The main mode of transportation in Accra is the trotro: old rebuild Mercedes busses from the eighties. As there are no markings on the outside of the bus (like in other parts of world) one cannot ‘read’ the bus by enciphering the combinations of colours, symbols and signs. It seems to rely solely on the – unmarked – locations where busses stop and the information the so called howlers provide. Listening to the shouting of routes and destinations is the only way to find your way.

The Trotro system plays a very important role in Ghanaian society: it is the only way of transportation for the poor. There are however so many busses and so many people getting on and off that one moves very slowly in a trotro due to traffic jams. Hernando De Soto, peruvian economist and kwown researcher in the field of self organising systems, found out that in many countries with informal economies – like Peru, Egypt or the Philipinnes – one has to take hundreds (!) of administrative steps to set up shop or own a house following the official procedures. Collecting all the prescribed permits, registration forms and licences in Accra just using the bus would take years of non- stop trotro riding.

This road, wich is a gift from the American gouvernment through the Milliennium Challenge Account, has suddenly become a killing field, swallowing human beings like a demented hen.

George Bush Highway

Of course there are a lot of ways to build a car. The western way is to systemise the proces. Especially in the 20th century the aim was to design for mass production. It seemed the only way for such a luxury product. The world is flooded with cars and hereby also carwrecks, parts, tyers, oil, ect. This flood of resources makes it possible to start sampling old car parts into a new costum made cars. The Scrapcar.

From the website http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/01/23/how-to-dream-up-a-car

The Sunbeam-Mabley was designed by Maxwell Maberley Smith in 1901. It was remarkable for having its wheels laid out in a diamond formation. This unconventional design was done to make it possible to arrange the seats sideways. This was not the safer option but much better for the view. This car was made for joyriding and noting else.

I would like to build a dream car. Not that I’m such a car fanatic but as a symbol of basic freedom. Everybody owns a car but who builds a car and maintains it himself? It’s the same thing as a house, a garden or a shed. We all want one but it’s a luxury to build it ouselves. You need time, money and more important a licence. These basic needs are built by big compagnies who claim to have the expertise to build it better, more efficient and cheaper. We are consumers of their better products. But I don’t want a better product. I want to build my dream even when it’s leaking, falling apart or dangerous.