jsutherland:
During my travels in Uganda I came across a few broken down vehicles - not many all the same. Warning of a broken down vehicle is often via branches laid out on the road - before and after the vehicle - see picture below. This Mercedes was already broken down at this place near the top of a very long steep climb when we passed 2 days before. On our return journey I took these photos. When I passed them, it looked like they had the drive axle in pieces at the side of the road.1
In this picture you can see the lads working on the problem. A tad unsafe, as this was a busy main road.
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In my experience it is not unusual for broken down vehicle to be on the roadside for a couple of weeks in Africa while spares are sought and repairs made.
On roadside disasters I recall often-and I do mean often-seeing totally burnt out artics that all seemed to have been transporting what looked like cotton bales. I do not know why so many seemed to burn. I also recall driving from Lagos, Nigeria to Benin one afternoon and came upon the smouldering remains of a fuel tanker that had overturned. It just so happened (Murphys law) that it did so right at the place where a small village of huts was roadside. The whole lot had gone up. I can only imagine the number of horrific injuries and deaths this caused.
But it was just another day…