Friday, August 15, 2003 Canadians can't drive, Afghans sayFriday, August 15, 2003
KABUL -- There is a new hazard on Kabul's already dangerously chaotic roads; the Canadian army and its massive armoured vehicles have been getting into accidents at a rate that is alarming the otherwise fearless drivers of the Afghan capital.
While the Canadian troops have ventured out of their fortress-like Camp Julien, on the southern outskirts of Kabul, only relatively infrequently since the first members of the 1,900-strong deployment to Afghanistan began arriving late last month, their LAV III and Bison armoured personnel carriers have been running into civilian cars and trucks with some frequency.
Drivers, cyclists and pedestrians on Kabul's crowded streets and lanes are learning that a Canadian flag is a signal to get out of the way -- fast.
"They don't know how to drive, these guys," said Baoud, a part-time driver for one of the dozens of international aid agencies that have set up shop in Kabul. "They don't know the rules: which streets are one-way; which way to turn in the traffic circles. It's not good because they're so big."
The military has had to compensate some drivers hit by their vehicles and one pedestrian has been hospitalized after being struck by a Canadian LAV. His injuries were reportedly not life-threatening. Canada.comBASH CANADA DAY! -- posted by Chuck at Friday, August 15, 2003 | E-mail | Permalink | Main |
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