Practical vs Overkill

Today I thought I would talk about an important part of driving in Haiti - The Bumper! It is important that you understand the unwritten rules of driving here.

RULE: You are given the right of way if your bumper enters the intersection first!
This can be tricky. If you think about going for a second longer than the other drivers deems necessay you will loose your rightfully earned spot in front of the other cars. It's kind of like having a kid and scolding them. If you even think about cracking a smile you have lost the battle and they know that you won't really spank them and after a few minutes of yelling you give in and they win.
Back to the bumper!
Most vechicles here have bumper issues, they have been smashed and trashed as their owner learns the painful and costly unwritten rules. Some things are however out of the drivers control. This is when you have to think about practical vs overkill bumper issues.
RULE: Can my bumper stop a tap-tap that can't make it up a hill, while keeping my bumper and car in tact?
TEST: This morning we started out for church making our way down Delma 33. As we made our way in and out of the traffic, we climbed up one of many hills in our route. All of a sudden, everything slowly began to slide backwards toward us. This was the test! Would we pass? The tap-tap couldn't make it up the hill, his brakes began to fail and he rolled back into the water truck, as the water truck rolled back into the jeep which in turned rolled back into, you guessed it, our bumper! I am happy to report that we passed the test and didn't have to test the back bumper as well this morning!
What seemed like the overkill bumper of the century on our truck has now become the very practical bumper!
LESSON: Never judge a bumper!