Speaking of cars, some things I have observed about cars and driving. They may or may not generalize:
1. When your project owns the cars, your drivers will be happy, enthusiastic types who show real commitment to your work. When you hire contract drivers who own the cars, you get cranky hard-cases who begrudge every extra mile they drive. Of course, contract drivers are also a much better financial choice.
2. The polite thing to do is to sit in front next to the driver, unless you’re in a high threat environment. In that case, sit in back so you can both dive to safety if there’s gunfire.
3. If you’re sitting in a parked car on a hot day, the best way to keep cool is to open your door and roll up the window, to divert any breeze you get into the car.
4. How to get into an ancient Landcruiser while wearing a skirt: Stand next to the car, facing forward. Put your left foot up onto the running board, and hold the grab handle with your left hand. Step up and pivot into the car, leading with your left hip. Slide into the seat. If you need to get out at some point, you are on your own. I haven’t mastered that yet.
5. Earplugs are a nice solution to the open window = noise, closed window = stifling hot dilemma. I like the kind you squish with your fingers. Obviously, this is a bad choice if you are the driver. In that case, roll up your own window and make your passengers open theirs.
6. You can back a 4×4 surprisingly far into an open drainage ditch without breaking an axle.
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Photo Credit: tjflex2
Chosen because I really hope I never have to do that with a car.
I like this post.
Just a couple of variations on the theme of reality in my world:
1) Your NGO or project owning it’s own vehicles makes it more vulnerable to criticism and investigative journalism about aid inefficiency, too-high overheads, and the like.
2) Or if you insist on sitting in front, then you’re the pushy, proud, hierarchicy-centric outsider who sees him/herself as better than local colleagues riding in the back seats.
4) Will try that next time I wear a skirt in the field! 😉
Ooh, great point there with #2. Because not everywhere is the same!
2. It is a Hollywood-perpetuated myth that the car will give you protection during gunfire. Bullets will go through your car’s plating as if it were butter. The only protection ducking will give you is from bullets coming from the front: your engine block will stop some or even most of those.
Great post, Alanna. I second the earplugs. On long journeys, you’ll also feel a lot less tired when you get to your destination when you wear earplugs.
Michael, it has to be safer behind metal the glass, though? A little safer? Don’t tell me my crash-bang training was wrong!
Michael and Alanna:
Ducking can make you a smaller target, and they can’t see you through metal (in case they’re actually trying to hit you).
I’d rather not be in such places – credit to those willing to go.
@Alanna: nope, glass or thin sheet metal like the plating of your average car will not make much difference. But Chris is right that you might be less of a target — although if somebody armed with a Kalashnikov wants you dead, they will probably just spray the car, including its content (i.e. you) with bullets.
For graphic corroboration: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_04tfKLxhg and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8HK9IcN734I