Trifter

Nigeria

There’s nothing more exhilarating than riding a motorbike through town naked from the neck up – that is, helmetless. The practice is banned in most countries in the developed world of course, so aficionados of the practice have to find long, empty beaches with enough firm sand, and I have my own special beach in Ireland which I shall not name.

Till now Nigerians have had the freedom to ride in this dare devil manner, but alas no longer. Those who know better have introduced regulations requiring helmets to be worn and not everyone is best pleased. The problems riders have with being asked to cover up are not so much the inconvenience or discomfort. Nor is it the loss of freedom they object to, and most Africans don’t grow their hair long enough to have it flowing in the wind as they ride along anyway. The problems for many are that helmets can be pricey things, and many riders have tried to circumvent the law in a rather inventive, colourful and cheeky way.

In the streets of Lagos and other cities people can now be observed riding their mean machines while wearing some quite decorative and bizarre headgear. Pots, pans and even the shells of dried fruit are tied to people’s heads as they scoot around town. Cut up discarded rubber tyres are another favourite, and the police are determined not to be duped into permitting sub-standard equipment to be passed off as the real thing.

Of course the price in helmets has seen a dramatic rise since the new regulations became law on 1 January, but that is not accepted as an excuse.

Along with the financial objections people have raised, it is also widely held that wearing helmets may lead to evil curses entering a person, and that communicable nasties such as dandruff could be spread throughout the population.

Estonia

A charming spoof report in the Estonian press has been swallowed whole by their Russian counterparts. Eesti Ekspress, an Estonian magazine, reported that journalists would no longer be allowed to wear shoes at press conferences. This was in response to the shoe attack on George Bush in Iraq. The one concession to journalists was that thick woollen socks would be available to hire if the temperature dropped too low.

Some sections of the Russian press took this seriously and reported the spurious tale as true.

A lesson for us all as we read articles on Triond perhaps!

China

While German children of 6 and 7 tried to elope during the New Year holidays, one lady in China from the other end of the age spectrum has been desperately seeking her first husband. This sweet young lady of 107 was always afraid to marry because of the way she saw other married women treated.

Now she sees herself as a burden on her elderly younger relatives, and is looking for a husband to look after her. Wang Guiying is reported to be looking for a man of about 100 years old so that the two would have something to talk about.

Sweet, but isn’t it such a sad comment on how married women can be treated if they have no power.

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