Black taxis: with room 12 fit 22

For: Javier Brandoli (text and photos)
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There is a strange mathematical law in South Africa which shows that space has the ability to expand to direct pressure pocket quantum. It is only by this theory by which Cape Town minibus have the amazing ability to introduce 21 people in a space provided for 12 (a friend says he came to go with 22 People, what makes me to spend the whole day counting fringes in the minibus to see if I 23). Nothing happens, Your head is attached to the window perfectly, stop your knees feel them in a short time and every drop of a traveler becomes a symmetric Tetris makes all parts of the interior have to move to vacate 60 kilos of muscle and flesh (So when we are lucky, yesterday with a lady trip climb to my shoulders weighing as two football stadiums and face looked me "can not you die?”). The funny thing is that, Despite these small and big problems, catch the minibus I love this city (also call them "black taxis" because in the time of apartheid was the method of transportation used by the black). Sometimes it's really fun.

The reality is that public transport in South Africa is a mess you need to understand. The city is divided into straight lines or fixed itineraries that perform dozens of minibuses that can stop any time in the middle of the street. It is as if a grid of wide avenues of exit not: north to sur; this west. Many times you take a minibus that leaves you a main artery and then have to walk 20 minutes to reach your destination (is easier than trying to take three different trucks each calculating routes and proximity to the desired location).

It's great when the minibus is full and the people who will give money back to the one before: a perfect chain of payments and returns that are passed from hand to hand

Each minibus has a driver and a conductor. The second is an amazing character that is dedicated to yell out the window the final place of destination every time he suspects there may be a new customer (until I understood that said Cape Town spent a week wondering what language he spoke the sympathetic crier). Sometimes the driver brakes suddenly because it seems that 200 meters, down the road, there is a potential user. The greatest thing is when there is the "Truck Racing": two minibus are at a stoplight, look and flown out to take position sidewalk and block the other with a prospect. The truth is that the, sometimes, ramshackle vehicles are really fast (llegana to acojonar, yes). On one occasion, going to a neighborhood of the mountain, I caught a minibus driving a Muslim woman. Fuck with Mrs., led us to cruising speed and praying in silence (there was no time even to ask you a little curb, I needed to call to say goodbye to my mother).

The price depends on the schedule trucks to be taken. During the day, until it gets dark, are five rand (50 euro cents); from 20 hours (about) until 22 times are six rand; at night are 10 Rands. Anyway, from seven in the afternoon Cape Town minibus only run between Sea Point (where I live) y Central Station. The rest of the city has no public transport from that hour.

Payment is one of the curiosities. When you get on the van did not have to pay (I have not understood the reason). Tomas seat, after a while, paid. It's great when the minibus is full and the people who will give money back to the one before: a perfect chain of payments and returns that are passed from hand to hand. If to this we add that sometimes the driver has set to music at medium volume, already impossible sensory communication between humans, seems a miracle that everyone knows what to do in this small room. An experience that many whites here have never tried.

The other option to get around is by taxi. Here many people use as night falls (by insecurity). You have to haggle. All are metered, but many are truncated and the final price soars. Before boarding the neighborhood is said destination, agreed a price and is expected to happily, sometimes, the driver tells you not have change if you see a large bill or you ask for more money: “Me dijiste 70”. It is very common, but I have suffered the two situations. The change is arranged by saying "I hope to come back and changing money". It's instant you find it.

Does the rest of the transport? Is there a bus line to European minority but it is very very rare and paths (may improve for World).

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Comments (4)

  • Lisetta

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    That good!!!!, I laughed a good time… and also all my compis.
    Fuck you experience these beautiful living and is read….
    Yo praying for the Dios tu niece, it also comes to Mexico, not fulfill his threat to be passed sympathetic 10 horas de vuelo jugando con su «mami» a las palabras encadenadas, by I swear I'll kill….!!!!!!, I guess we will not talk until you return, you command a big kiss, to see if I have luck, Marsans bankruptcy and I can come see you.
    Lisetta

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  • Xavier

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    When you go?? Remember to go to Tulum (would be great if you could do it without tourists, but it is complicated). Kisses and pass great

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  • Ann

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    Jajajaja… The only comment I can think well I can tell you over the phone only… at the ankles and I think until too soft!

    But the good.

    Answer

  • Esteban

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    've reported perfectly, you get me to move there again and again I lay a villager on my knees by the lack of space in the minibus, camino a green point….

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