Road Rage.....or Something Else?

I thought I would take a few minutes and write about something that happened yesterday. I'm really glad my wife was not here for this event! Two co-workers and I were doing some shopping, one of them is new to Lagos and we were taking him around to all the different stores where we get groceries. While we were driving down one of the main streets on the island where we live an okada (motorcycle taxi) started chasing us and banging on the car. Apparently he felt that our driver had done something to him and he was angry. I should take a moment to mention that no one in the car saw anything that sparked this and the driver said he did not do anything. The okada pulled alongside and was yelling at the driver, then he pulled across in front of us to slow us down. At this point our driver nearly did hit him. The driver stopped in front of a gas station, just past an intersection where police were directing traffic, and the okada pulled across in front of our car. The driver of the okada got off his bike and came over to the driver's window and continued the rant that he had begun while driving. He was telling the driver to "wind down" (roll down the window) and he tried to open the door (thankfully it was locked). When this did not work (the driver was just staring at him) he began beating on the window (even using his belt that he had apparently taken off during the tirade) and kicking the door. Finally some other okada riders, and other people that were around, grabbed him and tried to usher him off and calm him down. Needless to say, those of us in the car were a little worked up after this!

Now there is the possibility that this was much more than road rage! I may just be paranoid after my wife and I were robbed on the street while walking a few block from our flat, but this seemed a bit suspect. It is not unknown for thieves on okada to try something like this to get a driver to stop and then he and his buddies proceed to rob the occupants of the vehicle. Considering there were three white men in the car I can not rule this out as a possibility. Thieves very often use okada here because they are quick and so numerous that looking for a particular one would be nearly impossible. I'm just glad that my wife was not there, it took me about 30 minutes just to calm down completely. Unfortunately this is one of the consequences of living in Lagos, and tomorrow is another day!