When asked what side of the road people drive on over here my answer is "both." I'm sorry to report, but they are the worst drivers in the entire world. Traffic is in a constant battle for space and speed. Motorbikes cut in front of their much larger counterparts (taxis, SUVs, armored UN vehicles) like we are all playing a game of chicken at summer camp without consequences. Taxis rarely go over 25 km/hr and creep from left to right as though they have forgotten what they are doing. We merge from the left and right simply because we can. To complicate the situation, aside from the skills of the actual driver the roads have potholes the size and depth of small livestock, there are rarely stoplights, and roads that are one way are virtually never marked.
No matter where I go in Dili cabs always honk. The funny thing is if I need one, a honk doesn't always mean "I'm available to take you where you want to go." It could mean "Hi foreigner, my taxi is full but I'll just want to let you know how unavailable I really am- chew on that." Or, "Hey female- I acknowledge you waking on the road and wanted to let you know I am a man with a car full of my teenage friends. We smoke Indonesian cigarettes while driving and playing music so loud it would be against regulation at a Dead concert. Let's talk."
It's a veritable cornucopia of danger where, as a passenger, our (tinted) view of outside life goes on before us like we are watching a funny little movie.
That said- there is always an upside! Here are the things I am grateful for when getting in a taxi:
Note the multiple mirrors attached to the left side of the windshield. Though it appears visibility is desired, they are in fact only an accessory. We merge without consequence.
There are 2 visible air fresheners in the corner, one hanging from the mirror and 3 strung onto the backseat headrests (not pictured).
This taxi driver was the sweetest. I didn't get a picture but the red steering wheel cover matched the back seat cover which was a cute red racing stripe.
No matter where I go in Dili cabs always honk. The funny thing is if I need one, a honk doesn't always mean "I'm available to take you where you want to go." It could mean "Hi foreigner, my taxi is full but I'll just want to let you know how unavailable I really am- chew on that." Or, "Hey female- I acknowledge you waking on the road and wanted to let you know I am a man with a car full of my teenage friends. We smoke Indonesian cigarettes while driving and playing music so loud it would be against regulation at a Dead concert. Let's talk."
It's a veritable cornucopia of danger where, as a passenger, our (tinted) view of outside life goes on before us like we are watching a funny little movie.
That said- there is always an upside! Here are the things I am grateful for when getting in a taxi:
- Air conditioning. Yeah right.
- Functioning windows. I gave up on A/C long ago (I mean really).
- The driver acknowledges in some way (a nod, a facial movement- either smile or grimace, or if I am lucky some sort of audible noise- or even a combination of both!) that he knows where I have requested to be taken. (Though 50% of the time he is lying). And yes, every single taxi driver in Timor is a man so I will use the pronoun "he."
- I can open the taxi door from the outside. Having to reach your arm through the passenger side window (which may be rolled up and stuck at a very awkward level to actually reach the inside of the door handle) is always dirty and mostly unsuccessful which then requires having to go around the other side of the car to enter the cab (if this door is actually functional as well).
- I can open the taxi door from the inside. Though coat hangers and various forms of woven reeds do make great reconstructed loops that, when pulled at just the right angle, do open the door. This is also advantageous in the event of a fire so I am able to remove myself from the flaming piece of crap.
- There are fewer than 4 different types of competing scented air freshener. Dodging the various bags of scented rocks suspended from fishing wire across the sagging taxi fabric ceiling is tricky (though sometimes it is stapled back up to the foam ceiling in a pretty pattern, which is nice). These lovely swinging sachets of artificially flavored coconut, fruit punch and spruce really mix well together along with the cigarette smoke and lack of ventilation. Oh wait no they don't.
- Dry seats. It's rainy season and we have already established that windows don't roll up. Things are dusty. Rain and dust creates mud, especially on fabric. Try and explain that to your new colleagues on your first day of work.
- Visibility. The relentless heat of the tropical environment makes tinting and shading windows with various plastics and adhesives very popular. So popular that most taxis don't usually have full visibility out of the front of the car. I enjoy being able to see out of the entire windshield- but that is just me. It usually helps with that merging stuff that they don't do very well here either. Unfortunately I didn't capture a shot of the outside of the sunscreen which read to the public "Abuja." Why the capital city name of Nigeria was on this cab, I have no idea. But it was written in sparkly letters so, why not.
Note the multiple mirrors attached to the left side of the windshield. Though it appears visibility is desired, they are in fact only an accessory. We merge without consequence.
There are 2 visible air fresheners in the corner, one hanging from the mirror and 3 strung onto the backseat headrests (not pictured).
This taxi driver was the sweetest. I didn't get a picture but the red steering wheel cover matched the back seat cover which was a cute red racing stripe.
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