Traffic can be a daunting experience in many countries. And much more so in lesser developed countries. Several times (read: many) I have showed other drivers what I feel about their behaviour.

Not very commendable, despite lambasting them from inside a car, in my own language. And of course, to no avail.

In order to calm my nerves, when stuck in a traffic jam, I started to reflect on the link between traffic behaviour and level of development. And came to the conclusion, there must be a connection.

Examples

The first day in my own car, in the traffic in Vientiane, Laos I experienced several heart attacks and nervous breakdowns. A motorbike, suddenly making a U-turn in front of me, or a lorry,  deciding to park there and then, in the middle of the street. [Read more…]