Crossing the street in Cairo is an act of pure faith. An estimated 3 million cars clog the streets, and there are no traffic laws to speak of. (Lights turn red, but no one stops.) So walking —anywhere — can be a nerve-wracking ordeal. If you’ve ever played the old arcade game “Frogger,” you get the idea. My guidebook advises visitors to wait for a group of locals crossing the street and essentially use them as human shields. It works pretty well, actually. If you walk quickly and confidently, the cars will stop. When I'm back in New York, though, I'll have to shake that habit because the cars there will not stop.
-- Amy Scott
March 3, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0)