Did you know that sidewalks are known as the Taxi lane? Many times when the streets are filled with traffic you will see a taxi pass you while he is driving on the sidewalk. It is understandable when you realize that they rarely use their gas pedals. Frequently, you can see them pushing their cars in a line waiting for their next passengers. A few months ago we had to take a taxi from downtown to our house which normally is a 15 minute drive. It took us 45 minutes of non-airconditioned discomfort to get home. Once the taxista "taxi driver" got up to speed, which was slow, he never put more pressure on the gas pedal. When we came to a hill we were almost at a dead standstill when we reached the top as he did not accelerate to climb it, but by the time we were at the bottom we were going at a pretty good rate once again.
Taxistas feel as if they own the road. Twice today, when I was driving back from the computer store, I was cut off by a taxi. While they do not like to use their gas pedal, they hate to use the break pedal. They will drive on sidewalks, make two lanes into three or four, run red lights, ect. A well known statistic here in Honduras is: One in every three accidents involving two or more cars will have a taxi or bus at fault.
Bus drivers are just as bad, but are less likely to be hit as they do not have the power to sneak up on you like a taxi does. There are many times though where a bus will cause an accident by sideswiping another vehicle while trying to pass. I don't ride busses here as the crime rate while on a bus is atrocious. I also do not ride because I don't feel like standing.
Please pray for the leaders of this country. The bus and taxi drivers have threatened to strike if the leaders either do not lower the price of gas by 10 lempiras or else let them raise the fares. The last time they had a strike they blocked off all roads in the city. You could not come, go, or do business of any kind. If they do choose to do this, I just hope and pray that it will not be on June 20th as that is the day we fly out and we would not be able to get to the airport.
Today I saw something that was kind of funny and sad at the same time. It was a semi with a silhouette of two scantly dressed females on his grill, a bug shield that says, "God is Love", and as it drove past I saw that is was a beer truck. The Honduran people think that if they put anything about God on their truck or car it will keep them safe. If only they knew how easy it is to have the confidence that God will take care of you. It is one thing that we try to teach our people that if they know God as their personal Saviour and are living a life that pleases Him nothing will happen to them that is not ordained of God.
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