Swerves and Curves, Shoulder to Shoulder
Zooming Around Kigali in a Mini-Taxi
Blessed with courage instead of cash? Kigali's public transportation provides plenty of thrills for the budget-minded.
One of the first things you'll notice in Kigali is a stream of white mini-vans on every road, all jammed with passengers. These are the mini-taxis -- also called minibuses, matutus, or matolas in other African countries.
Private hire taxis are widely available, but mini-taxis are absolutely the cheapest way to travel. A ride during daylight hours is 100 RWF (Rwandan francs), or about 20 cents; at night, the price goes up to 150. The rainy season's sudden storms also tend to trigger temporary inflation, as space becomes premium.
The bottom line: a good bargain involves work. Minibus riding comes with complex challenges and requires a learned set of skills. The first step is to ask, in whatever tongue you can manage, where the van is going, and if it stops where you need it to stop. Public transportation is in some aspects universal. In New York City, there were times that a 2 train would mysteriously appear on the 4/5/6 track, or an R train would randomly find itself in the East Village. In Kigali, the various lines (lignes, in French) are painted on the doors of the vans; but they do not necessarily correspond to their actual routes.
Each van has a driver and a conductor who plays host (his duties include advertising, rearranging seating order, and collecting money). If you cannot understand where a mini-taxi is going from its operators, wait for the next one or ask another passenger.
A side note: vans don't usually depart until they are filled. If you are the first one on, don't congratulate yourself too fast. You may have a good seat, but you'll occupy it longer. A fuller mini-taxi will leave sooner.
Maneuvering in the Galley
You've finally found a van going your way? Well, the challenge has just begun.
Finding a seat requires good luck and/or quick judgment. Each van has four rows of four seats each as well as two seats beside the driver. Most of the time, you will be in the back. This is what guidebooks euphemistically call a 'colorful' experience. The two seats furthest from the sliding door form a solid bench, then there is a 6-inch gap, and closest to the door is a much smaller seat that folds up to let people in rear rows out. You are almost guaranteed to be cramped because a mini-van does not usually carry a cargo four adults wide.
The worst seats to get are the 6-inch gaps as by definition they lack seats. I usually get stuck in them because I don't have that competitive public transportation edge. And like public vehicles everywhere, the rear zone generally operates on Darwinian principles: tiny people get shoved into the cracks left between larger people. I also suggest avoiding the seats closest to the sliding side door. The conductor does not pay to ride and is not allocated a seat. He therefore stands hovering over the laps of the people in the second row so he can open the door and hop out at each stop.
Unless you were one of those kids who enjoyed riding roller coasters right after lunch, you may be sweaty-palmed in the front seat. This is because you can actually see where you are going. Some people prefer the more spacious quarters near the captain, though, and enjoy witnessing an assortment of thrillingly narrow escapes. If you always wanted to star in an action movie, this may be as close as you will ever get.
Finally, you must know the password to stop the ride. When you need to get out, knock on the wall or ceiling when approaching the desired stop. The conductor will then knock to signal that the driver should pull over. Pay the conductor after you get out.
A mini-taxi is human jam, a pay-per-ride clown car. Advice can do little to alter the facts, and you won't always be excited about being so close to unfamiliar people. If possible, try to get a window seat so you can control your airflow. Give babies space -- sometimes they do not come equipped with diapers. Be polite at all costs and keep your tension to yourself.
Don't Be a Stat -- Safety and Mini-Buses
As you may have gathered by now, greenhorn Westerners may grapple with mini-taxi safety issues. (Well, you might not; but I am of a nervous, sheltered constitution.) Driving anywhere involves risk, and more so in many places in Africa.
Kigali is relatively safe because there is a sense of order and reason in the planning of main roads. Smoothly paved roads are also common here. Because the terrain is hilly, however, decent speeds can be reached on uninterrupted downhill stretches. Sometimes these are more than I can comfortably tune out, but I am beginning to be able to tell a reckless binge apart from a mere exhilarating sprint. Try to size up the condition of the van before you get on, although it is difficult to spot a good ride. Even the most battered of vans can actually growl to life and miraculously carry 20 people up the hilly streets.
Above all, a van needs brakes and a good driver. Don’t hesitate to change vans at the next stop if you feel either is lacking.
Pimp My Ride
Some mini-buses are completely tricked out: tassels, fringe, paisley velvet seats, rear speakers and subwoofers. Operators also define their vans' images with written tint on the windows. Honoring rap music is popular, and I have ridden in vans that announce our presence by declaring JAY-Z, USHER, KANYE, or the generic GANGSTA from the windshield. Back windshields also display horses and other animals that represent fleet-footedness.
Individual vans do have distinctive personalities. Sometimes the decorative style can reflect the type of ride you can expect. The SHANIA TWAIN van seemed gentler in spirit, the turns less careening. The HELLO van was welcoming.
A personal note: I have made a habit of avoiding the PUT YOUR TRUST IN GOD vans, or ones bearing any other message to that effect. One can make arguments that the driver may be more likely to be moralistic, or that the passengers attracted may provide well-mannered company, or even that these mini-buses may be protected by a higher power. I concede these points. Yet I cannot shake the impression that these operators' attitudes towards danger could be too laissez faire. Faith in your god and faith in your driver are equal preoccupations when riding in a mini-taxi.
