Traffic in Luanda

Generally, beyond being a tourist or visitor, I'm interested in two topics in international communities - traffic and how waste is handled. I'll leave waste for another post. Ever since I was in Bali where the motorcycles carried families of six and buzzed around town like a with the chaotic rhythm of a provoked beehive, I've watched patterns of traffic and what the motorists' code is in any one city. Aggressive in some, courteous in others, and Paul might tell you "non-existent" in Houston. In Luanda, when there is traffic, there is a bit of a dance.

First, there aren't really many traffic lights. At major cross-roads, there are actually center boulevard-like blocks barriers. So the way to cross at a major cross road is to turn right, flip a u-turn (G-rated audience) at any one of the openings in the road (that are not at a cross road, and are intended for just that - U-Turns), and come back the other way, and take a right. It's ALMOST like that game that you played as a kid, where you were only allowed to turn your right.

So often there are three lanes of traffic either continuing on down the road, or merging to the left couple of lanes only to turn into traffic coming the other way. And you might wonder why it takes over 1.5 hours to get home? Drivers (motoristas) are very courteous. We let a few people in, then others let us in. Give someone a kind gesture that you're trying to get over two or three lanes, and they let you go (none of the angry "I'm not letting you in because this is MY space" that I've seen in so many places in the US and Canada).

The blue busses - nothing more than a Toyota Previa, or VW Westfalia-sized passenger van painted aqua blue and white carry up to 15 people at a time (not counting babies on laps). Generally the passage of these vans in traffic is facilitated by the passengers themselves. They will signal to other drivers to let them go, and once the sea of traffic has parted for them, a thumbs up meaning "fixe" (pronounced feesh), which means "cool."

However, this is all happening when traffic is moving a glacial speeds. When we actually have some room to go 60 km per hour or more, there is always someone who snuggles up to your bumper. I think because the city is so constrained with moving slowly most of the time, that when the opportunity exists to be free - motoristas take it.

Unfortunately, perhaps akin to an 18 year old drinking for the first time in college, not having had much opportunity to gradually experience driving fast leads to situations that get out of control. Thus far I've seen what could easily be two fatalities, both times, it has been in low congestion times, when speeding is more prominent, and on both occasions the outcome involved a single car and a telephone pole or lamp post. I took some pictures of the first so you can see what I mean.

I'm grateful that we have drivers, since it alleviates both Paul and my stress levels driving home in this traffic, and since we aren't used to it at all, we would probably have a tough time navigating it anyway. Regardless of where you are, please be diligent and courteous in your driving. The courtesy I see amongst Luandans on the road during congested times is role-model behaviour, but accidents like those I've seen can remind all of us that slowing down a little isn't a bad idea.

Ciao!!