During a three week working visit to the Kilimanjaro region
of Tanzania I was driving in a car borrowed from a colleague when, half way
through a roundabout in the city of Arusha, a man leaned out his driver side
window and shouted “you’re on the wrong side!”
Sure enough, I was.
I was driving a car with a British style right hand drive.
Roundabouts can be tricky during those first few days of driving ‘on the other
side.’ I started paying closer attention and returned the car to my colleague
unscathed.
Traveling on a budget in developing countries usually means using
what is euphemistically called ‘local transportation’; read ‘cheap’ or
inexpensive. Cheap local transport can
mean a route taxi—usually a crowded four door sedan that’ll stop when you wave,
a mini bus with giant speakers playing Bob Marley, or if you’re in South Asia,
a three wheeled covered taxi featuring a knowledgeable driver and a lot of blue
smoke.
Are these forms of transportation dangerous? My
experience suggests they’re not.
That said, public transportation in many developing
countries can be uncomfortable for women due to the extremely misogynistic attitudes
of some men. Driving yourself—whether on
two wheels or four—can also be tricky due to the local drivers’ tendency to
ignore basic rules of the road. Common sense and caution should guide a traveler’s
transportation choices.
As the short piece that follows will suggest, ‘local
transport’ need not be synonymous with boring, uninteresting or expensive.
The article reproduced below was originally published in the
now defunct Canadian magazine African Access. The piece was featured in
the magazine’s “Travel Stories From Our Readers” section.
The Moto-Taxis of
Cotonou
By Jamieson Campbell
Waiting for a light to change at an intersection in Cotonou,
Benin is an assault on the senses.
The sight and smell of blue tinted smoke from mopeds and
motorcycle taxis lined up seven abreast in a flying wedge of a hundred or so
leaves a lasting impression. The changing traffic signal sets off a flurry
of movement and a cloud of smoke as
everyone rushes into the intersection accompanied by the ring-a-ding-ding of a hundred two stroke engines storming off
together.
And in the middle of it all--out front, on the sides, at the
back--are the men in yellow shirts. These are the moto-taxis, motorcycle taxis,
of Cotonou.
Cotonou is the largest city in Benin, a small West African
country sandwiched between Togo and Nigeria. Like its sister cities in the
region, Cotonou has traffic jams. The main roads at eight A.M., noon and four
P.M. look like organized chaos. In a
very real sense, the yellow-shirted gentlemen on motorcycles are traffic
busters: they're able to thread their way through even the most densely packed
traffic jams.
Most of the moto-taxi operators have fifty or ninety CC
bikes. The main reason for the popularity of these small motorcycles is the
modest capital cost of acquiring and operating one. Both gasoline and service, from minor tune-up
to engine job, can be had for relatively low cost from itinerant mechanics who
set up shop under the shade of a tree or the side of the road.
I was introduced to the moto-taxis by an African colleague
who had come to my hotel to accompany me to a meeting on the other side of
town. He suggested I try a ride on a moto-taxi and I agreed.
This is where I have to reveal my true colors and admit that
I'm a motorcycle enthusiast. I tour Canada and the United States on a big
motorcycle. I always wear my helmet; I've taken several safety courses; and I
take care to ensure that my bike is in good mechanical condition.
So what am I doing, perched helmetless on the back of a tiny
motorcycle, cruising through the dusty streets of a small West African city,
dodging cars and trucks, and competing for space at intersections? Having fun, of course--and getting there.
I've been using moto-taxis to get around town, day and
night, for over three years, now. These young men have earned my confidence.
And although they haven't known it, I've spent most of every ride trying to
find fault with the way they drive. It's been a disappointing exercise.
These fellows are solid. They have good habits: they're
careful about moving in and out of traffic (they do shoulder checks); they're
courteous with one another and with other vehicles; and they have full control
of their motorcycles--even when navigating with a passenger down streets of
deep sand.
Now, these single passenger vehicles with no trunk space are
obviously not the best choice for the ride from the airport to your hotel. And
they might be of limited utility if your event requires you to be dressed
formally. But if you're traveling solo and you have an urge to add a little
spice to your day, then taking a ride with one of these young men is one way to
boldly get to where ever you're going. Let your senses take a ride on the wild
side--Cotonou style.
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