If you are entering Lagos for the first time, the first thing that says welcome to you is the yellow danfo buses. Not a “welcome to Lagos State” signpost, but the yellow buses. They are everywhere you look in Lagos. You will lose count of how many danfo buses you’ll find in Lagos.
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Another thing you’ll quickly realise is that Danfo drivers are rough riders. So, you wonder why they always drive so rough on the road?
If you’ve ever wondered why Danfo drivers in Lagos drive roughly, here are the reasons;
- Due To Traffic
The main target of every Lagos Danfo driver is to get to their destination on time, drop off passengers, pick up new ones, and beat traffic. So, to avoid traffic and make as much money as possible, Danfo drivers always drive fast. When driving, their only concern is getting passengers, so they don’t worry about their speed limit.
- To Meet The Lagos Standard
The thing about Lagos is that everyone is always in haste. Both pedestrians and drivers. There’s also always traffic, and almost everyone on Lagos road is negotiating their way to their destination fast enough. There’s a famous saying that there’s no dull moment on Lagos roads. Either you’re shining your eye and moving fast, or you’re ready to sleep on the road.
So, Lagos Danfo drivers internalise the need for this, and as such, each one of them is constantly moving as fast as they can.
- LASTMA, Taskforce & Lagos Thugs
If you know Lagos, you’ll know there’s no shortage of thugs or LASTMA officers on the road. They are always billing Danfo drivers for one reason or another. If a Danfo driver is not careful, they’d spent up to 60 thousand Naira trying to bail their buses from LASTMA or entering the trap of thugs. So, rough driving is their way of outsmarting and running away from them.
How Do they Learn Rough Driving?
Danfo drivers most times start as conductors. So, they do most of the learning by watching the driver while he drives. From there, they learn when to increase speed and how to escape the task force each day. They don’t get any formal training. Experience teaches Danfo drivers how to drive rough on the road.
Conclusion
Lagos Danfo drivers are known for their rough driving. But, driving rough is their only coping mechanism to withstand the rugged nature of Lagos, make money and escape excessive billings from Lagos thugs and taskforce.
