Traffic...

I must say, if nothing else, life in Ghana is certainly one big adventure. No two journeys to and from work aren’t ever the same, and never dull. The traffic here is something to behold. It seems to move as a swarm literally. Drivers here do not like to stop moving... even if their brakes would allow it.
Once behind the wheel of their car, your average Ghanaian, loves nothing more than sounding their horn. I’m sure they get into their cars for no other reason. As I write this somewhere in the city someone has driven out, with nowhere to go, just the sole purpose driving around tooting their horn... that’s if they’re not doing so whilst parked on their drive. As for the rest, I have it on good authority that all Ghanaian cars are fitted with engine immobilisers which are somehow switched on and off just by sounding the horn. Either that or it is attached to either the accelerator, clutch or brake... though more probably all three.
I’ve only been here little over three weeks now and haven’t yet worked out all the different uses of the car horn, however of those I have been able to fathom so far, these are just a few:

· Obviously the taxi drivers use them to attract your attention and as if ask if you want a ride. That’s every single taxi driver whether you want one or not... or already in a taxi.
· Also it is used as an indicator. A single blast of the horn means I want to turn Left... ... or Right... and confusingly, it also means, I don’t want to turn, I’m going straight on or I’m reversing.
· When at traffic lights there is the... ‘did you notice the light changed half a second ago... or is about to change any second now’ ...honk.
· The ‘sorry I’m in the wrong lane and am coming into yours... NOW’ toot...

In fact, strictly speaking, the last one is not actually true... as there doesn’t actually seem to be any ‘wrong lane’ in Ghana. Even if there were any markings on the road, there is still only the one lane, and you can move anywhere you like, across, what to us would be a three lane motorway, so long as it’s preceded by the sound of your horn.
Either that or all Ghanaian’s have a anxiety complex about losing their beloved horn and constantly feel the need to check it’s still there... who knows ???
All this being said you might be surprised to hear that the drivers are not the most dangerous things on the Ghanaian roads. And neither are the ‘elephant trap’ sized potholes, which could easily house a small animal community and for all I know probably does... No the most dangerous things on the roads here are the pedestrians. Well when I say pedestrians I actually mean the countless dealers and traders who swarm onto the roads at any point where the traffic stops... slows or at least moves at a pace that allows a trade to take place. If not actually standing in the middle of the road while traffic files past on either side they swarm over every car, mini-bus or lorry, selling everything from the obvious food, sweets and drinks to clothes, toiletries, school supplies, household goods, flags, poster size wall maps, sports gear, furniture PAYG mobile phone top-up cards, furniture ... oh you name it, and it can be bought in the middle of the motorway.
I may sound as if I’m bemoaning the practice but quite the contrary it is a fantastic sight. Everyone is able to balance whatever they are selling on their heads. Their deportment and neck muscles must make both young models and rugby players green with envy. And young rugby playing models spit. Besides how often have you been stuck on the great car park, that is the M25, gasping for a drink, positively praying for someone to tap on your window and offer you an ice cold drink?