Running pieces of junk

This piece of news was in one of the dailies (The National) yesterday and reading it you'd think it was just one of those usual things that happen in Papua New Guinea where traffic rules are hardly observed. Public motor vehicles (PMV's), mostly recycled mini-buses from Japan, litter the road like running pieces of junk. However, what made this news not very usual was the fact that the accident happened right in front of our institute's compound, about a hundred meters or so from my house. In fact the loud bang roused me from sleep at around 6 in the morning. From my bedroom window I could see all the commotion. People dragging the injured, people screaming, I tell you its not the way to start a day. Our HR manager's daughter was among those inside the packed PMV but luckily escaped unhurt, save for a few scratches and bruises. Some were'nt as lucky as you may have read already.

Two killed in bus crash

By JASON SOM KAUT
Two brothers were killed, four others were seriously injured and as many 20 more suffered minor injuries in an accident at 10 Mile outside Lae last Thursday morning.

The bus they were travelling in had hit a stationary truck and then flipped on its side, throwing people in all directions. The driver and the conductor of the bus escaped with minor injuries.The seriously injured were rushed to and treated at the Angau Memorial Hospital.The two deceased are in the hospital’s mortuary. The 30-seater PMV, eyewitnesses said, was travelling at full speed when it hit the back of a four-tonne Guard Dog security truck parked beside the road at the 10 Mile service station to drop off night-shift security guards. Witnesses said the bus hit the back of the truck, scraped past the side and then flipped over. The driver involved in the fatal crash was said to be the conductor of the bus. Immediately after the crash, the make-shift driver was seen making trying to make a get-away. Bystanders held him and bashed him before handing him over to the police.

Based on what I've heard, apparently both the bus driver and the conductor had a drink too many the previous night. Oh well, that doesnt surprise me one bit.