The motorbikes do have a convenience factor, but definitely a safety risk as well, so I try only to take them when absolutely necessary.
Waiting for the bus honestly slows me down a whole lot. It becomes tiring to take a trip anywhere, so I have to plan my days wisely. Many Rwandans do not own vehicles, so it is nice that I get a true perspective of how citizens get around the city.
The motorbikes are a really easy way to get around, and they definitely have a thrill factor to them. It feels nice to go to a destination without having to wait so long, but still it's a little scary!
There are definitely pros and cons to both methods of transportation available to me here.
One way this city of Kigali connects their transportation with the environment is enforcing a policy called "car-free Sunday." On the first Sunday of every month, in most of the city, traffic police officers will be monitoring the streets because no cars are allowed to be on the road. I see people walking in the middle of the streets on these days, and it is a really cool aspect of Kigali.
They do this because we know that cars, especially in very metropolitan cities, have exhausts that blow out carbon monoxide and other harmful chemicals to the earth's atmosphere. The city of Kigali tries to decrease its carbon footprint with this policy of car-free Sunday.
