The Logistics of Settling In 171generally used on the farms to transport heavy agricultural
products such as cane.
Motorcycles can be a particular hazard if you are not
careful. They tend to go faster than most cars, and dart in and
out at an alarming speed. I was actually hit by a motorcycle
late one evening in an alley near Cairo’s old medieval quarter.
It happened because I froze when I heard the motorcyclist’s
incessant horn beeping. Unfortunately, when I heard the
horn, I didn’t know whether to move left or right or what,
so I just stopped, thinking that would give the driver the
best opportunity to go wherever he wanted. To my surprise,
the driver was already committed and screeching to a
stop. He didn’t quite make it before he reached me. Angry
shop owners immediately came out of shops yelling at the
motorcycle driver. As far as I can tell, the best approach to
avoiding collisions with motorcycles is to keep your ears
perked and eyes constantly alert, especially when on smaller
streets or alleys.
These traffic patterns hold throughout Egypt. However,
in smaller cities, traffic certainly is not as congested as in