HI All
Five years ago, I bought a brand-new Manual, Isuzu 2.5D double cab from Autoworld – it satisfied all that I needed in a vehicle at that stage of my life – reasonable price tag, powerful, robust, and comfortable. During that time, I have traversed over 110k km driving from Mana Pools to Masvingo; Nyanga and even Vic Falls driving on all sorts of terrain from smooth tar to corrugated, dirt roads and many with severe potholes. Not once did I have any issues with it until…… I hit a snag last Saturday some 10km past Beatrice on the fine Masvingo road.
Way back during my time in the Police I was sent on a defensive driving course. The one important lesson I gained from that was how to control a car when you have a tyre blow out on you when driving at speed – hold on to the steering when with both hands and DON’T change direction or you will roll the vehicle.
I’d heard a loud bang emanating from the left of the car just before I crossed over the new Trabablas flyover but thought nothing of it until I found myself standing on the edge on the wide tarmac some 40km later feeling very unhappy for myself.
I, like so many other, non-savvy motor mechanics had hardly listened to the salesman informing me where to find things like the Jack, tools and spare wheel – I was, after all recovering (at the time of purchase) from my last broken collarbone, so had to ask my son to drive it out of the showroom
Soon after the blowout a very kind young gentleman driving past noticed my predicament and stopped to help change the tyre. Informing me that he was one of those guys that sit on the side of the road near Beatrice fixing all sorts of tyre issues. (Ian Mufaso 0710-339-284 – looking for a job!)
When I travelled down to Jabulani a few weeks ago I had used that same route cutting across the 80km from Mvuma to Gweru. I’d heard that this road had deteriorated considerably in the 30 years since it was last tarred. So, I was pleasantly surprised to come across about three vehicles full of eager CMED workers not far from Lalapanzi. Guys on the back of the first truck would shovel sand off the side with a follow-up team using hard brushes to smooth the sand and ram it down. Truck number 2 would then have someone throw wet tar onto these sandy spots which was, in turn, spread out over the sand. The overall process was made firm and complete with a following heavy steam roller.
Some sections of the Mvuma road had maintained their original condition needing no attention. The remaining 30-40km was completely done in just a few days meaning that my drive back that Sunday was a whole lot smoother with almost all the road patched up
The obvious thought that I came away with was “Why can’t similar teams be used to make the same transformation of the Bulawayo Victoria Falls Road?” Using the same teams such a temporary solution would surely only take a few weeks- far less if they doubled the size of the CMED teams.
On my first trip down to Gweru, I’d left home before 6am and arrived in Gweru well under 4 hours. My drive back this weekend, however, was not so successful - I stupidly departed Gweru late morning, finally arriving back home at 5.30pm. The section from Chivhu to Harare was the worst – so many buses, trucks, and speeding vehicles. It was like Kyalami Racetrack with everyone in such a hurry to reach their destination – I reckon many were driving at over 200kph often with little regard for oncoming traffic – almost a 3 lane highway in many sections.
Time to reintroduce Speed traps on our highways. Bottom line – best way to drive to Bulawayo is if you leave very early in the morning – otherwise take the KweKwe route. Ciao Mike G.