Ivorian driving that blows my freakin' mind
For a brief moment, here and there, I actually drove in the capital of DR Congo, Kinshasa. It was insane, but once you go through the what-the-fuckery of it (like someone passing me in reverse at 40kph), you realized that a) everyone follows one rule that b) there are no rules. Driving was all about watching out for yourself and being the cheekiest.
In Côte d'Ivoire, no matter which seat you're occupying in the car, you're engaged in the driving. Outside of Abidjan, the driving isn't horrid. Taxi are spawn of the devil as they are everywhere, but it's manageable. Within Abidjan the traffic is quite insane and it's mostly due to the taxis again, causing sordid congestion everything their constantly-honking ilk cruise, looking for passengers. I hate them like nothing else I know.
But beyond evil taxis and traffic, there are two driving "rules" that I just don't freaking get.
Roundabouts (aka, the Fuckabout)
The roundabout is a genius system to manage traffic without doing anything more than making the merging lanes go around in a circle. The Ivorians have managed to shoot this in the foot though as it's the circulating traffic in the roundabout that has to wait for the cars merging in from the spokes. I had no idea how this completely backwards implementation of the roundabout happened, but the running theory is that there is a major roundabout at the top of one of the bridges to Plateau which has lights at each merging spoke and it must be that the model for all other roundabouts (where there are no lights) are based on this. Whatever the case, it doesn't work and despite the honking, we refuse to bow to this system as it's loony.
Headlights (aka Local Energy Conservation)
For those who didn't know, headlights can cause optical damage, or so the thinking must go in Côte d'Ivoire where people refuse to turn their headlights on unless it's more than two hours past sunset. To make matters, if you drive with your headlights on so that people hellbent on suicidal passing can see you, people will flash their lights at you.
My pet theory on this is there is great fear that if you have your lights on, then the authorities will require everyone to have their lights on and then they would have to replace them sooner. I don't get it, but what really blew my mind was a a truck flashing us when it was so dark that we couldn't even see him coming at us to only them turn the headlights off again once he was past us. That kind of thing is scary and reason to stay off the roads at night.
Again, we refuse to this insane system. The headlights come on at least a half hour before sunset and people can flash all they want. In fact, I encourage it, so that it wears out their lights faster to defeat this attempt at saving the bulbs which doesn't work.
08 03 2010 4 comments
Tags: abidjan, cars, cote d'ivoire, customs, transportation
For larger holes, call PG&E
Below is what happens when PG&E (our power and gas monopoly in California) decides to dig a one meter deep by half meter wide L-shaped trench in the street, then cover it with metal plates, then come back two weeks later. What started as a small trench which they needed to dig for some unknown reason and then desert turned in to this massive hole when one of these metal plates worked loose a little bit and then cars and buses kept passing over it. Thankfully someone from the city noticed it and called these doofuses to fix it. Had they not, there would have definitely been a car, bumper down in the trench or even better, an Academy of Art bus in the same position full of fragile little artsy princes and princesses urinating all over themselves and then "arting" about it later. I would have actually have paid to have seen that--the crash in to the trench, not the "arting".
As it was, PG&E did a cut-rate blacktop job over it that will probably stay that way for six months or so until the next rainstorm comes in and washes it away.
22 05 2009 0 comments
Tags: construction, san francisco, transportation
Croatian Government Scared by Yugo Terror Threat
Someone went and left a Yugo in front of the Sabor (Croatia's main governmental building). And by in front of, I mean parked right in front of the main doors. It is pretty suspicious activity as most Yugos are currently within Serbian borders.
In the US, the equivalent would be parking a Chevy Citation (worst. name. ever.) on the steps of Capitol Building in DC. Obviously, this sort of thing can't happen in the US, but in Croatia, it's rather wacky how immediately accessible the federal government buildings are in the country. For friends and family living there, they know this is done due to the fact you will be going there a lot in your daily life.
Anyways, enjoy the embed below. If Croatian media outsmarts me, then try this oldskool link technique.
Yup, the media done went and foiled my plans. Curses! Use the link above if you want to see the coverage, although it's about as exciting as the second hour of the OJ chase.
09 12 2008 0 comments
Tags: croatia, the balkans, transportation
Google Maps Loves Italy. Balkans, not so much.
