Despite ridiculously high car prices due to import taxes, Garrett and I broke down and bought a car a couple months back. We bought a 1992 Suzuki Vitara that had been nicely dressed up by the previous owners in a Mercedes costume.
While it hurt to shell out the money upfront, I think it was a good investment (and as long as they don't drop the import tax we expect to be able to get our money back). The car has allowed us to take a few trips outside of Addis and now provides me with daily transportation to and from the hospital, which is about a 30-40 minute commute depending on traffic. It has not been as stressful as we thought it might be. There is only one group of intersections where traffic regularly gets backed up.
At this intersection, I try to do my best to relax and listen to my podcast or music and not get too irate at the taxis or drivers that are trying to make 5 lanes out of 3 then cutting back in front of me. Some days I am more successful than others.
In fact, before today, I would have said that there are no traffic rules in Ethiopia. If you want to creae lanes, turn left from the right lane, drive the wrong way down the street or go around a traffic circle backwards, you are free. Unfortunately, it seems the one area they really stick to their guns is the new No U-turn signs on Bole Road. Good news, the fine is only about $7.50. Bad news, what they lack in terms of monetary penalty they make up for in inconvenience. Forget online or mail-in payments, payment can only be made at one traffic office in town. And only after that is paid can I retrieve my confiscated driver's license, which of course will be at a different office. Although to be fair, I cannot complain too much since after returning home, I just gave money to Tsegaw to sort it all out tomorrow. And despite the frustration, I have to begrudgingly appreciate that the police followed the law strictly without any of the "wiggle room" that you often encounter in southern Africa.
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