Monday, May 10, 2010

Ridin' Around in My CNG

Bryce, Titus and Maggie took me out to dinner the other night for Mother's Day. We decided to go to a new restaurant (very worth it) that was across town so the first step was cramming into a CNG together and enduring the hot and dusty fume filled 20 minute ride. Bryce snapped some shots of the trip.

It reminded me that I never posted on here the Warden's Message (from the US Embassy here) from late March.

Recently a U.S. Embassy employee was injured during a purse snatching while riding in a Rickshaw. An unknown subject leaned out of a window of a passing vehicle and grabbed the employee’s purse. The employee was pulled violently off the rickshaw and dragged, sustaining multiple abrasions. The incident occurred in the diplomatic zone in the early evening.

The recent incident involving rickshaw use is a reminder that one is exposed to special risks whenever riding on a rickshaw. To minimize exposure to accidents and crimes of opportunity, each passenger should carefully evaluate the situation when making a decision to use a rickshaw. Factors might include the expected route, time of day, traffic congestion, condition of the rickshaw and assessment of the rickshaw driver. It is strongly recommended that handbags, knapsacks and the like not be carried while riding on a rickshaw. For security reasons, the Embassy recommends that U.S. citizens avoid riding in taxis, buses, and engine-powered rickshaws (CNGs).

Of course if you take away rickshaws, CNGs, buses, and taxis there really isn't any way for us to get around since we don't have our own car and driver. We decided to keep risking it. But I always try to make friends with the drivers by paying them way more than necessary. It's like insurance, right? And besides, I'm no good at bargaining.

2 comments:

jessica said...

Well, you all look pretty cool. And if you are posting about the adventure, it means you made it home safely. I'm glad you got to celebrate a nice Mother's Day. Just don't carry a purse - we couldn't wear backpacks as missionaries because they were less easy to give up quickly than an over the arm bag. Our instructions were to just let our bag go if someone tried to take it.

Honeycombs said...

I love the picture at the end, you look so beautiful. Can you even believe that you are quickly wrapping things up there. I guess this is where a "fanny-pack" can really come in handy! You should get a few.