I think everyone who comes to Benin at some point writes about the zimi-johns and I guess now is my turn.
Zimi-johns (not sure of that spelling - it seems to be different every time you ask a new person) are the most common public transport in Benin - some would call them motorcycles, others mopeds or motorbikes, I call them danger on two wheels :) The law in Benin says that a person must have license to drive a car, but anyone with the money to buy one can use a zimi-john - no license or training necessary. Because of this, it is estimated that there are over 80,000 in Contonou alone. Everytime you stop at a traffic light in the Mercy Ships LandRover, there is this sudden sea of motorbikes surrounding you on all sides. There are not really rules that everyone follows at the same time here (there are traffic laws and police, but there still seems to be some flexiblity in certain rules at certain places and times) so being surrounded by a sea of colorful motorbikes can be a little worrisome, trying to figure out where and when people are going to be turing, going straight or pulling over to the side of the road. Zimi-johns are also used as the local taxis here, with up to three adults squeezing onto the seat of the bike.
Although not something I plan on using an time soon (safety reasons - lots of accidents and burned legs from the exhaust pipe) they definitely lead to some interesting stories and pictures. There seems to be a contest at times about who has the best zimi-john story. So far, I have seen whole families (small child in front, dad, small child, mom with baby tied to back), women on the way to work looking very smart, men in suits and people moving furniture (wicker style couch balanced on the head on the man in the back about doubling the length of the motorbike). I have heard stories of a bundle of furniture roped up and then stuck on the back, a man with a cartons of drinks on the back, someone else moving a refrigerator -- always an adventure on the road. There is something beautiful, though, in the sea of colors and people moving down the road together. I wish I had better pictures, but I am trying to be good about not taking too many pictures of people without their permission while I pass them on the street. There are some people here who believe that the camera somehow affects their spirit, but moreso, I try to think about how would feel when some strange person in a big white car drove by taking my picture and posting it on the Internet. I don't know that any picture can really tell the whole story on this one anyway - just no way to capture the colors, sounds, smells and sights of driving down the road in Benin.
Zimi-johns (not sure of that spelling - it seems to be different every time you ask a new person) are the most common public transport in Benin - some would call them motorcycles, others mopeds or motorbikes, I call them danger on two wheels :) The law in Benin says that a person must have license to drive a car, but anyone with the money to buy one can use a zimi-john - no license or training necessary. Because of this, it is estimated that there are over 80,000 in Contonou alone. Everytime you stop at a traffic light in the Mercy Ships LandRover, there is this sudden sea of motorbikes surrounding you on all sides. There are not really rules that everyone follows at the same time here (there are traffic laws and police, but there still seems to be some flexiblity in certain rules at certain places and times) so being surrounded by a sea of colorful motorbikes can be a little worrisome, trying to figure out where and when people are going to be turing, going straight or pulling over to the side of the road. Zimi-johns are also used as the local taxis here, with up to three adults squeezing onto the seat of the bike.
Although not something I plan on using an time soon (safety reasons - lots of accidents and burned legs from the exhaust pipe) they definitely lead to some interesting stories and pictures. There seems to be a contest at times about who has the best zimi-john story. So far, I have seen whole families (small child in front, dad, small child, mom with baby tied to back), women on the way to work looking very smart, men in suits and people moving furniture (wicker style couch balanced on the head on the man in the back about doubling the length of the motorbike). I have heard stories of a bundle of furniture roped up and then stuck on the back, a man with a cartons of drinks on the back, someone else moving a refrigerator -- always an adventure on the road. There is something beautiful, though, in the sea of colors and people moving down the road together. I wish I had better pictures, but I am trying to be good about not taking too many pictures of people without their permission while I pass them on the street. There are some people here who believe that the camera somehow affects their spirit, but moreso, I try to think about how would feel when some strange person in a big white car drove by taking my picture and posting it on the Internet. I don't know that any picture can really tell the whole story on this one anyway - just no way to capture the colors, sounds, smells and sights of driving down the road in Benin.
