- pedestrian
- donkey cart
- moto (very small motorcycles, 50-100 cc engines)
- bicycle
- camels are used in northern Mali, closer to the Sahara Desert
- parogues (boats in the ancient style on the Niger River)
Here are some photos for you. I will add to the collection over time. click here
Roads are not as we know them in the US. They are a hybrid of dirt paths and roads that we think of. They are generally not graded. Most 'roads' have ruts, areas that are solid along with areas that are sand traps, very hard to ride a bike or moto in. Also, there are stones, some rocks, holes, trash, and even open wells in some roads. Occassionally a child falls into a well, especially at night. There are essentially no traffic lights or street lights. Not all vehicles have or use lights, even if they have them. Donkey carts do not have lights and are virtually invisible at night. Some donkey carts with a man travel for 2 days to get firewood for cooking. The donkeys walk all night while the man sleeps on the cart. There are accidents on the few main paved roads (gidrons) when trucks run into the donkey carts. Just a week ago, a man, his donkey were killed while they were making a living carrying fire wood to sell. A big semi truck hit them from behind. The man had 2 wives and many children.
Traffic patterns are unpredictable. All types of vehicles can be traveling on either side of what looks to be the 'road', or interesecting 'paths', day and night, with or without lights. Crossing a street at night is therefore not easy. One cannot just look one direction for oncoming traffic, but must look in both directions at all times, for all types of vehicles, with or without lights. I try always to bring a flashlight, more to be seen that to see.
There is not license or age limit required to operate motos. Many times I see what look like 10 year olds recklassly driving motos with their friends on the back. There seems to be a driving pattern that when one enters a congested pedestrian area, you honk your horn and speed up. I try to hide.
Gasoline for motos is sold in wine bottles at road side stands.
Many people do not have vehicles at all. On an average day, off the gidron ( the 1 main paved road in Markala), I only see 3-8 cars per day. Therefore when many people need to travel, they take the bus or basche. Buses are similar to our buses, only operated much differently. When all the seats are sold, they just keep selling tickets. People sit on the floor and in the stair wells. When an engine repair was required on one trip I was on, they dismantled the rear 8 passenger seats, and opened the engine compartment when the bus was going about 60 mph. Incredible heat and exhaust fumes from the diesel engine poured into the passenger compartment, along with road grit. Of course, seats and floor space are shared with animals, alive and dead. At each stop, the bus doors open and a dozen or so food vendors and beggars crowd the door with arms darting into the bus in order to sell food and get money.
The other day, an Australian couple shared an experience about a bus ride. They were coming into Mali from Senegal. In the 'middle of no where', the bus driver pulled over and said that there were bandits up ahead, and that if everyone gave the bus driver their money, they he would hire a police escort. Nobody bought the scan. No one gave the bus driver any money. He responded by locking the bus with everyone in it, and he left for 8 hours. No food, water, or toilet,, with women and infants on the bus. He returned the next morning and drove the remainder of the way to Bamako.
Basches are a slightly different matter. They are small pickup trucks and vans converted to carry passengers. Wood plank benches accomodate people, literally should to shoulder, front to back, with no room to move. The drivers want to get as much money as possible for each trip, so they squeeze people in. Basches are in generally poor condition, and breakdown regularly. Looking under one of them, I saw where the main springs were held together with blocks of wood and tape. Really heavy loads are often accompanied by nearly flat tires. This all adds to the excitement of travel. A general rule of thumb by Peace Corps volunteers is > do not start any travel in the afternoon, because this increases the probability of being stranded on the road overnight.
My everday transportation to work and food is a Peace Corp supplied bicycle. The mountain bike style bike accomodates the roads as well as any can. Sand pits really s l o w me down, one time causing me to take a tumble. The are thorn bushes everywhere, so periodically I get a thorn in my tire, which required a repair on my part. No lights on the bike, Peace Corps rules prohibit riding a night because it is so dangerous. We are also issues helmets, which are mandatory to wear.
I am investigating the availability of reflective sashes to bring into Markala. I think that it would help make people more visible. One contact I have in England is studying donkey cart safety at Liverpool University. I am interested to see how we can work together. If anyone else has other leads on cheap bulk sources of reflective material, please let me know.
Parogues, the ancient style boat, are still used regularly on the Niger River and smaller canals. They carry: fishermen, tourists, clay (for making bricks for buildings), pottery (from one side of the river where the pottery is made, to the markets on the other side for sale), and other materials. They vary in length from around 20' to 100' or more. Most are powered by men with long poles that they use to push off the bottom of the river. Sometimes they use oars. A few have outboard motors. Some also have sails (see photos).
During the 4 months that I have been in Mali, I have heard 2 jets overhead. I never see any jet trails in the sky. This is not a highly trafficed part of the world for planes.