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Letter from Africa: Gambia's code of the road | Letter from Africa: Gambia's code of the road |
(about 8 hours later) | |
In our series of letters from African journalists, Sierra Leonean-Gambian writer Ade Daramy, who moved to live in The Gambia earlier this year, fastens his seat belt. | |
On moving to a new country, there many things to consider - learning the language always helps you get around. | |
But if you are a driver, learning the "road culture" is a must. | But if you are a driver, learning the "road culture" is a must. |
After six months in The Gambia I popped backed to the UK for a visit and felt oddly disorientated yet could not figure out why. | After six months in The Gambia I popped backed to the UK for a visit and felt oddly disorientated yet could not figure out why. |
It was only on my fourth day when I heard a solitary "beeeeep" as I was walking along that I exclaimed, "That's what's missing." It was the car horns. | It was only on my fourth day when I heard a solitary "beeeeep" as I was walking along that I exclaimed, "That's what's missing." It was the car horns. |
In The Gambia, a symphony of cacophony is so ever-present that a gap of four seconds would be considered an eternity. | In The Gambia, a symphony of cacophony is so ever-present that a gap of four seconds would be considered an eternity. |
As you can imagine, hearing a horn sound with such frequency indicates that Gambians have found many uses for it. | As you can imagine, hearing a horn sound with such frequency indicates that Gambians have found many uses for it. |
These include saying hello to friends - expecting the friends in a crowd of hundreds to know it is them being greeted. | These include saying hello to friends - expecting the friends in a crowd of hundreds to know it is them being greeted. |
Then there's the beep to warn pedestrians: "Don't you dare cross the road." | Then there's the beep to warn pedestrians: "Don't you dare cross the road." |
Drivers deem it wimpish to allow anyone to cross and it has surprised me that The Gambia has not produced more world class sprinters - as sprinting is only way get to the other side of a road. | Drivers deem it wimpish to allow anyone to cross and it has surprised me that The Gambia has not produced more world class sprinters - as sprinting is only way get to the other side of a road. |
You actually get crossly beeped at by other drivers when you give way to a pedestrian. | You actually get crossly beeped at by other drivers when you give way to a pedestrian. |
You may also be interested in: | You may also be interested in: |
Rarely do you hear a courteous beep. I have tried, without success, to find out if it is a chargeable offence to allow other cars to pull out in front of you. | Rarely do you hear a courteous beep. I have tried, without success, to find out if it is a chargeable offence to allow other cars to pull out in front of you. |
In fact, many drivers seem to prefer to crash into another car rather than allow it to go. | In fact, many drivers seem to prefer to crash into another car rather than allow it to go. |
This is borne out by the fact I have witnessed the result of an accident a day since January, just in the small area I live and work. | This is borne out by the fact I have witnessed the result of an accident a day since January, just in the small area I live and work. |
Top tips | Top tips |
So if travelling to The Gambia, here are some things to be wary of: | So if travelling to The Gambia, here are some things to be wary of: |
Above all, remember, as you climb in your car, to leave your good manners in the house - just as everyone else seems to do. | Above all, remember, as you climb in your car, to leave your good manners in the house - just as everyone else seems to do. |
More Letters from Africa | More Letters from Africa |
Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica | Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica |
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