Many people in Georgia use a marshrutka on a daily basis, so they are very used to this mode of transportation. However, as an American who is unfamiliar with them, I often feel stressed out when I ride in a marshrutka, because there are no specific stops. Instead, the marshrutka stops at the request of the passenger. Therefore, you need to know exactly where your stop is and when to shout at the driver. Often, there aren't seatbelts in marshrutkas. Usually, it's crowded because people stand in the aisles if there aren't enough seats. I think the drivers go very fast, and they don't follow the rules of the road the same way as in the United States. People look out for one another on marshrutkas, however. They make sure older women have places to sit and they clear the aisle if someone needs to get out. If a passenger doesn't have enough money or the right coins, someone will offer to pay. Men will sometimes politely offer to hold ladies' bags.
The word marshrutka comes from the Russian word for "route". Marshrutkas are found in all countries that were former members of the Soviet Union. Georgian culture, and Eurasian culture in general, is very open and social. People don't mind sharing such small spaces, compared to Americans. Marshrutka drivers try to make as much money as they can and to get to their destination as quickly as possible. In post-Soviet culture, especially compared to American culture, these factors are more important than safety and caution.
