Metalheads Hyped on Acid Speeding Across a Playground Full of Children
It’s the video everyone has been asking about!
While I’ve attempted to capture what traffic is like on a daily basis in Cairo, I don’t think there’s any way that a mere video can really do it justice. Compared to Egyptians, New York City cabbies are like grannies driving in a school zone. In fact, if they are grannies in a school zone then Egyptians are more like metalheads hyped up on acid speeding across a playground!
Cairo’s roads are not for the faint of heart. The lines marking the lanes are merely suggestions. Sometimes they don’t even rise to that lofty standard. There are almost no traffic lights or speed limits. Note how Egyptians have taken it upon themselves to turn abandoned railroad tracks into their own roadway. (I saw this in more than one place.) Or sheep grazing right by the side of the road. (Again something I’ve seen several times.) Also check out the donkey cart at around 3:07. These donkey- or horse-drawn carts are very common all over certain parts of Cairo.
Pay attention to all the various people walking and you can tell that the video was NOT sped up!!
On the other hand, Egyptians have an incredibly keen spatial awareness. On the whole, I’d rate their ability to get from point A to point B without crashing into anything or anyone as being far better than American drivers.
That doesn’t mean you won’t crap yourself along the way though.