Blessed with courage instead of cash? Kigali's public transportation provides plenty of thrills for the budget-minded.
One of the first things you'll notice in Kigali is a stream of white mini-vans on every road, all jammed with passengers. These are the mini-taxis -- also called minibuses, matutus, or matolas in other African countries.
Private hire taxis are widely available, but mini-taxis are absolutely the cheapest way to travel. A ride during daylight hours is 100 RWF (Rwandan francs), or about 20 cents; at night, the price goes up to 150. The rainy season's sudden storms also tend to trigger temporary inflation, as space becomes premium.
The bottom line: a good bargain involves work. Minibus riding comes with complex challenges and requires a learned set of skills. The first step is to ask, in whatever tongue you can manage, where the van is going, and if it stops where you need it to stop. Public transportation is in some aspects universal. In New York City, there were times that a 2 train would mysteriously appear on the 4/5/6 track, or an R train would randomly find itself in the East Village. In Kigali, the various lines (lignes, in French) are painted on the doors of the vans; but they do not necessarily correspond to their actual routes.
Each van has a driver and a conductor who plays host (his duties include advertising, rearranging seating order, and collecting money). If you cannot understand where a mini-taxi is going from its operators, wait for the next one or ask another passenger.
A side note: vans don't usually depart until they are filled. If you are the first one on, don't congratulate yourself too fast. You may have a good seat, but you'll occupy it longer. A fuller mini-taxi will leave sooner.
Maneuvering in the Galley
You've finally found a van going your way? Well, the challenge has just begun.
Finding a seat requires good luck and/or quick judgment. Each van has four rows of four seats each as well as two seats beside the driver. Most of the time, you will be in the back. This is what guidebooks euphemistically call a 'colorful' experience. The two seats furthest from the sliding door form a solid bench, then there is a 6-inch gap, and closest to the door is a much smaller seat that folds up to let people in rear rows out. You are almost guaranteed to be cramped because a mini-van does not usually carry a cargo four adults wide.
The worst seats to get are the 6-inch gaps as by definition they lack seats. I usually get stuck in them because I don't have that competitive public transportation edge. And like public vehicles everywhere, the rear zone generally operates on Darwinian principles: tiny people get shoved into the cracks left between larger people. I also suggest avoiding the seats closest to the sliding side door. The conductor does not pay to ride and is not allocated a seat. He therefore stands hovering over the laps of the people in the second row so he can open the door and hop out at each stop.
Unless you were one of those kids who enjoyed riding roller coasters right after lunch, you may be sweaty-palmed in the front seat. This is because you can actually see where you are going. Some people prefer the more spacious quarters near the captain, though, and enjoy witnessing an assortment of thrillingly narrow escapes. If you always wanted to star in an action movie, this may be as close as you will ever get.
Finally, you must know the password to stop the ride. When you need to get out, knock on the wall or ceiling when approaching the desired stop. The conductor will then knock to signal that the driver should pull over. Pay the conductor after you get out.
A mini-taxi is human jam, a pay-per-ride clown car. Advice can do little to alter the facts, and you won't always be excited about being so close to unfamiliar people. If possible, try to get a window seat so you can control your airflow. Give babies space -- sometimes they do not come equipped with diapers. Be polite at all costs and keep your tension to yourself.
Don't Be a Stat -- Safety and Mini-Buses
As you may have gathered by now, greenhorn Westerners may grapple with mini-taxi safety issues. (Well, you might not; but I am of a nervous, sheltered constitution.) Driving anywhere involves risk, and more so in many places in Africa.
Kigali is relatively safe because there is a sense of order and reason in the planning of main roads. Smoothly paved roads are also common here. Because the terrain is hilly, however, decent speeds can be reached on uninterrupted downhill stretches. Sometimes these are more than I can comfortably tune out, but I am beginning to be able to tell a reckless binge apart from a mere exhilarating sprint. Try to size up the condition of the van before you get on, although it is difficult to spot a good ride. Even the most battered of vans can actually growl to life and miraculously carry 20 people up the hilly streets.
Above all, a van needs brakes and a good driver. Don’t hesitate to change vans at the next stop if you feel either is lacking.
Pimp My Ride
Some mini-buses are completely tricked out: tassels, fringe, paisley velvet seats, rear speakers and subwoofers. Operators also define their vans' images with written tint on the windows. Honoring rap music is popular, and I have ridden in vans that announce our presence by declaring JAY-Z, USHER, KANYE, or the generic GANGSTA from the windshield. Back windshields also display horses and other animals that represent fleet-footedness.
Individual vans do have distinctive personalities. Sometimes the decorative style can reflect the type of ride you can expect. The SHANIA TWAIN van seemed gentler in spirit, the turns less careening. The HELLO van was welcoming.
A personal note: I have made a habit of avoiding the PUT YOUR TRUST IN GOD vans, or ones bearing any other message to that effect. One can make arguments that the driver may be more likely to be moralistic, or that the passengers attracted may provide well-mannered company, or even that these mini-buses may be protected by a higher power. I concede these points. Yet I cannot shake the impression that these operators' attitudes towards danger could be too laissez faire. Faith in your god and faith in your driver are equal preoccupations when riding in a mini-taxi.
posted by LookingGlassLand.com at 1:45 AM
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