2cato:
@op when you think everybody arround you are behaving abnormally and only you behave normall then you are the problem.
That is why nigeria is unique and different.

ebbymayox:
I've enjoyed writing many posts about the things I like and love about Nigeria as well as providing insight on subjects based off of my experience. This post however is going to cover a subject I don't like about Nigeria; The Famous Lagos Traffic. There have been so many things that have happened to me or that I have witnessed in my years of riding through Lagos. And the only word that comes to mind to really put it all in perspective is 'Insanity'.

Before I get started, let me again state that I absolutely love the Street Vendors who walk in between the cars in traffic. They literally are saviors. They have everything available for you whether you are thirsty or hungry. They make the dreadful trips manageable.

Without further ado, here are a list of things that have happened, been witnessed and other observations that define the Insanity of Lagos Traffic.

[b]The Police:[/b]You need to change your self thought and irrational thinking. Now, nigeria is now the whole of lagos huh? America this, American that. Why Nigerian hate America is that too many homeless people, in maimi, chicago you will see people sleeping on rough tent, american police Killing black like antelope. Don't ever tell me about america again, because that place the most Dangerous place to leave on this planet earth.

I come from a Country where Police are here to protect and serve. They aren't perfect and there are always instances of police brutality, unjustified killings and arrests as well as corruption. However, those instances only make up a small percentage of the actual good police do for us in the United States.

In Nigeria, I've been robbed at least 10 times. And everyone one of those instances were from the police. Whenever I go out in Lagos, I make sure I put most of my money in my shoe and put a little change in my pocket. The police like to stalk the beginning of the Third Mainland Bridge when leaving the Island to the Mainland. They also have various checkpoints on roads in Oshodi and Ikeja. They pull over whoever they want to. My car got pulled over a lot and I'm partially to blame for this. I prefer to sit in the front passenger seat when riding. I do this for 2 reasons. 1: I'm no better than the driver. He is a man trying to earn living to support his family just as I am. 2: I need air conditioning. I blast it on high and let the cold air blow all over my face. It's so hot in Nigeria, that taking a shower or bath in the morning is useless. By the time I'm done drying off, I'm sweating.

So we got pulled over a lot because the police saw a white guy in the car. The first few times I was intimidated by the experience. After about two years, I became quite good at arguing with them every time I got pulled over. I changed so much, that one time when I was back in the United States, I was pulled over picking my wife up from the Airport. I started arguing with the policeman and almost got arrested. You don't argue with the police in the United States. But I was still in a "Nigeria" frame of mind. When my wife got out of the airport, she saw me fiercely arguing with the policeman. She yelled to me, "what the hell are you doing?" I finally caught myself and apologized.

I finally got good at making this robbery experience short and painless. Since the bulk of my money was in my shoe, when I get pulled over and the Police talk "settlement", I empty out my pockets and show them that "this is all the money I have. Here, take it!". They take it, we move on. Here is the thing, you have to give them a settlement. If you don't, they search through your paperwork and find something wrong with it or make something up entirely. They will tell you that you have to go to the station and it costs a lot of money. But if you settle them, it's a small price to pay.

Definition: Robbery!

Yellow Buses(danfo):


Nothing infuriates me more than the yellow buses. They stop in the middle of the road. They block 2 or 3 lanes of traffic. They seem to stop every 10 feet to pick up passengers. Then you get to areas where there are designated bus stops like after the Third Mainland Bridge or farther north to Cement, and the buses are everywhere. People walking everywhere.

They don't obey any kind of common sense law. They will dent your car, take off your side mirrors, ram you from the back, and anything else. In Nigeria, you can't take for granted that every one on the road with you knows how to drive.

In the United States, the only time a car will beep their horn is if someone is cutting them off, preventing accidents, or letting people know in front of them that there is a green light and they should go.

In Nigeria, the horn is the lifeblood of driving. You beep your horn for every reason including just letting other cars know you are coming or letting people know you are turning. Or you might be the 300th car in the line of traffic and you will beep your horn because you are not moving even though the people in front of you can do nothing about it.

finish reading here http://www.tlkdrum.com/lagos-traffic-stories-of-insanity/