Tuesday, January 1, 2013

21 RULES FOR THE ROAD (IN GHANA)

1. If your vehicle breaks down for any reason, leave it anywhere--right lane, left lane, or right in the middle of the road. Just leave it there until you have enough money or time to fix it. Whatever you do, don't pull off to the side of the road.

2. The ONLY part of your vehicle that must be in working order is the HORN. Headlights, tailights, brake lights, turn signals, closing doors or trunks, windshields and anything else is entirely optional.

3. You MUST honk your horn about every 30 seconds and it is mandatory to honk 10 seconds before any light turns green.

4. Turn left or right or make U-turns from any lane and from any direction cutting off traffic if necessary.

5. It is permissable to drive on the wrong side of the road if it suits you.

6. Pull over anywhere or anytime desired. Signaling is optional.

7. There is no limit to the number of passengers in your vehicle. The more the merrier.

8. It is permissable and even admired to pack and tie as much as is humanly possible in and onto your vehicle (roof, sides, back--wherever) and secure any item with rope, tape or string.

9. THE NOSE GOES! At any roundabout, intersection or even any street, the vehicle whose front end (nose)is ahead goes first--especially in traffic jams.

10. Never pull over to let other vehicles pass or allow anyone to merge in front of you. Always pull out, butt in or crowd--Remember THE NOSE GOES!

11. Drive with or without headlights after dark.

12. Hand signals and gestures out the window are encouraged (obscene or otherwise).

13. Two-lane dirt roads are the equivalent of 4-lane highways at anytime, so speed away.

14. If your muffler falls off due to potholes the size of Rhode Island, do not panic as you can purchase a used muffler on any street corner (and attach it with rope).

15. Religious captions on the back window are not mandatory but highly recommended.

16. Never plan ahead to purchase petrol (gasoline). If empty, just park on the side of the road near a filling station and line up with the hundreds of other vehicles (taxis) and wait for the propane trucks to arrive (sometimes for days).

17. Seat belts are not an option--they simply don't exist.

18. Rust is the new hot color!

19. Female drivers are discouraged.

20. Obstructions in the road (police barricades, potholes, goats, etc.) are to be ignored or simply driven around.

21. ALWAYS have an extra 50 cedis with you in case you are stopped by a police officer for any reason.

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