Almost getting killed everyday.

[SaeedinPakistan]

Re: Almost getting killed everyday.

@kakaballi

Driving anything on Pakistani roads is a nerve wrecking experience. The car wallahs complain that bike wallahs zig-zag through the traffic. They would try to squeeze through lanes of cars at red traffic signals, often scratching paint off the cars. Cycle wallahs do not consider any traffic rules applying to them. Breaking rules is a sign of ‘being da man’. I often got scolded for stopping on a red light when there is ‘no one around’. Following the traffic rules makes you a sissy.

This applies to generally how we behave though. Unless there is a major threat of a penalty, we would not consider following any rules. Put Pakistanis on roads in western countries, and you’d see most of them following the regulations. Well, most of them follow regulations even on LHR-ISB motorway but start behaving like animals as soon as they get off the motorway!

And yes, given a decent public transport system, many would not want to drive on these roads.

About not stopping on the red light. An army truck once honked me out of his while I was waiting at the traffic lights. The truck wasn’t an emergency vehicle, but he was too cool to wait for the lights to go green. And I’ve broken signals when stopping wasn’t a wise option with the cars around me not stopping for it. About bike wallahs zig-zaggin, I’ve seen cars, suvs and buses weaving through traffic. Bikes can safely lane-split at times, however cars lane splitting isn’t safe at all.
Why did I give up on the public transportation?

1. I can’t stand up straight in most of the mini buses that run in Karachi(getting a seat is rarely an option).
2. Being able to tell when the guy next me took his last shower(probably a week ago or it’s just the Karachi heat and smell as bad as the other guys). There is a limit to what deodorant can do.
3. My butt being in contact with the butt of the guy standing behind me, throughout the commute.
4. I bought a bike before the current CNG crisis, so the situation has gotten worse as the buses disappear when the government shuts down CNG stations.