Luxor4u

Nineteen people have been killed and at least a dozen wounded in a road accident involving two microbuses in southern Egypt, state news agency MENA reported, the latest in a series of deadly traffic accidents in the country in recent days. The accident took place late on Monday in a village called Al-Dabaiya in the temple city of Luxor when two microbuses collided, left the road and fell into a canal.

Al-Ahram Arabic news website said a car coming in the opposite direction was the cause of the crash.

The death toll was expected to climb to 25 earlier in the morning with several of the cases being in a critical condition, MENA quoted local head of the ambulance service, Abu Al-Naga Al-Hagagy, as saying. Rescue workers were pulling victims from the water early in the morning.

Full article here:-http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/109221.aspx

Dear God, why am I not surprised? Shocked at the number of victims, but not surprised.
May the injured recover quickly and the dead rest in peace.

In 5 years of having been a paramedic I have witnessed some pretty horrific accidents but never to the extent that happens in this Country, or the amount of fatalities it really beggars belief.

Quoted:Traffic accidents, which the government's census agency says claim 18 lives a day, are commonplace in Egypt due to badly maintained roads and railways and poorly enforced traffic laws. ??? Egyptians have often complained that successive governments have done little to uphold the minimum safety standards to prevent frequent accidents. "What a crock of sh**!

Nothing mentioned about all and I do mean all Egyptians' terrible lack of driving skills and a total disregard for their own safety or the safety of others.
Lambs to the bloody slaughter......

Just a few days ago, both myself and my highly qualified driver, were almost killed when we were forced off the road by a young reclass maniac. We were only 40 Km outside Luxor.

I have yet to meet a highly qualified Egyptian driver, who qualified him ? his mother...

Who2 wrote:I have yet to meet a highly qualified Egyptian driver, who qualified him ? his mother...

"Qualified" = have a driving licence (purchased via a mate or acquired via a ludicrously trivial test.

"Highly Qualified" = Qualified for more than 5 years (without death or serious injury)

Word on the street says that it was a wedding, where traditionally the crazy drivers drive even more crazy than normal, playing around and weaving in and out whilst driving at very high speeds

Omar was reading this news to me as I drove us home from a large town this afternoon. In the same breath he wondered why so many people die on the roads in Egypt, followed by how marvellous the roads are in the UK in that 99% of people actually stop at lights and stay in their own lane. I suggested that perhaps our driving test, involving a little more than 2 bloody cones to maneuver might have something to do with it.

If the driving test here was toughened up and drivers had to have lessons first do you think it would improve the driving of Egyptians. It has always amazed me that they can be the most patient of people until they get behind the wheel of a car/mini bus. The road ahead is obviously blocked but still they hoot their horns try to squeeze into any available tiny space and cause more havoc.

I remember when there where convoys to practically anywhere, police led and everyone followed, or so you would think, constant overtaking, driving on the wrong side of the road. No one was going to get there any faster because you were not allowed to over take the police but everyone wanted to be the one following the police therefore in the lead.
I don't know if Robbo is right in saying that is was a wedding convoy that was involved in the crash, wouldn't surprise me in the least, some of the most stupid and thoughtless driving I have ever seen.
I hope those that are injured recover quickly and fully and hopefully hopefully a lesson will have been learnt.

Driving in the convoy the police would get angry at me for going at my own speed they would finally overtake me and leave me to drive at my chosen speed and in comparative safety, 'sod them...
Ps: it maybe Allah's will but then I'm not Allah. PBUH.

Maybe dodgy road trips to Luxor (and Cairo) - at least for Red Sea tourists will become a thing of the past.

http://thecairopost.com/news/123227/new ... ntiquities

Why don't they dismantle Luxor and Karnak temples move them to Hurghada, save all those day tourists a lot of time and trouble.

I'm voting for that too - great suggestion Carrie. I'd like 'em to include the pyramids too while they're at it. Easy peasy for all then

Well they managed it with Abu Simbel and Philae temple so I don't see why not

Last one out of Luxor turn the lights off.... if there is any electric on at the time

carrie wrote: I don't know if Robbo is right in saying that is was a wedding convoy that was involved in the crash, wouldn't surprise me in the least, some of the most stupid and thoughtless driving I have ever seen.
I hope those that are injured recover quickly and fully and hopefully hopefully a lesson will have been learnt.

It wasn't me who posted the wedding convoy story, but Omar did say it was a wedding when he first read about it. He rang home to check none of the family from that village had been involved and confirmed it was the usual crazy wedding convoy style of driving.

I brought up the reply here, that even with a tougher test Egyptians still have a crazy gene when they get behind the wheel. He agrees probably about 80% just cant be sensible with the other 20% trying before getting frustrated and joining in the silliness in general on the roads. He does think both car and bike tests should be a lot more indepth though, and police being more strict on the roads with offenders.

carrie wrote:If the driving test here was toughened up and drivers had to have lessons first do you think it would improve the driving of Egyptians.....

Nope.....maybe for a couple of weeks, then back to "normal"


......and hopefully hopefully a lesson will have been learnt.

Not a chance. I can't imagine there's an Egyptian driver who hasn't had a family member or friend either killed or badly injured on the road. And it doesn't make a blind bit of difference to the way they drive.

My friend told me yesterday that the two bus drivers were transporting guests to the wedding venue. They were weaving in and out of each other as they vied for lead position. I have witnessed them doing this many a time on this side. Her brother in law's cousin was invited to this wedding but was way behind in a car. The drivers should burden the brunt of these deaths, not that it would ever change how they conduct themselves while driving in these carnivals of death.

News Feed wrote:A road accident in the southern governrate of Luxor leaves 19 dead and 22 injured late on Monday

A wedding procession explains a lot Dusak, I was wondering how so many was killed and injured, when a mini bus should only hold between 12 and 14 people.

carrie wrote:If the driving test here was toughened up and drivers had to have lessons first do you think it would improve the driving of Egyptians. It has always amazed me that they can be the most patient of people until they get behind the wheel of a car/mini bus. The road ahead is obviously blocked but still they hoot their horns try to squeeze into any available tiny space and cause more havoc.

I remember when there where convoys to practically anywhere, police led and everyone followed, or so you would think, constant overtaking, driving on the wrong side of the road. No one was going to get there any faster because you were not allowed to over take the police but everyone wanted to be the one following the police therefore in the lead.
I don't know if Robbo is right in saying that is was a wedding convoy that was involved in the crash, wouldn't surprise me in the least, some of the most stupid and thoughtless driving I have ever seen.
I hope those that are injured recover quickly and fully and hopefully hopefully a lesson will have been learnt.

I have a theory about why some people drive so badly.
Typically, some boys/girls start by learning to ride a bicycle, then a motorbike and if they live that long, by driving a car.
In their heads they are still driving that bicycle. That's why they can ignore traffic signs, one-way streets, lane discipline and practically anything that would save their lives, because that's what they got away with on a bicycle!
They are still on that bloody bicycle. But the new one weighs a tonne or more!

My theory is that the prevalence of atrocious driving in Egypt...and in many other muslim countries... is that it's somehow linked ( in the minds of some....not all) to the concept that everything is determined by Allah who will protect you, or not, from the consequences of your actions and that you are absolved from personal responsibility.

That....and an appalling level of "ignorance"