Intersections

Dar es Salaam can be translated from Arabic as “haven of peace”, although when you travel through its streets you might find the name slightly misleading.  The trick to being a good driver here is to have the bigger vehicle - it’s a constant game of chicken.  There are no speed limits and no traffic enforcement…in fact, I have not yet been able to deduce any rules beyond the suggestion that you should try to drive on the right (as in “not left”) side of the road.  And although Dar is Tanzania’s largest city, there are only a couple traffic lights.  And so, it is standard procedure when approaching an intersection to just inch into the cross traffic, get the timing, and then make a move to squeeze through – it’s like playing a high stakes version of skip rope.