Who’s doing what on the John Ross
The message here, is that behind every steering wheel sits an individual who drives as he or she wants.
It is Friday, 5.30pm, on the John Ross Highway. It’s winter, so already dark.
Driving to Empangeni from the Bay you are one of about two thousand cars.
You stick to the 100km/h speed limit, which everybody is supposed to be doing, but still you pass many cars and also get overtaken.
Here’s why:
60km/h
Snailing along in the far left lane is Promise.
It’s her first car and she has only recently passed her driving license.
Promise is still petrified of driving in peak traffic, and that’s why she’s tottering along at 60km/h.
When doing her driver’s test it was okay to hold up an entire suburb but the people on the John Ross are not as patient.
She’s praying, with eyes wide open, that she will see her kids again.
70km/h
Lane hogging the middle is Mrs Daisy.
Since she first started driving, in 1956, things have changed a lot.
There are 10 times more cars on the road.
And she can’t really see that well any more, therefore she’s sitting so far forward that her tooties are rubbing against the wheel.
Mrs Daisy clings to her spot in the middle lane like it’s her pension.
It gives her a sense of security.
80km/h
Meisie is busy texting Toks.
That’s why she’s only driving 80km/h when the speed limit says 100.
Toks said he’s got something special planned for tonight and she just has to know before she dies of curiosity.
Meisie knows it’s dangerous to text and drive but she reckons that she has become so good at it that it’s almost second nature.
She can type so fast that she can say ‘Luv u lots my Tokkies’ in one go without having to look up.
110km/h
Doing 110km/h is Speedsamy in his Chatsworth Ferrari – a souped-up Toyota Corolla which has been given the full pimp-my-ride treatment.
He’s feeling hot and reckless, because he’s seeing his ‘chillie pip’ tonight and they’re going to make it happen.
So when he sees a gap in the traffic he takes it like a rough rider.
120km/h
Working the John Ross at 120km/h is the Taxi Driver.
He’s been up for 12 hours but still needs to do two more runs, or else he’ll get necklaced by the boss.
There’s a strange noise coming from the rear wheel on the left but there’s no time to stop and check it out.
For now he will practice what the slogan in the rear window says, ‘Put your trust in God’.
His taxi has seen better days, so anyone boarding must have faith…
130km/h
On 130km/h, but trying to do 140, is the business Mogul in his super-charged SUV.
The Mogul regards the fast lane as part of his birth right.
But tonight he’s not racing to get home.
He’s got a 6pm appointment with Candy and he doesn’t want to be late because Candy charges by the hour.
For the Mogul time is money.
So he lives his life in the fast lane and he expects everybody to get out of his way.
Be alert
The message here, is that behind every steering wheel sits an individual who drives as he or she wants.
It explains why there so many accidents and it’s not going to change.
