City Beat: Public transport and its never ending drama

A few weeks back, we heard all around how the need for parking space was becoming a serious problem at Kwa rubangura. Well, one day I happened to be in a coaster and experienced a scenario which I have since been itching to share with you. If you use public means for your daily transport, you very well know that these coasters sometimes have a problem of getting out of parking. So, this one time as the driver of the coaster I was in tried getting out of parking, another came and blocked his way. The driver getting angry about his way being blocked when he had already hustled another colleague to give him way started a verbal assault on the other as is often the case. “I wonder where this one went to school. How could such a person have passed a driving test?” he said. “How can you make such a remark about your friend when you are all the same? No taxi driver passed a driving test with above 30%. I believe even in primary school where you all stopped, that’s if you did even step there, your best marks were always around 25% and 30%,” a fellow passenger remarked on the driver’s outburst. This sent the coaster full of people into laughter to the embarrassment of the driver. He retaliated by telling the passenger to mind his own business. This instead made the passenger crazy. The exchange continued as the driver tried negotiating his way amongst the many vehicles but he being no match for the passenger who was apparently enjoying his embarrassment decided to surrender, telling him he had no more words for him. The passenger however was not yet done. He continued. The passengers however got bored with his monologue as asked him to back down. After a few minutes we thought the afternoon’s free entertainment was over. But it was not to be. The same passenger created a new scene in the drama. Having paid his fare, he demanded for balance which was way over what he had actually paid. The coaster’s conductor tried to politely explain to the passenger and even showed him the Rwf 500 note he had had given him. The passenger refused to listen. He even checked his own pockets. On finding no money in them, he claimed that he had entered the taxi with a Rwf1000 note and that since he had only given the conductor money, it was definitely him with it. Having had his earlier taunts with the driver, the passengers joined the conductor’s side as they wanted to continue with their journeys. They told off the passenger who reluctantly relented and we managed to go. This scenario reminded me of another incident with another male passenger. I just don’t know why it is always men. I was seated next to him for the entire journey and I don’t remember him being awake for even a minute. The conductor kept waking him up telling him he should stay awake in order for him to be able to get out at his designated. But the latter would only respond with a hmmmmmm and slip right back in his slumber to pick up from where he had left off. So, when we reached our destination, this guy was woken up and asked to pay. I guess you are already thinking of the answer he gave. He told the conductor, “Don’t be funny. I have already paid you and I am actually demanding for my balance.” Maybe his subconscious had conjured up a dream of him paying. What audacity!! Smart as he was, he lost the respect of the people around him. He came across as a thug trying to get a free ride. I didn’t stay to see the outcome of the argument that had ensued between him and the conductor. Whatever those two ‘gents’ were up to, they should have dropped it. That shouldn’t be part of our beautiful country’s image. I however guess public transport drama will always exist. Contact: tannie120@yahoo.co.uk