A Blog by the Editor of The Middle East Journal

Putting Middle Eastern Events in Cultural and Historical Context

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Mysteries of Cairo Traffic Explained

Cairoscene.com/Scenario
Writer Nadia El-Awady seeks to do what few have attempted: codify the rules of Cairo traffic. (Many of my readers are already calling foul on the grounds that there are no rules to Cairo traffic, which of course is part of her point.)

Nonetheless she ventures where angels fear to tread (or drive) and codifies 17 rules. She explains her reason:
My British khawaga husband Colin is spending a full month in Cairo for the first time. We both decided it would be good for him to learn how to drive here. In the process, I’ve discovered that it is possible to put our unspoken rules into words that are inevitably shouted out. I thought it would be useful to share my all-encompassing wisdom on Cairo traffic with a larger audience so I jotted the rules down.
Colin has an odd tendency to drive in one lane and to stay in it. He’s a khawaga. What can I say? His natural inclination is to keep driving at the same speed as long as he believes he has the right of way. With my eyes rolling, I have had to teach him rules number 1 through 3.
 She offers 17 rules in all, and the wonderful photo above. Read the whole thing.

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