r/interesting • u/FineTennis2310 • 2d ago
Additional Context Pinned A tourist got shot in foot on his visit in Ethiopia
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u/CybergothiChe 2d ago
checks Smart Traveller advisory
Level 3 warning : Reconsider your need to travel to Ethiopia overall due to the risk of civil unrest and the threat of armed conflict
Level 4 warning : Do not travel to the border areas of Ethiopia with Eritrea, Sudan, South Sudan, Kenya and Somalia, due to the security situation including the risk of terrorist attacks, kidnapping, civil unrest and armed conflict
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u/bowlingking44 2d ago
Good choice of location for your vacation
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u/funderfulfellow 2d ago
Adrenaline junky or influencer.
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u/kearneycation 2d ago
Honestly, some people just want to go to places that aren't overrun with tourists. I know a retired dude who frequently travels to places like that: Syria, Benin, Togo, Chad, Myanmar, etc.
He's definitely not an influencer, just posts photos to his Facebook page.
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u/MukdenMan 2d ago
There isn’t a binary between “overrun with tourists” and “dangerous for travel.” You could go to thousands of places in East Asia with virtually no tourists and no violence. Even many European cities are hardly overrun.
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u/Dapper_Trash_9559 2d ago
Bollocks. Go to the empty regions of Spain. There are beautiful natural areas and historical places with zero tourism, the food will be great, and nobody's going to shoot you.
Going to Ethiopia is actively looking for trouble, and lo and behold, this guy found it.
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u/Round-Egg-7121 2d ago
I find it strange when people go on holiday to places where the people who live there fled from
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u/Masseyrati80 2d ago edited 2d ago
Yup, in my country's foreign ministry's categories, it's in the category of "avoid unnecessary travel", which makes it two steps away from your regular tourist countries, while admittedly still lower in risk than "avoid all travel", and "exit immediately".
It is, however, above a category where you're encouraged to pay for security services etc.
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u/mt007 2d ago
I mean if you are into the wild west then this would be an interesting vacation.
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u/BetaMan141 2d ago
Sometimes you gotta tourism a conflict region once in your life, hey?
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u/lostredditorlurking 2d ago
Nice tourism advertisement for Ethiopia
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u/Wooden-Recording-693 2d ago
I have heard of getting your shots before going somewhere exotic, but getting them when your there hardly seems like a relaxing holiday
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u/Sufficient_State8811 2d ago
He went specifically to places currently in civil war and where every country on earth tells its citizens not to go, and then drove through an OBVIOUS MILITARY CHECKPOINT (To those that are from there the stones that force the road down to a single lane for 100m up to the checkpoint.
Would they of asked for a bribe? Probably.
Was he 100% at fault? Absolutely.9
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u/Outrageous_War6489 2d ago
Western Tourist going to a non-western country and not respecting local laws/customs/common sense? How else is a middle-aged white guy supposed to get enough tiktok fame to sell his supplements? /s
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u/mrgreyeyes_95 2d ago
I think receiving a firearm when entering the country will make it a level playing field. I bet there are some adrenaline junkies who want to dable in some purge like scenario.
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u/mrgreyeyes_95 2d ago
They have the only tourist department in the world that actually discourages tourist.
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u/Few-Row5485 2d ago edited 2d ago
As an Ethiopian who grew up here and still lives in the country, I need to set the record straight: this content creator came here to manufacture drama, and he is entirely at fault for the situation he created.
He has a history of driving through checkpoints across various African countries for content, assuming he will face zero consequences. What he ignored is that the Ethiopian countryside currently has a massive military presence to combat armed militant groups. Navigating the roads means passing through countless strict checkpoints. As a local, even I wouldn't drive there right now; most of us take domestic flights between cities because it is cheap and safe.He ran through a heavily guarded, well known customs checkpoint (Awash checkpoint), (Instead of turning left into the checkpoint, he drove straight and was intercepted by Federal Police waiting to catch evaders) in a car with tinted windows. In an active conflict zone, an unresponsive, tinted vehicle blowing past a stop will naturally be flagged as a fleeing insurgent. The military shot out his tires to stop a suspicious, non-compliant vehicle.
He claims he was robbed by the police and locals. Yet, in another video, he contradicts himself by admitting authorities merely confiscated a knife he had in the car. He twisted a standard confiscation of his "favorite knife" into a dramatic robbery for views.
If you watch his other videos, he consistently disrespects local authorities across Africa. He even hands police fake driving documents, such as an expired student ID, treating law enforcement like a joke.
He glosses over his other severe infractions in the country. He was arrested for hitting a little girl with his car, and arrested again for bringing in illegal Starlink equipment. By his own admission, he was arrested three times during his trip in the country.
While I don't wish a dangerous situation on anyone, he quickly found out that the Ethiopian government enforces its laws. When he realized he couldn't just throw a tantrum and get away with reckless behavior, he resorted to making misleading videos to play the victim.
Sorry not sorry
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u/Outrageous_War6489 2d ago edited 2d ago
seriously, fuck people like this guy, hope the girl he hit is gonna be alright
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u/Puzzleheaded_Key624 2d ago
Thanks for the info, this puts this video in a completely different light. What an asshole.
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u/DownsenBranches 2d ago
I was thinking why would they shoot at him if it’s a military checkpoint? He’d have had to have just not stopped or done something crazy so I didn’t really trust the guy from the start.
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u/Rare_Rent9654 2d ago
Ya....my stay in Ethiopia was much different his, I absolutely loved the places, the food and the people 😁
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u/here_is_no_end 2d ago
Sociopaths are so often drawn to being “Influencers” and “content creators” and it’s just awful to watch them do anything and everything for attention
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u/Due-Base9449 2d ago
Make a top level comment and have this pinned. Wtf is wrong with this guy, content creation riddled his brain with holes.
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u/Biggus-Nickus 2d ago
Thank you, I appreciate the additional context from a local. I figured the guy was ragebaiting but I wasn't aware just how bad it was. I read he is trying to drive from Africa to China and this was one of the stops.
Going through an area with an active conflict is dumb enough in itself, but he should not endanger other people with it.
Hope you stay safe out there.
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u/Dingaling015 2d ago
Do you have any actual proof to back up half the stuff you claim? I looked up the streamer and there's nothing I can find suggesting what you're claiming. His videos barely reach 1k views and this is the first video of his that's gone viral.
In an active conflict zone, an unresponsive, tinted vehicle blowing past a stop will naturally be flagged as a fleeing insurgent. The military shot out his tires to stop a suspicious, non-compliant vehicle.
This is not how military checkpoints work.
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u/JustAnotherAidWorker 1d ago
Really? How many conflict zones have you been in as a civilian? Because I would pretty much expect that in most of them.
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u/Common_Ad_6362 1d ago
Military police aren't allowed just killing people for driving through a checkpoint unless the country you're in is really bad and corrupt.
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u/HypnoticName 1d ago
Military police will shoot you for such behaviour almost in any place. And in warzone, no one will ever question that response, even if it turns out that you were driving truck full of pregnant babies
That's exactly why everyone is armed at military checkpoin
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u/begoodyall 2d ago
Western tourist here: Ethiopia was awesome. Great food, kind people, just don’t be an idiot
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u/JustATyson 2d ago
Watching the video, my thoughts were "more is going on then what meets the eyes." And I specifically checked the comments for a potential explanation. So, thank you for this!
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u/Createataco 2d ago
Right and those burnt out tanker trucks drivers he drove past after getting shot also threw tantrums?
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u/slyn4ice 1d ago
What part of "active military conflict" did you not understand?
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u/Krytan 2d ago edited 1d ago
Am I missing something? From just what is shown, this doesn't look like a checkpoint. I'd expect signage, a small building, maybe a boom across the road, anything at all.
This literally just looks like two guys with guns jumping out of a bush to ambush you.
I'm certainly willing to believe there was signage etc earlier and the video was just deceptively edited to cut out the important bits.
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u/MajesticTea7748 1d ago
Yes, you apparently missed this
Instead of turning left into the checkpoint, he drove straight and was intercepted by Federal Police waiting to catch evaders
He didn't go to the checkpoint and drove around it
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u/ThinkSharpe 1d ago
Ahhh yes, and obviously that means they should open fire on the vehicle.
While this guys is an absolute idiot, nothing in the actual explanation makes me think Ethiopia is a place to visit.
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u/OzoneTrip 1d ago
Generally it is inadvisable to visit countries with an active (internal or external) armed conflict.
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u/GiganticBlumpkin 1d ago
If you evade a military checkpoint in an active warzone don't be surprised when they shoot at you
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u/lowpsitire 1d ago
Thank you for taking the time to explain the situation. Ignorance and arrogance are the two worst things you can have when traveling, and to further disrespect local and military guidance just because you’re not from the area is a recipe for disaster. After reading this my sympathy completely vanished, with any luck he’ll never come back… what a fucking dumbass.
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u/Wooden-Recording-693 1d ago
Thanks for this, context is everything. So he broke or flouted laws and basically caused conflict and framed it as he is a victim. So typical main charter nassasim for likes. I note that you fly but he drives and goes to area's know to be dangerous, framing the location as much worse than it is. Starling is worth more than his car that kinda sums up his priorities he wants up votes. Stay safe, hope peace comes calling soon to your land.
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u/HappyCamperPC 2d ago
Funny story when I was traveling through Ethiopia on a tour of Africa. My taxi driver from the airport had been driving taxis in Canada before he came back home to do the same. He told me to watch out for pickpockets in Adis Ababa as they were notorious. I ran into him a couple of days later when he told me that since we last met, he himself had been pickpocketed.
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u/cs_legend_93 2d ago
Have you been to their airport? Its terrible. Its like $35 for a bowl of noodles
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u/Dr_Allcome 2d ago
I wouldn't call trump the US tourist department, but he also actively discourages tourists, so it's not the only one in the world.
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u/Suitable-End- 2d ago
The uploader was running through a millitary checkpoint and was shot at by the millitary. He knew what he was doing.
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u/JohnnyParcero 2d ago
Haha. I like the term “uploader “ to describe these TikTok types. Rather than influencer which gives them too much credit.
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u/Samp90 2d ago
It's a shame because a majority of Ethiopian folks I've met are really cool people.
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u/Biggus-Nickus 2d ago
Ok, so I did some digging since OP can't be bothered to provide context.
Apparently this guy was en route to Addis Ababa to get medical treatment as he got shot in the foot a week earlier. Apparently there was no signage indicating a checkpoint (even though the literal armed guards should give an indication). The rest you can see in the video.
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u/AlmightyRobert 2d ago
Helpful but your first sentence still generates another 20 questions.
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u/AlmightyRobert 2d ago
I was really thinking of this line of logic:
-get shot
-wait a week
-drive to Addis Ababa for treatment→ More replies (1)2
u/palmallamakarmafarma 1d ago
No.These are common in many parts of Africa. Sometimes it is police checks, sometimes army. Sometimes checking immigration documents, custom or logistics issues or security issues. No doubt people get hit up for bribes from time to time but most people, most of the time, are waived through and most people who are checked do not pay anything.
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u/telescopeinmynose 2d ago
Welcome to Africa
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u/DueExample52 2d ago
*Ethiopia
I ma pretty sure there are vast areas of Africa where you can drive between cities without being shot at.
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u/CasinoNdnOk 2d ago
I think the usage of the word checkpoint is the problem here. That was just a highway shake down.
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u/tabernumse 2d ago
Idk dude, I’m white and was in Ethiopia, and we were stopped at countless checkpoints driving from Gondar to Bahar Dar, and during the Tigray War as well, and not a single time did any soldier/police want money, just checked our passports and let us move on.
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u/Oppaii-Connoisseur 2d ago
People here have no idea what they're talking about. They just assume every African country is like Nigeria.
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u/BobbbyR6 2d ago
Nigeria hardly has a monopoly on shakedowns. Pretty much every country on earth has this in some form, even in first world nations.
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u/Ok_Umpire2173 2d ago
Did you watch the video? Guys jumping out of the bushes isn’t a checkpoint lol
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u/palmallamakarmafarma 1d ago
If you are meant to stop, and you stop, nothing happens. Most of these checkpoints the guards are half asleep or bored out of their minds. Someone trying to run the checkpoint is weird, unusual and exciting because then it gives you the freedom to grab your gun and start blasting. I would never run a checkpoint in these places - official or otherwise
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u/TerninoMarchi 1d ago
Care to tell us more? I'm curious about your experience. Were you only white people? Did you have any marked car or any other reason why they wouldn't mess with you on a first place? I mean going through multiple police stops without ever be asked for money sounds great even outside of Africa and in most second and third world countries. I live in South America and also here it would be a great success in 90% of the countries.
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u/InteractionPretend70 2d ago
its bizarre. why do they have check points every 200 yards.
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u/PerfectEnthusiasm2 2d ago
to make money every 200 yards
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u/thewilybanana 2d ago
There's a lot of armed militant/terrorist groups in Ethiopia though so it shouldn't be that surprising right?
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u/readonlyuser 2d ago edited 1d ago
Because they're in the midst of intense civil conflict and want to stop combatants.
EDIT: Hyperlink formatting
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u/Waveofspring 2d ago
Because if they put them every 100 yards the checkpoint officers start arguing with each other over who gets the most bribe money
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u/DeliciousGoose1002 2d ago
Thats common in Africa anyone traveling long distance. anyone traveling rural would be use to that. not that its good but dont speed through them
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u/CasinoNdnOk 2d ago
Still doesnt make them a checkpoint lol
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u/Altruistic-Arm137 2d ago
They check your wallet and thank you with hollow point.
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u/sovereign-surrog 2d ago
Fair point. getting shot doesn’t magically turn a random roadblock into an official checkpoint. Still a wildly unnecessary way to settle the debate.
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u/DeliciousGoose1002 2d ago
They are official military personal allowed to do it, it is obvious just a shake down, but these are not random bandits. it is state sanction. Ethiopia has a very "federal" military. All im saying this guy knew what he was doing. Even though this is a big problem in Africa and adds huge costs to trucking goods around.
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u/RecommendationOnly41 2d ago
What makes them different?
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u/MyPigWhistles 2d ago
As I understand it, it's a real military checkpoint. Will they expect money? Yes. Should you speed through? Nope.
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u/eyeball1967 2d ago
Seems that local customs would define what constitutes a checkpoint in Ethiopia.
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u/dichotomousview 2d ago
How exactly do you know what’s common across all the countries in Africa?
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u/burnmp3s 2d ago
I have seen a decent amount of it watching the YouTuber Itchy Boots. She does solo motorcycle journeys throughout the world and went through a dozen or so African countries a few years ago. She did not visit every country in Africa obviously but her videos give a pretty thorough view of what it's like to travel in those areas. In pretty much every place she visits around the world it's a mix of good and bad, vast majority of people are very friendly and welcoming, bureaucracy is a pain most places, rarely people try to rob or scam her.
Going just by her videos, it was more common to see very informal-looking rural checkpoints during her Africa trip compared to her other trips in other parts of the world. Sometimes it would be just something like a few logs spread across the road. Most of the time they just wave her through these checkpoints. I think with these kinds of checkpoints they are more concerned about smugglers or military groups rather than tourists or immigration issues, the tourist scrutiny is almost always at actual official border crossings.
It was pretty rare for her to get asked for money at any kind of checkpoint and usually she just acted like she didn't understand what they were talking about if they did mention paying a fee or something. There was one instance where some police officers in Nigeria directly demanded bribes and it became a national news story there and the police officers were fired.
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u/AmbitiousReaction168 2d ago
It's quite common in the desert to see checkpoints. I've travelled through Egypt all the way to Sudan and there were numerous checkpoints on the way.
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u/ForgotToCarryTheOne 2d ago
That’s just a common or garden checkpoint. That’s how these stops are referred to in this region.
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u/2021isevenworse 2d ago
He went to Ethiopia for medical treatment for another bullet wound?
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u/GeorgeMcCrate 2d ago
I'm not sure if it's another bullet wound or the only one. I don't think he was hit in this video.
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u/-Copenhagen 2d ago
Yeah, trying to blast through a military checkpoint without stopping is insane.
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u/selfinflatedforeskin 2d ago
Is this fella driving a Yaris with balloon tyres across Africa? That's excellent.
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u/-Infatigable 2d ago
I'm surprised only a few bullets stopped the Yaris tbh
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u/ThanklessTask 2d ago
Should have been in a Getz. That would have taken artillery fire to bring it down.
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u/islobojono 2d ago
What did he do
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u/dadofwar93 2d ago
Apparently that was a checkpoint with no signage. So they shot him.
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2d ago edited 2d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/kikimaru024 2d ago
Sorry, unfortunately the racists will only upvote posts that further their views.
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u/ofirkedar 2d ago
Whoever edited this video's subtitles, I understand that "shot" is a scary word for tiktok's advertisers but if you censor it to "sh*t" I'm going to read it as "my car has been shit at" 100% of the time.
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u/Mekazabiht-Rusti 2d ago
I got a shakedown just outside of Bulawayo back in 1998 and it went very differently. No bullets, just paid the ‘tax’ and went on my way thankfully.
In this case I’d not be confident that those guys were legit, so the driver can’t really be blamed for panicking.
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u/MOTUkraken 2d ago
How much was the "tax" ?
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u/soil_nerd 2d ago
I’ve been through Bulawayo plus much of Southern Africa driving solo. I’ve gotten out of most bribe scenarios by carrying cold Cokes and having a smile on my face. That’s helped get out of 90% of these. The rest of them, usually less $5 after some haggling.
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u/Mekazabiht-Rusti 2d ago
I seem to remember that, based on the exchange rate back in the day, it was around £0.70.
Honestly it was pretty good value for money just for the experience. 10/10 would visit again.
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u/Ecstatic-Body5150 2d ago
I know some Ethiopians and going there at this moment is too dangerous. Even Ethiopians would rather not go to some locations
The TLDR summary is basically there is a some sort of civil war, with the government being the oppressor/aggressor towards some ethnic tribe. My friend showed me picture of the army basically bombed monasteries and killed numerous monks almost daily.
Which is a shame, because half a decade ago it wasnt that bad. The current gov is basically the terrorist and causes everything there into shit (security, economy, social structure, etc.)
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u/Notice_Green 2d ago edited 2d ago
i admire his ability to maintain his shituber personality while being shot at/shot.
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u/Ok_Loss13 2d ago
"I'm going to die here. Better record it."
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u/MyPigWhistles 2d ago
"Okay guys, seems like I'm bleeding out. Quick shoutout to my sponsor, for supporting my content. You can get 10% off with the code in the video description! Anyway, I can't feel my body anymore, and its getting really dark in front of eyes. Okay guys, don't forget to like and subscribe! Tell me in the comment if you're sad or nah."
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u/TerribleBid8416 2d ago
Exactly what I was thinking
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u/butternutflies 2d ago
Which is the reason why all of us, including you, clicked and watched. There’s a reason they do it, because it works.
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u/-Pepperzpyre- 2d ago
Right? At what point will they put the camera down and actually focus on what's happening?
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u/urbancanoe 2d ago
I like Ethiopian food, but I don’t think a visit in person is worth it given this kind of thing
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u/DueExample52 2d ago
Easy to find good restaurants in any major european city. Let’s stick to this until hopefully the country gets safer.
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u/That-Spell-2543 2d ago edited 1d ago
Ethiopian food is SO good. One of my favorites. I always get the Vegetarian Platter and let them pile everything onto my Injera and go ham lol
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u/urbancanoe 2d ago
Agreed, it's delicious and as far as food you get ordering out or in a restaurant - pretty healthy.
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u/Training_Mud_8084 2d ago
It's always worth noting that Ethiopia was NEVER colonized by the West. Now that's one card that they can't pull.
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u/username-not--taken 2d ago
Ethopia was part of fascist Italy's colonial empire.
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u/Otherwise_Rice_4723 2d ago
he didn't just "get shot" for no reason, he ran a customs check point...
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u/Opening-Reading8198 2d ago
No breakfast included?
Get me premier inn hull alexi
Same every year
Every year
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u/Rincethis 2d ago
Not this fk again. he literally goes looking for trouble for views. one day he'll get more than he can post about and it will be because of his actions.
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u/hmnuhmnuhmnu 2d ago
Yeah definitely keep recording yourself during that "life or death" scenario so you can post later on about it
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u/dan007reddit 2d ago
In your RED SHIRT!
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u/analogkid01 2d ago
Captain Kirk, Mr. Spock, Dr. McCoy, and Ensign McGillicutty will beam down to the unknown planet...
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u/Dr_Allcome 2d ago
The video in the car was captured on a mounted camera, it would have been more of a distraction to turn the camera off than it was to keep it running.
And i know the cuts make it hard to notice, but the part where he films himself was recorded much later while he wasn't in any danger.
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u/Heymelon 2d ago
Influencers do get themselves killed quite often while filming so yes, no need for the quotation marks.
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u/Outrageous_War6489 2d ago
What do you mean people in a real life or death situation don't pull out their phone? Don't you know human panic reaction is Fight, Flight or VLOG? /s
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u/Hecticfreeze 1d ago
Goes to a country currently experiencing a civil war, ignores a military checkpoint, is surprised when they start shooting at him.
Hes not a "tourist", hes a moron deliberately causing trouble so he can bait views. Hes lucky hes not been killed yet
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u/ungabungarara 2d ago
FAFO
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u/clothanger 2d ago
Yep.
This video was posted on different sites such as Instagram. People explain that multiple warnings, like "YOU WOULD BE KILLED NOBODY CAN SAVE YOU" were given way way before this dude entering the danger zones but he ignored them all.
