by Faith Foyil

When you reach a four-stop, lightless intersection you will be playing Car Tag, a game with no set rules.

At least the electricity never went out, which it does here in the Bahamas on a regular basis. It can be a challenge to maneuver during an island-wide black out. You reach a four-stop, lightless intersection and play Car Tag, a game with no set rules. You honk horns, gesticulate hands, and nod heads emphatically to each other making "You go, No, YOU go, No, I want YOU to go first" motions at other equally indecisive drivers.

Bahamians drive on the left but they chiefly import their cars from the U.S., which means the steering wheels are also on the left. Passing is undertaken to the right. Stop and picture this all for a moment before continuing, please.

Drivers here must develop contortionist-like skills in order to overtake slow vehicles. Many Bahamians, friendly and trusting souls, choose not to worry about oncoming traffic at all. They fly out of line and pass two, three, or more vehicles, assuming that the equally friendly and trusting drivers they're passing will simply let them squeeze back in when, seconds into the overtake, they are faced with a line of oncoming traffic they didn't check to see was headed their way.

I've driven in several countries and conclude that Bahamians are indeed among the most considerate drivers in the world. Many Bahamians think nothing of suddenly stopping in the middle of a busy road to chat with a friend they've spotted walking on the shoulder - even if there are six cars in back of them quite eager to continue their journey.

Even "jitney" bus drivers go out of their way to accommodate their passengers, picking them up and dropping them off where and when they please, regardless if it's at an authorized bus stop designation. The driver in the car behind slams on his or her brakes because of this unexpected sojourn but recognizes that the bus driver must be a really nice guy.

Blinkers, or indicators as they're known in Britain, don't seem to be obligatory to Bahamians.

Blinkers, or indicators as they're known in Britain, don't seem to be obligatory. A Bahamian driving in front of you may simply slow down and turn rather than waste energy indicating left or right in advance. You may also be fooled into thinking drivers are simply decelerating in order to adjust radio volume, or maybe to answer cell phones, since you don't see any indicative brake lights which perhaps haven't operated for a few months. Slam on your own brakes and - oops -- Junior spills a milkshake all over your back seat. You should have been paying more attention! (CONTINUE...)