I've driven around the Balkans a bit. Probably the craziest driving is in Belgrade. The easiest is in rural Slovenia. People generally always drive fast. They love it, like this moron who I assume is on the A1.
Driving fast is fine when you know where you're going. When you're a tourist, things get dicey. A map is necessary. I always had mine from Freytag & Berndt when I was driving and I was thankful for it. There are those who think that Google Maps technology trumps the age-old paper map though. For those interested in using it, you might want to think again as shown here and here for going between Dubrovnik and Mostar and Split and Dubrovnik. I know I like a ferry to Italy, how about you?
Cross posted on Čevapija
14 11 2008 0 comments
Tags: google, maps, the balkans, transportation
Sadly Remembering a Better Los Angeles
Last weekend, I went and saw Changeling which was a good film. It wasn't mind-blowing and Angelina Jolie's performance mostly consisted of a lot of crying and emotion that's bound to at least get her an Oscar nomination because that's what they like at the Academy. The toughest part of the film though, was seeing Los Angeles in the 1920's and 30's.
The movie production does a wonderful job in recreating the LA that once was with street cars that went everywhere, cozy neighborhoods, and a vibrant downtown center. It's hard to imagine that LA was once a much more sensible town, a lot like San Francisco. Realizing that it is now an endless, mindless sprawl is disheartening and it's no surprise that what was once the depot for the Red Car line that is featured so prominently in the film has been converted in to lofts with a ridiculous parking garage taking the place of where the trolleys once pulled in.
Of course LA has reached the same point San Francisco reached 50 years ago in that they've run out of space. Building new freeways is no longer and option as it would require ripping out endless tracts of residential housing and it most likely wouldn't increase the average 20kph speed of traffic on the highways anyways. LA is again turning to public transportation and since 1990, the Metro has been steadily expanded in operation. This will not immediately return LA back to its former days as a sensible city, but in time, one can hope that public transit centers will mold the town in to a shape that is livable sans automobile.
08 11 2008 0 comments
Tags: california, film, los angeles, transportation
Oroville Introduces Roundabouts. Keeps Grammar.
For those unfamiliar with them, roundabouts are a great, modern solution to the traffic light which are actually insanely primitive. They're all the rage in Europe and ever so slowly, they're being built in the US. While a bit confusing to me at first, I've quickly gotten used to them and I like the ever so simple functionality of them, which that Wikipedia article I link to about explains nicely.
In my hometown of Oroville, they've decided to rip out the traffic lights and install one at the corner of Washington and Montgomery. It makes a good deal of sense as this is one of the town's more busy intersections and it allows for a constant, easy flow of traffic. And let me emphasize that they actually understand how to build a roundabout here as opposed to the fake roundabout at Division, Townsend, 8th, and Kansas in San Francisco where people have to stop at a stop sign before they proceed to merge in to the roundabout. Stupid, yes.
Anyways, the Oroville roundabout is coming along well. People are still getting used to it, but it appears to try and maintain the "down home and country" quality of town, they've put up an official sign notifying people to, "Yield to Pedestians". It's quality work that was thankfully pointed out to me by #1 Fan. As a pedestrian, I am a little pissed that this minority pedestian group has managed to secure safety rights at this roundabout while I'm left having to dart in and out of traffic when crossing the street. But, such is Oroville. We bleev in kualty up thir.
05 10 2008 0 comments
Tags: oroville, transportation
Thank you for the Pollution Oracle Bus
Last night, I was joking around, when I kicked out this twit. But it is true, this stupid Oracle bus keeps circling by and growling up the hill every 5-8 minutes throughout the day. Annoying isn't a strong enough word for it. The air and noise pollution this thing is doing in a day is unimaginable.
It's here for their Oracle Open World conference which takes over a huge chunk of SOMA and makes life hell for all who live there. I'm guessing that it's either some kind of shuttle, a rolling advertisement, or they just can't park the thing. Whatever the case, the fact that they're trying their, "greener gestures" is laughable with this bus constantly tooling around.
21 09 2008 0 comments
Tags: business, environment, transportation
The Spanish Truckers' Strike Hits Home
One of the great advantages of sitting in Figueres, in the north eastern chunk of Spain near France is that you get to see things like the trucker's strike live and first hand when you make day trips up to France. This strike is a big deal. The truckers are essentially choking off all supplies in to Spain as well as not moving any goods, and more importantly, fuel, through the rest of Spain. But, don't take my word for it, let's dip in to some BBC-esque language from Nigel Nigglebits, which you can hear a recording of below.
