Security forces in Beirut is finally removing the cement blocks that were set in place a few years ago due to security threats. People who work in Hamra know how badly positioned were these block due to the traffic they were causing everyday, so it is a relief to have them removed at last.
The funny thing though is that the former minister of interior (Nohad Machnouk) and the new one (Raya El Hassan) both claimed they ordered the blocks removal which really sounded childish (here and here).
I just saw this photos on bintjbeil.org of an accident inside the airport tunnel last night involving 20 cars but luckily without injuries.
A normal accident on that road usually causes a 30-60 minutes traffic jam due to how narrow the road is, so I can’t imagine how much people had to wait last night until everything got cleared and the tunnel was opened again.
Also, knowing that this is a vital road that connects Beirut to the southern cities and town, I never understood why the government decided to make it a two-lane road only when it was constructed in the nineties which creates a mess not only when accidents occur but also when a car simply breaks down and parks on the right sometimes. And this is why I personally have been avoiding that tunnel for two years now and always go through Ouzai instead.
I’ll start off with a simple logical description of the issue on hand: On a single-lane road, two cars can pass faster when they are moving one after another. But when next to each other, one car has to slow down in order to let the other pass. In other words, lamma ykoun 3adad l siyarat yalle meshyin 7ad ba3d aktar mn 3adad l lanes, hol l siyarat bya3mlo 3aj2a la2an ma bise3o yo2ta3o 7ad ba3d w bisiro majbourin ykhaffefo ta ymar2o ba3d.
This effect, scaled up, creates irrelevant, unneeded, ugly traffic.
Supposing that what I am talking about can be grasped by small minded Lebanese drivers (which I doubt) who think they are always in a state of rush that allows them to just create lanes of their own, driving the wrong way or even where there is no ‘way’, I have come to a decision that I would like to share.
Paint balls!
Since I am daily witnessing the phenomena of “I am in a rush, I drive my car where I please” and “matra7 ma bshouf zefet bemshe. w aslan ma droure ykoun fi zefet” I have decided to purchase a stock of paint balls and a paint ball gun. Why? you may ask. I shall salute each driver driving the wrong way with a colorful paint ball to cheer up his day w ta fesh khel2e as well. So in case you come across some news report in the near future speaking of a trend of colorful cars on the Lebanese roads, you can safely assume that I had some part in setting that trend.
And oh, since its Christmas time, I will start with a stock of green and red paint balls 🙂
image via mumatlarge.blogspot.com
The accident happened a few days ago and fortunately only one employee was slightly injured.
Reminds me of the the guys who crashed into Wardieh pharmacy in Hamra 2 years ago.
via @KunHadi
Some friends of mine who work at Nahr El Mot sent me the below photos of the truck that fell today morning off the bridge leading to Metn highway. Luckily only the truck driver was injured.
Thanks to Elie Tawil & Elie Hajj.
The bridge might be illogical, but it’s about time people learn which lane to drive in depending on their destination.
The traffic jam is all caused by people heading to Sin El Fil and insist to drive on the left side of the road until the last few meters before reaching the bridge located on the right side. That of course forces them to suddenly slow down and make a right turn to take the bridge, causing everyone behind them to slow down as well.
Keep left if you’re going to Beirut, and right when going to Sin El Fil! Easy!
Update:
Here’s the Facebook page of the people behind that sign.
Thank you @Marilynzakhour
I just came across this photo by Cheyef 7alak of raw chicken parts spilled on the road from a truck belonging to Hawa Chicken, with a worker apparently trying to put everything back into the plastic containers.
Notice how messy the inside of the truck also looks. Anyway, one can only hope these parts didn’t end up getting sold to Hawa Chicken’s customers!
Now that the weather feels good for people to go outdoors, the Ouzai road is literally turning into a racing circuit on weekends with tens of bikes everywhere either racing or pulling wheelies. And although it’s a two-way road, some bikers just choose to do their stunts while driving in the opposite direction of traffic!
The video below I shot yesterday shows how does it feel like to drive there with a car on a Sunday.
I took these photos in Sawfar last Sunday, I’ve never seen that much snow in the area before!
One good thing I noticed while driving is how better the road has become if you’re coming from Hazmieh, it used to be a living hell with the all the works that have been ongoing for more than a year now to widen the road. I guess a good part of the project is now done and the road condition became much better with separators at certain areas to keep the drivers in opposite direction from jumping to your lanes.
