Olaolu Beckley

So for anyone who drives in Lagos I’m sure you will agree with my thoughts on driving in Lagos. Is it the horrendous traffic?! Thankfully God has delivered me from enduring that commuting to and fro for work ( I don’t take it for granted at all!).

Asides from the traffic, some of the things that irritate the life out of me are delineated below:

 Taxi Drivers

Two things are involved when you drive behind a taxi driver, especially if there isn’t a passenger inside the taxi:

1. He drives incredibly slow because he is on the lookout for a passenger, and God help you if you are unable to overtake. Sometimes I deliberately drive behind an empty taxi just to prove to myself that I can be patient (consciously working on that virtue). And when I can’t be, I utilise my horn as much as I can.
2. The taxi driver suddenly applies his brakes because he has seen a passenger! Hopefully, your own brakes are in good condition, so that you can equally apply your brakes quickly, and then say a little prayer for the driver behind you hoping he/she has good brakes too and doesn’t hit you!

Danfo Drivers

Ah! Where do I even start from with these guys?! They stop right in the middle of the road to pick up or drop off passengers, they hardly ever indicate when they want to make turns and they are the worst when it comes to traffic. I have learnt to leave them to God when they bully their way into my lane in traffic. In the time of ignorance, I would drive roughly, preventing them from entering my lane, but after having to re-spray my car a couple of times, I have been humbled.

Okada Riders!

I have zero tolerance for Okada riders! What I dislike the most is when they try to squeeze their way in traffic, knowing fully well they stand the chance of scratching peoples’ cars or hitting their side mirrors. They also have this annoying habit of springing upon you when you least expect it! Of course, they are the most impatient set of road users. They see a car trying to reverse and they  would rather quickly go pass the car as opposed to waiting for the car to just reverse! There are many moments when I literally gasp when I see some of the stunts these Okada riders pull on Lagos roads!

         Pedestrians Crossing The Road

Pedestrians crossing the road also have their own wahala! What irks me the most is when I’m driving, I take my time to slow down for a pedestrian to cross the road, and then he/she decides to casually stroll in front of the car! What?! So I’m expected to wait for you to take your time to cross the road? Don’t get me wrong, if it is an elderly person, a pregnant lady, someone who is disabled, or someone with children, I completely understand and I’m patient with them.  But if the person doesn’t fall into any of these categories, but just chooses to cross the road with ‘swagger’ I am peeved! If you are crossing the road and you see an oncoming vehicle, for your own safety, you do it as briskly as you can! I mean, this is Lagos, a place where some people drive cars without functioning brakes and when an accident happens, their excuse would  be:  “I was actually on my way to the mechanic to have the brakes fixed.” We all know that’s a lie, but then some people get away with it.

Something else I have noticed is the expression I get when I use my horn to get the attention of people obviously walking right in the middle of the road. Some people look back and give this funny ‘why-are-you-disturbing-me-can’t-you-see-I’m-busy-walking’ look! And I think to myself, excuse me, if you were walking on the sidewalk (although I have to admit we don’t have enough of that in Lagos) I wouldn’t have to use my horn in the first place. For some, they actually look back at the driver and probably assess the kind of car, before physically moving away from the road. I know for sure when I walk on the road, I make use of  whatever sidewalk available, and when I cross the road, I do it briskly. I wouldn’t want to be guilty of the same crime I accuse others of committing.

This is a lengthy post but I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one who feels this way, if you have experienced any of these or something else, please drop your comments below! Cheers 🙂

NB: Just a note to state that this is in no way generalising that all taxi drivers, danfo drivers, Okada riders and pedestrians act the way they have been described in the post. Some of them are decent folks.