Farce aside, it goes to show that it only takes two days before all hell breaks loose in a 21st century society. The lines at gas stations are massive as everyone fears that gas supplies will run out. Minor goods are indeed starting to run out at smaller shops and while the tourism season is just starting in Spain, if there's a lack of gas for people visiting, you can be sure that cheap French, Brits, Dutch, and Germans won't be making the trip to Spain this year for inexpensive alcohol and beaches, which as great as that may sound, will take an enormous toll on a country that is already starting to have economic problems from a housing slowdown like we've seen in the US.
But, it's interesting to see the mentality that prevails here in Europe. As this same problem has been hitting the US in the airlines, where they just pass on the fuel cost increases and then some to the consumer, the truckers aren't doing that. They are trying to maintain their prices without killing the consumers. Yes, the strike is not good for the society at large, but the strike is looking more longterm and seeing that there needs to be some form of regulation or inflationary problems will persist. It's dreamy to have this kind of thinking and it's dreamy to see that people are forcing the government to take action as opposed to how we in the US always feel we have to take things on ourselves because the government won't. Someday we might remember that those in office are actually there to serve us.
This will supposedly be resolved this week, but in the meantime, it's going to be a lot of staying home and not going anywhere too far, since with 40% (and climbing) of the gas stations running out of gas, extra travel is not advisable. Oh, and for those who are complaining about gas nearing $5 a gallon in the US, it's nearing $10 a gallon in Europe.
10 06 2008 3 comments
Tags: consumerism, nigglebits, spain, the europe, transportation
Yes, There are Buses in Hawaii. Use Them!
Our ridiculous Fodor's guide seriously downplayed the buses in Hawaii. Repeatedly it stated that you really needed a car to get around. Sure, cars make life a lot easier in Hawaii, but driving everywhere sucks. It wasn't until we got to Oahu and took the bus that I really felt like I was on a vacation how I like to vacation. I mean, driving is fun and all, but losing the responsibility, cost, and worry of the car is fantastic, which is one of the reasons I like Europe so much: no car needed. Then of course there is the environmental factor as well. When 30 people are on a bus, you're simply not polluting as much as if you were 30 cars. So, for folks who are more eco-minded out there, I present a bit about the buses in Hawaii, since it appears no guidebook wants to go there. I just hope that more people will use them and the system will develop more.
Probably the most developed and extensive of all of them and there is a Ferry system that ties in to it as well. At $2 a ride, it's not the cheapest bus out there, but you can do things like get from the airport to Waikiki without using a $15 a person shuttle. Officially, you're not supposed to bring large luggage on the bus, but we did and it worked out. We were the only ones doing it unfortunately which goes to show that too many idiots overspend while on holiday and get sucked in to using a taxi from the vultures who constantly ask you if you want a ride.
Not as extensive as Oahu and it serves mostly the west and central parts of the island. So, you're not going to get up to the Haleakala Crater or to Hana on it, which is a shame since those roads get very congested. For a quick view of where it goes, check out the system map
We saw a good deal of this bus and it appeared to have a pretty regular schedule that ran the whole gamut of the civilized part of the island. The Waimea Canyon can't be reached with it, but most everything else worthwhile can and it's only a $1.50 to go anywhere on the route, which is a really long route from one end to the other. The Kalalau Trail is stopped just short of as the end of the line is in Hanalei, but the adventurous can walk the distance and we saw folks doing this. But what I'd really recommend is to rent a bicycle while there and use the bus. They have a space for bikes on the front of the bus and everything short of Waimea can be reached from any of the stops.
They have one of the worst websites I've ever seen for a bus route, but it is apparently free. We didn't make it to the Big Island on this trip, so I can't speak as to any firsthand knowledge. Also, the site doesn't appear to have a system map, which is a bummer as it appears they have a good many routes and service seems good. It's something to look in to more if interested and hopefully anyone with more advice might leave a comment? Nudge, nudge, wink, wink...
23 01 2008 4 comments
Tags: hawaii, tourism, transportation, us america
