One of the shocks for people new to Guyana is the frenetic driving behaviours on our roads – drivers cutting in and out of traffic; driving in the opposing lane to get ahead of traffic; obviously intoxicated drivers; ignoring stop signs; running red lights – the list goes on. Ultimately, the biggest obvious danger is the excessively high speed we see from cars, motorbikes, and even heavy-duty trucks. I frequently hear the comments about “these speeders” as if we’re talking about a select few, but in fact speeding in Guyana is a rampant and ever-present condition.
Without exception, any time I leave my house to venture into town or east to Plaisance I see persons driving way over the speed limit and honking at any drivers who may be slowing their rush; I emphasize, not every now and then, not every other time, it’s every time. Speeding is not an isolated or an occasional occurrence; it is happening every day right across the country. Indeed, based on my personal experience with this mania for speed I am frankly surprised that more people are not killed every day.
Erratic driving – overtaking blind; cutting across lanes; turning without signalling; overtaking on the inside lane ‒ has simply become the norm in Guyana. Excessively high-speed driving is accepted, sometimes even applauded. Mini-bus drivers will attest to passengers egging them to
