Bus Racing

We exited bus 44 once we got to San Salvador and headed over to the next bus stop a few blocks away. Getting to be around 5:30pm we knew it would start to get dangerous in that area soon so we jumped onto bus 41C to take us to the school. This 41C was a small bus, which means craziness, and this trip only helped reinforce that perception.

Our trip began smoothly, well, as smoothly as they can on the little buses, until our two lanes of traffic merged down to one. Not normally a big deal, but there happened to be another little bus next to us and neither wanted to give ground, so both sped up to pass the other before the second lane ran out. Thus the race began.

Our bus ended up slowing down as the other had the lead by a head, but shortly after the lanes merged down to one, they quickly multiplied to three. Our driver took his opportunity and sped around the competition. In an attempt to keep the lead, he only slowed down at the bus stops, didn't stop, and the two guys who hang out the doors to encourage people to get on the bus only gave half-hearted calls, then banged the side of the bus signaling to the bus driver to haul ass. Which he did.

Swerving around impeding vehicles, the two guys from the doorways shouted directions to the driver about open lanes or the location of other vehicles. Solidea and I were laughing, but it was a kind of "this would be really funny if we weren't in danger of dying" laugh. The driver did stop to let people off the bus, but the race continued until we ran into congestion on the road and were forced to slow down. Alleluia. BUT, we made really good time back to the school.