viernes, 6 de agosto de 2010
RUNNING WITH THE TRAFFIC IN MEDELLIN
Medellin is a marvelous city that combines the vibrancy and anarchy of Calcutta with the elegance of Milano.
A city that reflects light and darkness. The sun. The moon. The shadows. The eclipse.
The traffic and transport of people in Medellin is symbolic of this complexity.
Public transport is dominated by the Metro rail system and a bus grid that swarms over the city like a plague of Argentinean ants.
The people of Medellin have been inspired by an enlightened municipal leadership to take ownership of their Metro system. A frequent, cheap, clean and safe service has become the pride of the city. Sometimes it is also a reason for ignoring the serious shortcomings arising from a lack of planning and selfish road behavior.
The system is not perfect. Metro travelers have not embraced the Japanese method, when standing in a crowded carriage, of inhaling to allow more people to squeeze into the space. As a consequence people waiting on the platform use a coordinated flying wedge to force their way into the carriage. As a result, you are forced to inhale involuntarily.
Travelling by bus is a personal experience. In Australia you stand on the kerb and hail a taxi. In Medellin the same action can result in a fully loaded 20 tonne bus screeching to a halt on your toes. Jumping on to a moving bus and paying the driver while he accelerates away brings a new dimension to living life on the edge. The reward is it will also stop at any moment provided you are still prepared to now jump off the same moving bus. Waiting for a safe moment could take you hours past your destination.
Private transport on the roads of Medellin is difficult for an outsider to describe.
My local friends use the word ¨hate¨. I think this is a strong word that I tried to discourage my children from using. Selfish, opportunistic, anarchic and deadly maybe. I admit to being influenced by watching a panicked pedestrian crossing the avenue in front of the supermarket being run down trying to flee the oncoming traffic.
Pedestrians are at risk of becoming an endangered species. They are threatened by the motos, cars, trucks, buses and traffic planners. In most cities the traffic light system is designed to offer the pedestrian some protection. The walk sign is green and you start across the intersection. The sign starts to flash and you quicken your step to reach the other side. Not in Medellin. The sign starts to flash and the motos and cars start to rev their engines. You think you have wandered onto a Formulae 500 starting grid. Your fellow pedestrians start to run. If you survive, you now know that when the light starts to flash you have 3 seconds to get to the other side. Not 3.8 seconds. Not 5 seconds. Exactly 3 seconds. Try yourself out to find how much ground you can cover in 3 seconds.
Running with the traffic in Medellin, flagging down a bus or surviving the peak Metro rush on a total knee replacement has sharpened my survival skills.
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