Matatus, Pedestrians, and Exhausters, Oh My

I have never driven in the first world, and i am terrified of what to do in a situation where you simply trust that everyone will drive according to the rules at 70 miles per hour. Driving in Kenya requires an incredibly cynical nature. You must take as given than no one has insurance, a driver liscense, their vision, or brakes.

The most violent offenders are the matatus. These are 14 seater vans that barrel along predetermined routes, racing to collect the greatest number of passengers. It is not atypical to see a matatu cut across two lanes of traffic and then immediately stop. They also tend to drive with their indicator lights (sometimes even their hazard lights) on all the time. I am assuming it is to warn other drivers that they may pull over unexpectedly.

The indicator light is another of my pet peeves in African driving. It indicates many things, but rarely does it indicate an actual turn. As i mentioned, the matatus constantly indicate a turn, but it becomes irrelevant after a while. You have to look ahead to see a possible passenger to figure out where and when they will turn. Many drivers use an indicator light to indicate that you may pass them; however, other drivers use it to indicate the reverse. I've also been behind a truck that used his hazards whenever he pressed the brakes, because his brakelights were out. It took me a while and a near collision to figure that one out.