SURVIVEIN' TRINIDAD

Y'all, I apologize for the erratic posts. I'm usually a lot more consistent with my blogging, but these days some dumb stuff has been happening and I don't feel like writing about dumb stuff....so I just don't write. I PROMISE that some happy, inspiring posts are on the way ;)


Tonight though I just had to share an experience I had this afternoon. I was in a taxi on my way to the post office to collect the last of my Carnival supplies when I was reminded that to some extent, I did in fact step back into the Dark Ages when I moved back home. (And YES!!! I said "Last"....as in Carnival is now OFFICIALLY sorted out for me....Monday wear....boots....accessories....all major necessities have been purchased.....YAAYYY ME!!!...now back to the actual post lol).....

So there I am, listening to my Ipod and just anxious to get to my destination when the taxi driver attempts to overtake a huge delivery truck by driving in the left lane. Those of you who are familiar with our driving laws will know that the left lane is NOT for overtaking. To make matters worse, we were on Edward Street, a one-way, narrow road. Needless to say, the truck driver did not see our taxi since his side mirrors were much higher than the average car.....and the driver probably wasn't expecting anyone to try to overtake on his left.

Our taxi almost ran onto the pavement when the driver swerved to avoid hitting the truck, which had begun to pull into the left lane.....IT GETS WORSE.....Taxi driver dude then decided to channel his inner NASCAR driver and pulled a 90 degree turn in the middle of the street; cutting off the truck and the line of cars behind it. He then proceeded to jump out and initiate a 2-minute cuss out with the truck driver. 

I am actually now wondering why the hell I stayed in that taxi? I must be losing my good senses because I usually don't tolerate that kinda bullshit, uneducated behavior...HMPH! Minus points for me...

Anyway, as I stared in disbelief at the ranting and raving taxi driver, I remember thinking "Is this how people get murdered?"......"Is this how people go from regular Joes and Janes to state witnesses in murder cases?"....The entire thing was so SURREAL and mainly because it was absolutely unnecessary. Taxi driver guy was WRONG, WRONG, WRONG!!! And rather than thank his lucky stars that an accident didn't occur or apologize to his passengers, he proceeded to put us all in further jeopardy with his wannabe stunt man antics.

Thankfully, the truck driver kept his cool (for the most part) and stayed in his vehicle, thereby diffusing a volatile situation. I do not doubt for a minute that things would have gotten physical had he done otherwise....such was the wrath of taxi driver Anus.

Situations like the above remind me that mentally, many Trinbagonians are still in the Dark Ages. All the advances in the world, all the high rise buildings, all the unlimited Blackberry messaging, all the free wireless Internet with new sign up, will continue to profit us nothing if we don't get our minds right. We CANNOT move forward when we still actually think and act as if violence is the answer.

Political parties can promise to put an end to crime from now until kingdom come. As long as there are people like taxi driver Anus around, we have cause to worry because being THAT bad-tempered can only result in a few possibilities......and none of them are positive.