bolivia, you drive like it's a computer game. Foot to the floor, no attention to lights or pedestrians, and a small bump here and there in a traffic jam goes completely unnoticed.
Indians are probably the most renowned bad drivers in the world. They can turn a two lane carriageway into four, they overtake on the outside of a bend with a cliff edge centimetres away, and they have no regard for pedestrians or 'sacred' cows. The locals say it's more important to have a horn than brakes.
As different as they are, they all have one thing in common - an unshakeable belief in fate. In the Middle East, they say 'Inshallah', or God Willing. When I try to reconcile this I find myself torn. On one hand it seems sheer madness to literally gamble your life and put your foot to the floor, based on some belief in a pre-ordained path set out for you by a higher being.
On the other hand, it seems quite sensible. Why worry? Just do your thing, and if you get smashed to bits, then so be it. It could happen at anytime anyway....
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment