I took this photo on the way to school earlier this week. The intersection is between my house and the school. This is not the first time the traffic light in this intersection has been knocked over due to a traffic accident. Traffic accidents and pedestrians being struck by cars are probably the most dangerous aspects of living in Tashkent. Driving culture is new here. During the Soviet Union and the first 20 years of independence, most people did not have cars. Today, the number of car owners is growing rapidly. This is leading to increased traffic congestion and more accidents and fatalities. Anecdotally, I see at least one “fender bender” on a daily basis. Last night, a Chevrolet Spark ran into a tree in the infamous “Death Star” roundabout.
I can’t figure out why many Uzbeks drive so fast? Outside of the car, the culture is gentle, slow, and welcoming. Once many get behind the wheel, they become aggressive, so much so that sometimes I see cars weaving through traffic like in a chase scene. Friends explained to me that a bit of it is masculine pride, and driving fast is a sign of manliness. There is also not much driver training and for many families, it is the first time they experienced car ownership. It will take a while for drivers to realize that disobeying traffic rules and driving above the speed limit results in accidents.b City officials are trying to rectify the problem through increased cameras and enforcement of regulations. They are also lowering speed limits, widening roads, adding lines and crosswalks, etc. It is helping, but slowly.
Last night we attended a reception hosted by the Israeli Embassy to celebrate the 76 years of the country’s founding in 1948. The current Israeli Ambassador always puts a creative twist on diplomatic events, which I appreciate because I go to a lot of them. Last night she invited Israeli jazz musician Guy Mintus Trio to play a concert after the reception in Zarafshon Concert Hall. He was an incredible musician, quirky, charismatic, a real showman! He collaborated with an Uzbek saxophone player from the band Jazz-o-rama for a couple of songs. He was supposed to visit Uzbekistan in April of 2020 but due to COVID travel restrictions, he was not allowed to. He met virtually the saxophonist and they composed a song together. Last night was the first time they met and played live together. Guy is based much of the time in New York and his song set included takes on classics like Chopin and Beethoven, but also Israeli pop and folk songs and originals by him. He has a great voice and is an amazing pianist. It was a fully entertaining concert, with audience participation. Thanks to Zehavit for organizing the event and inviting Nadia and me.
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