If I had the power to change one thing about South Africa, I would change the way people drive. Anytime I cross the road in this country, be it in the village, in town, or in the city, I am in fear of my life. I take my first step with trepidation, moving first one foot off the curb, looking both ways and placing the other next to the first. I pause, look both ways again, and then yet again, because sometimes I still get confused about which way traffic comes from. If the coast seems clear (you can never really be sure), I boldly begin my agitated scamper across the street, when often times, some form of motor vehicle will come speeding past before I’ve had the chance to see or hear it coming. Like a panicked squirrel I’m stuck in place, not sure if I should make a break for it, or hope the car misses me as I’m frozen in the middle of the road. Intersections are the worst. Even if I’ve got the little green man on the traffic robot coaxing me on, it’s little assurance that I’m safe. More often than not cars will speed up to get through a stale yellow or a freshly red light, or take their foot off the break pedal before a light has turned green. I’m always on the lookout for these predictable drivers, but what gets me is the ones trying to turn. It won’t make a bit of difference if there are pedestrians in the damn crosswalk, if a driver wants to turn, he or she will turn, turn signal, or no turn signal. Again, I’m often stuck frozen in the middle of the crosswalk as cars careen around the corner into the lane I’m fervently trying to cross, missing me by mere inches. I always glare and try to make eye contact with the drivers who seem to have zero concern for my personal safety but rarely are they paying the pedestrian any mind. Pedestrians are not their concern. Pedestrian rights, it is clear, do not exist here. This became so starkly evident from the very beginning that I have long since taken to standing at a completely empty intersection until the light turns green, because you just never know when a car will zoom out of nowhere.
Being a passenger is usually no better than being a pedestrian. Riding in taxis I often find myself holding my breath and crossing my fingers, praying that we don’t crash. If we were to crash, there are no seatbelts to help me out. On many of the public minibus taxis, the seats are coming unhinged form the floor and I cling to the windowsill to prevent myself from being flung into the passenger in front of me. To taxi drivers, stop signs are only suggestions that are usually ignored as they speed at 20, 30km over the speed limit. On the highway, it is customary to pass in the lane of oncoming traffic, which can result in a terrifying game of monkey. I heave a sigh of relief when we have moved safely back into our correct lane. When taxis pull into a crowded taxi rank, full of both people and taxis, it’s every man for himself. The drivers will keep pushing through as people leap out of the road, just inches from being hit or squished between two taxis that leave no room when they park. When riding as a passenger in somebody else’s car, it is laughable to wear a seatbelt. I always click mine into place and am met with stares and a remark along the lines of, “are you afraid to ride in my car?” I usually mutter something about force of habit and the way I was brought up, not mentioning that I trust nobody’s driving in this country. It’s rare for a South African to buckle up unless the eyes of the police are upon them. Nor are babies and children strapped in. Rather they are held in the laps of passengers or sometimes on the lap of the driver and allowed to help “steer”. Unfortunately, drinking and driving is not uncommon in this country. On several occasions I have eagerly accepted a lift from somebody only to realize once we’re on our way that there is an open beer sitting in the driver’s cup holder.
Of course, not everyone is a frightening driver, and on rare occasions somebody will stop as they are turning into me and wave me on. Sometimes when I put on my seatbelt, the driver will do the same. But I am always cautious, and never trusting of those operating motor vehicles. I wish people would slow down, I wish people would respect the pedestrian and give him or her the right of way. I wish people would heed the stop signs and always wear their seatbelts.
I have always been leery of motor vehicles and didn’t get my license until I was 18 because I HATED driving. So I suppose it’s only natural that of all the other issues going on in this country like oh, say HIV/AIDS, TB, unclean water, etc. I would choose the driving to be most passionate about.