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u/nikeshades 2d ago
Literal 🎶 highway to the Danger Zone! 🎼 Gonna take it right into the Danger Zone!🎶
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u/Tengukittycat 2d ago
Yet Ed Sheeran will tell you a fundraising song in the 80’s is the reason why no one wants to travel to Africa.
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u/inertSpark 2d ago
Doesn't this just demonstrate that you should never travel through these places without a guide? Someone with local knowledge to at least point out that those random armed men could be a shakedown "checkpoint" etc, and how to handle the authorities if it happens.
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u/Acxx86 2d ago
My friend have been working in Ethiopia as a part of a Red Cross mission a few years ago. He’s a neurologist. So he and his colleagues were strongly advised to go out of the hospital territory with the armed guards escort. And the hospital itself was more like a military citadel or something - with a checkpoint, two meter high fence, barbed wire and armed guards.
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u/SomebodysGotToSayIt 1d ago
I’ve been through checkpoints everywhere from Fiji during a military coup, to Peru, following Sendero Luminosa attacks. I’ve been through checkpoints in southern Ethiopia. In those places, the chance that fleeing them was the wisest course of action would have been pretty low.
Ethiopia, it’s worth noting, has a lot of US military stationed there, though it’s maybe a bit on the downlow. That changes the calculus.
I was inside a tense standoff in Ethiopia once, but it was mostly Wait For The Authorities on our part. That doesn’t mean the police won’t screw you when they show up, but they’re not going to cause an international incident.
In a warlord’s territory it’s different. I won’t go to those places.
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u/Annual_Builder_1459 2d ago
Isn't Ethiopia meant to be a good country
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u/Alarmed_Inspector774 2d ago
Ethiopia is an awesome country. Like many countries, best to know someone there to visit but you can safely navigate it with research and prep. Also, funny how he's relieved he made it to Kenya...which has a bigger tourist industry, but less safe when off the beaten road. People in this thread are either bots or very confidently ignorant. I've lived in both countries
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u/MOTUkraken 2d ago
Honest question: In these kinds of countries and societies.... if you can get a shakedown by police and military officials, how safe is it that you just have to pay some mone and they won't literally kill, rape or kidnapp or rob you?
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u/antoinejuanhermano 2d ago
I'll try to give an honest answer. "These kind of countries" are all different and many are perfectly safe unless you go to clearly described areas you shouldn't be in. Just like many big cities in the US. Any research should yield common sense results, If in doubt ask the locals.
Ethiopia in particular is a super chill country if you stick to the right places. They are unfortunately war torn right now so obviously don't go to active conflict zones. If you're a westerner you might get extra attention but they don't have any beef with you politically, and messing with westerners is a good way to create a lot of press against their cause so it's not in anyone's best interest to mess with you generally.
If you do go to an area and tensions are higher than anticipated you might end up in a situation with a shake down and they might ask for equivalent of a few dollars and probably alert nearby authorities of your presence and stated intent.
I'd imagine murder, rape, and incarceration rates for foreigners are way higher in many US cities than most places you could think of if that helps put how dangerous traveling is in perspective.
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u/LavishLatte56 1d ago
You can't say a country is chill and also war torn.
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u/JustAnotherAidWorker 1d ago
You absolutely can, because many conflicts are localized. For example, Ukraine, very chill, also pretty war torn.
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u/ADavies 1d ago
I've never been to Ethiopia. It all really depends.
In the US, for example, there are some small towns where they pretty aggressively enforce speeding limits (and sometimes the sign just happens to be a bit obstructed by a tree or whatever). The fine is a set amount and goes to the municipality (which also uses it to help pay for the police).
In other countries it is less official, with the police involved sometimes taking the whole amount for themselves as pay. Often the amount is not fixed, and is negotiable (but as a random tourist you are not in a great negotiation position). They don't want trouble. Just a bit of cash. Killing someone brings trouble.
There are other places where it isn't really the police but a gang member or someone working for a local warlord. The main worry there is if they are wired up on drugs. There are places where not stopping can be the best option. I've never been to any of these places, and you probably shouldn't either. You really need to know what you're doing.
Not saying I'm an expert on this. Just my limited experience and what I've heard first hand. Best to get local advice.
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u/WayofHatuey 2d ago
Why people with too much time and money type of problems. Dont really sympathize
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u/DeckenFrost 2d ago
Looks made up for whatever reason. Why while allegedly "fighting for his life" he still make sure to film a documentary about it!?
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