Hi,
I have been to Morocco about 2 monyhs ago and I met several children which were throwing stones at my car when driving from Zagora to Mhamid. I saw several cars with damaged windows because of this.
Where else is this a problem?
How is the Atlantic Route and sub-saharan Africa?

I also found some nasty children which were holding a rope waiting at both sides of the road; fortunately it was a radio cassete band and broke as my car passed.

How do you deal with this nasty children when on a bike?

Its not much of a problem on the Atlantic route because there are very few settlements or people. You do see small incidents of it across Africa. As to how to deal with it, well dodge. Its just one of those things, there is little point trying to chase them as they disappear off into their village which they know and you don't and if you do manage to catch up with them then if you do anything, there is a strong chance that the local villagers will react back against you. The fact that the kid threw a stone in the first place won't matter, your an outsider versus a village kid. Re the string across the road, usually they are just trying to get you to stop so they can beg money or try and sell something to you. I haven't heard of any attempts with real ropes or actually trying to knock someone off their bike, its pretty harmless and not something to get worried about. Better to slow down and crawl through rather than trying to race through, you don't want to hit accidently hit a child

[This message has been edited by Toby2 (edited 26 February 2006).]

It's best not to worry about it, just deal with it as it happens.
If you're expecting 'trouble' in certain places, all you'll do is stress yourself out and perhaps not pay attention to whats happening around you.
At the end of the day, it's part of the experience. Take the bad with the good.

Thank you for your answers, but I wouldn't slow down when I see those devil children. What I did is to use the horn and drive as fast as possible. If you make some strange movements like driving in the direction in which the children are they got afraid and stop throwing.
Do you think that if a stone is trown at a car it can brake the window and kill you?

When you see children SLOW DOWN....and risk the stone throwing...In fact I think you are less likly the have stones thown if the drive very very slowly through a village, they think you will stop and give chase.....

Reason I say this......I ran over a child last year in the Riff....Not my fault, he ran out from a shop without looking. I was going slow but......Huge Unimog v Small child.....no contest.

Not making light of the personal side but the massive paperwork, delay, lock-up and near linching and threats.....and then the endless paperwork when you do get home......say no more

nasty, having hit a 13 year old on my motorbike in the uk I know how it can feel (although everyones experience is their own). It doesn't make it feel much better that it wasn't your fault. You have my comiserations.

I would definately endorse slow down. I hate speed cameras, I love speed, but when there are people about, especially kids its a different matter.

The stones will do less damage to you as well if you are going slower

Andy
Land 101Ambie/camper
TLCH60x2
1968 morris minor traveller

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1990 Landcruiser H60. Full rebuild completed 2014

Hi qwer1234, I agree with detourer, I think it is better to slow down and if any children steps on the sides of the vehicle or in the rear, well that´s one of rhe best things that might happen, so none of the rest children will be throwing anithing to you...
I experienced this situation in the Atlas, I had the rear window broken. It was useless to get mad. Not much more I could do but fix the window with tape.

Saludos.

www.expedicionesfennec.com

On a humorous note – its not just stones that the kids throw. A few years ago in Algreia some enterprising kids found a huge decomposing turkey carcass to lob at us. They positioned themselves on the up hill side of a blind mountain hair pin, just where you would be slowing down thinking you were in the wrong gear. It landed between the spare and the windscreen from at least 40 foot up, exploded on impact and then drained itself into the air vents behind the dash board as we stopped. I never did manage to clean it properly and after 6 months or so the ever present smell of purification still made passengers gag on hot summer days stuck in traffic …

I don't say to drive with 120 km/h in a village or near a village. I was talking in the open desert between Zagora and Mhamid.
When I drive in a village or near it I usually slow down to the limit (40/60 km/h) and drive carefully.
To Detourer: what happened when the police came? Had you to stay in prision? How long?
If you want, send me a private message.

P.S.: In Spain trowing stones at passing cars is considered a crime and punishable with 6 months prision, because you can kill the driver (that's what I am afraid at most), but it seems that in the Sahara and nearby areas nobody cares. Reason: policemen in Morocco don't see it as a profitable activity, because children don't have money; they prefear to stop taxis and trucks at road checks and ask for the missing papers, getting some dirhams instead of the papers.

In Singapore, it is against the law to spit on the pavement .... In Egypt, it is against the law to take a photograph of a police officer ...In Saudi Arabia, it is against the law to take any pictures in a public place ... and In Haiti , it is against the law to zombify someone , etc.

And they say travel broadens your mind ... :-)

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Roman (UK)
www.overlandcruiser.com

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Roman (UK)

Chuck some sweeties to distract any kids that look like they might be up to mischief.

Andrew.

Oh, no, no noooo! Please don't. Why do you think they are risking life and limb running at cars in the first place?


[This message has been edited by Richard K (edited 28 February 2006).]

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Pictures, Mauritania 2011

"In Singapore, it is against the law to spit on the pavement .... In Egypt, it is against the law to take a photograph of a police officer ...In Saudi Arabia, it is against the law to take any pictures in a public place ... and In Haiti , it is against the law to zombify someone , etc.

And they say travel broadens your mind ... :-)"

Yes, I undrstand that if I am travelling I can not expect to be as protected as at home, especially in places like the Sahara.
P.S.: do you allow me to zombify you, as we both are not in Haiti?

Yes, I agree that throwing sweeties to the children IS NOT GOOD, because they get used to and expect it from every passing car.
For example, in areas/countries where there are no tourists there are usually no hassles, especially from children (Albania, non-tourist parts of Turkey or Morocco...).

To Detourer: what happened when the police came? Had you to stay in prision? How long?

Hi qwer1234

The poilice in fact were great and saved me form attack by the locals who only saw the incident for what it was.....Euro man running over local kid. The medical assistance, for the injured kid, was pathetic. I am a qualified medic and was not allowed near to help. He was pushed and dragged all over the place. He was even taken OUT or the ambulance [that arrived after an hour] to be placed back where he landed so that pics could be taken!

I been heavly involved in the tourist industry in Morocco for 20 years and this together with the fact that my attractive daughter was with me [police loved to chat to her] and that info was clear as to what happened.....got me out of cell in less than an hour. But the paperwork and calls took nearly 7 hours....The kid...."not dead" was all I could get.

What has pissed me off is the avoidance tactics by my insurance co....no damage to me/vehicle of course. But the move was/is clearly how NOT to pay anything to injured party whoever is to blame.....

I always carry a huge medic kit.....always knew but now know that you are in fact on your own BIG TIME when the shit hits the fan....whatever else, make sure you can at least admin basic first aid on your travels....

Now? I shit myself as I SLOWLY drive through remote villages, towns and bustling cities!

That's exactly the kind of thing that gives trouble to the next car/bike that comes along...



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