I know you all remember when LADA was the main form of taxi back in the day in Jamaica. No matter how bad the roads were, and trust me, a lot of them were very bad, those cars seemed to stand up strong! There were areas that weren't even considered roads especially if you lived in the country because of all the bush, and gully side. Pot holes seemed like the norm, and the width of the road, as narrow as your hand middle. A car meant to carry six passengers, at times held fifteen. Half of the driver's body was outside the car, while three more passengers in the front, another eight in the back seat, and the rest packed like sardine in the "kitchen" (trunk).
I must admit, I have ridden in the "kitchen" a few times, and it was fun. At that time, it didn't seem we had any fear of accidents or the dangers of what could have happened if the taxi driver made an error, or if other drivers would have plunged into us. We were schoolers, with just the thought of getting to and fro. Some drivers kept their cars in pristine condition, those were the guys you found on the "charter stands." They were for hire, and they most certainly weren't going to pack their cars like a sardine can. There are very few Lada cars left today on the road in Jamaica. The road is saturated with Corolla taxi drivers instead. If you were to ask any of them, they would tell you that the Corollas are not half the strength the Lada cars were. They say things like, lada caan dun, a de toughest car dem ever mek! (Lada cars are indestructible, they are the strongest cars ever made).
What are some of your Lada experiences?
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