"Not in my way, I am sorry," said 15 taxi drivers whom I stopped this morning while I was going to work.
Waiting for an hour just to get a taxi drives me crazy in this country. What made this matter worse is the government's decision of the odd and even numbers which made the taxi drivers the Emperors of their age.
Unlike other countries who use the fare counters in taxi cabs, fares should be negotiated in advance with the taxi driver in Baghdad. Today, for example, the taxi driver asked for 5000 ID.
"Why?" I asked.
"You are going to Jadriya and it's far and crowded," the driver answered carelessly. "Usually it costs me 3000 ID" I said
"I know, but you know that we work every other day now,"
Mentioning the decision of the odd and even numbers he said his car is subjected to this law as it is not an official taxi cab rather than his own car.
Getting a taxi in Iraq's new conditions turned to be so ridiculous and bothering. You have to beg the taxi driver in order to take you to your destination. If the driver's mood is not good, he will use the routes as he likes, not as you like and never asks for opinion or cares if you have an appointment or not. The worse thing is that in the hottest times when heat reaches 120 degree F, they do not turn on the Air Conditioner, and then you have to suffer all the way long in Baghdad's killing heat. Moreover, most of these drivers are not licensed. They just buy cars and use them as taxi cabs and of course, consequently, these ignore all the traffic standards and signs.
On the way to work, I was wondering, "When shall we be getting normal taxi cabs like other people use in other countries? Why did this government fail in every prospect? Why do the people forget about law and order?"
Is it that difficult to restore?
Yes, it is obvious because no one is cooperating to stop the bad habits here.
regarding your entry about a normal day for the westerner, I was wondering how much you blame the iraqi government for the chaos and how much you blame the americans for the chaos. what do most iraqis feel about this?
ReplyDelete"Why do the people forget about law and order?"___Because they lived under a government of criminals for decades. This must have an influence on people's attitudes. Crime is the norm in Iraq.
ReplyDeleteOnce, and after electricity was partly resotred in Baghdad, the traffic light were on. So, I decided that if should stop in the trafic light because change starts from me.
ReplyDeleteI stopped and I looked so stupid cause every one was blowing his horns like saying, are you stupid to respect the order.
From then, I stopped trying.
Repression laws have caused an urge to break them in the Iraqi mentality. It has become a way of rebelion. Which not true because it is the people's country after all, and the government is a manager of its affairs.
This has gone far out from an Iraqi mentality. They have this idea that the government owns the country. Thats why, I believe, now "everyone" who thinks he is ab ig shot wants to be part of the government. He wants to share the ownership.
This is a very personal point of view.
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ReplyDeleteReally it is a nice blog, I would like to tell you that you have given me much knowledge about Taxi. This photo of taxi is looking really quite beautiful. Thanks for everything.
ReplyDeleteLive as a Roman while you are in Rome. When there is no any system never try for that it may harm you.
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