EGYPT: Broken trains in a Cairo morning

Having an air-conditioned car is a luxury in a country where nearly half the population earns $2 or less a day. Nevertheless, Cairo's horrible traffic can turn that blessing into a curse. The other day, wanting to avoid the city's snarling congestion, I decided to take the metro. The journey turned out to be an exceptional moment that allowed me, a relatively privileged citizen, to connect further with my poorer compatriots.

You don't need to make any move or stretch your muscles to hop up on the 9 a.m. metro. The crowd propels you, sweeping you into its energy and ruckus, and squeezing you into a train car for a whole new kind of traffic.

The train was maddeningly slow, clacking along like an old, wizened beast. I knew I'd be late for an appointment. But I was in a good company, or at least like-minded company: All faces flashed with angst, suspecting something not very pleasing was about to happen.

"We spent 45 minutes on a journey that usually takes 20 minutes," complained a veiled woman who seemed to be in her 40s. Nevertheless, neither the crowd nor the rickety train discouraged a beggar woman in black from hopping up on. I tried to calm myself by reading the leaflets and ads posted inside; some were about how you can get closer to God by praying at night and feeding the poor, while others advertised matchmakers who "apply Islamic standards" when helping one search for a spouse. 

Then came the conductor's announcement, those words that spoil a morning. Technical problems. Everyone off the train. The pushing started as commuters dashed for the platform. They readied themselves to pounce on the next train, bristling with the insecurity and restlessness that have come to mark Egyptian life. Whining rose as if from a tremulous chorus.

Students were scared of missing classes, and state-paid employees panicked that they might not sign in on time. Some comments attested to a higher level of disenchantment: "It is a disgusting country," complained some passenger. "Even the ticket machines are not working," said another.

The saga did not end there. After making my (later than scheduled) appointment, I had to hop on another train back. You guessed it. Technical problems. Everyone off the train. Hence, I had to go through the same hassle for a second time -- a hassle that regular commuters often endure. 

Reading the papers today, I realized that technical problems almost paralyzed trains for six hours. Looking back on this exasperating journey, I was haunted by many questions: How long will Egyptians endure such tough life? Can this daily disenchantment lead to some more serious action? We keep hearing the ruling regime talking about development and economic progress, but why does this talk not reflect on people's daily lives? When can people get rid of this sense of all this meaningless pressure?

Tomorrow, I will take my car and brave whatever the roads have in store for me.

—Noha El-Hennawy in Cairo

Photo: Cairo underground metro. Credit: Khaled El-Fiqi / Al-Ahram Weekly

Comments

[John Martin]

I agree that things are tough here in Cairo: traffic is terrible. I watched an ambulance inch down the street in front of my apartment, being cut off by other drivers, while some attempted to use their cars as barricades to let it through. The city is congested, needless to say, but this piece is outrageous. The Metro is hands down, under most circumstances, the fastest way to get across the city. A journey that would take you an hour or more in a car or cab might take you 20 minutes on the Metro.

Obviously it has its problems. I live close to a Metro line, but most of the city does not. There are only two and one is admittedly more updated than the other. But who is to blame for this? Certainly the government isn't helping. Lord knows that they are far too busy lining their pockets with foreign-aid money to notice the goings on of everyday life in Cairo. But carping about the reality of life here has become akin to singing the national anthem. Complaining is THE national pastime.

Don't get me wrong: there is enough to complain about. The traffic is terrible because there is no rule of law. This is not indicative of a strong government, but a weak one. I also watched of my balcony last week as a young woman hit two men on a motor scooter and when confronted with the situation by one man, attempted to run him over with her car to get away. Thankfully, and inexplicably, the middle-aged man managed to roll off of her hood to one side unharmed as she sped down the street. A police officer stood smoking a cigarette watching all this happened, shrugging and walking back to the street corner when the man asked what he was going to do about it.

Perhaps if the first collective action that Egyptians take in the 21st century is to simply respect each other, then the other problems, like the crush of people flowing on and off the Metro at each stop, pushing and shoving, will take care of themselves. Self-policing is the most powerful kind there is and it can out-muscle even the thugs that Cairo has to offer on every street corner with their badges, hats and menacing unloaded weapons.

[Ben]

Sounds a bit like a normal commute in the UK!