Of reckless Harare drivers

car stops without warning

another car just rushes past from nowhere

I learnt to drive in Harare a few years ago and got my licence here. Then it was a joy and I looked forward to every new morning when I would drive the short distance to work. I had a route: down chinamano avenue, turn right into Blakiston, turn left into Herbert Chitepo and down until I got to work. I was scared of the kombi drivers but i soon got used to their antics and before long I was venturing further downtown.

But now its a different story. Driving in Harare, any part of Harare is a nightmare! From the north of the city once you cross Herbert Chitepo you are in a war zone. If you venture further downtown, be prepared. You need gum guards, shin pads, knee pads, breast plates, and nerves of steel. Oh and your brakes should be really good otherwise you will end up stopping the car with your feet. You also need  a comprehensive insurance cover otherwise you can forget about keeping that pride and joy in mint condition.

What with the bank loans available to everyone and the cheap Japanese imports, everyone has a car now. Used to be the car in front of you was a Toyota, now it could be a vw or a Mercedes Benz. There is a plethora car makes on the roads. Anyway that is beside the point. There is a crop of drivers that has never been seen before on the roads. Corrupt VID officers are unleashing vehicular murderers on to the roads. And the congestion! And the recklessness!

Don't get me started on the recklessness!  The other day I needed to get my sewing machine repaired and had to take it to the repair shop down Leopold Takawira. I crossed Jason Moyo  and the nightmare really began. The strip between Jason Moyo and Robert Mugabe has become a loading area for the city/Avondale unregistered operators and it took me 20 minutes to cross that stretch. The drivers are reckless and I counted at least 10 traffic violations by the drivers in the time it took me to cross to Robert Mugabe.

And where are the people who enforce the law? Busy extorting money from motorists at the corner of Herbert Chitepo and Second street!

peace,

fadz