An adventurous drive

Driving in Lebanon is a national disaster. The rule? "Me first, no matter what."

It's a real jungle down in the street. To give you an idea, let's take you down there for a while. You leave your home, smiling, on a fresh new morning. And the adventure starts here: The garbage truck is collecting the litter, blocking the street. You wait for fifteen minutes but it's okay: you expected that so you've left earlier than you should have.

You're still smiling when you turn around the corner. A new surprise is waiting for you: a car is heading towards you, coming in the forbidden direction. It might upset you but you hope that the driver will kindly back up. Instead, he jumps from the window and yells at you. You're standing in his way; doesn't he have the right to be upset?! He would have crushed you if he could.

Your smile starts to fade away but you go on. Not for too long. Ahead of you is a terrible traffic jam. You were sure, though, that you've avoided the rush hour. Don't be so sure; it extends from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.. Delighted by the melody of the angry horns, enchanted by the view of the taxi driver spitting on the road, you're just too aware that time is running out.

Tension builds up and your smile disappears. The next step? The red light. It remains red for ten minutes and turns into green for one minute only. And, by the way, never stop at a red light because, if there's no policeman standing, no one does. So, if you dare to do it, you'll be insulted by all the drivers who will cross you, leaving you there, helpless and hopeless.

Finally, you get to the highway. By now, you're definitely frowning. The taxi in front of you stops suddenly when he sees the shadow of a client. Either by miracle or by habit, you avoid the accident. You're late and close to tears. However, you can't do anything because that Ford in front of you is driving at 30 km/hour and stubbornly refusing to move aside. Finally, you get to your destination, but the adventure isn't over yet. You need at least five turns around the block to find a spot to park--that's if you're lucky today. You step out of the car, your legs shaking, your stomach hurting and you thank God that, although half crazy, you're still alive.