When I moved to US few years back, many asked me what is it that you miss the most apart from family of course, about India? My answer was Traffic, the chaos and driving my car (as i didn't have an American license and also I was not familiar with american way of Left-Hand side driving).
Similarly when i moved back from US, many people asked me what i missed the most in US about India? MY answer remained same, traffic and the chaotic roads and my car :)
There is something about driving in India. I am quite fascinated by the way every driver manoeuvres his/her vehicle. We have so much variety on roads and not just limited to types of cars or bikes. We have scooters, cycles, cycle rickshaws,auto-rickshaws (popularly known as tuk-tuks in west), pedestrians, sometimes horses, camels and in some cases, carts, carriages, tempos, tractors,cows and donkeys too..List is endless phew..
I remember Gul Panag recently tweeted that we have bad driving in our DNA..but is it DNA or its just how we are accustomed to, since our childhood? As a kid, i remember pillion riding behind my dads two-wheeler with my brother and we only had our dads waist as our protection for our balance. Today, i twitch my nose each time i see a couple having their child seated in front of the two wheeler or seated between two pillion riders. We had never heard of child seat but my brother doesn't board the flight to India with his son, till a child seat is arranged for his son. In US, one cannot dream of taking the child out without a child seat in the car, unless he/she has extra money to pay for the ticket.
Well, getting a license in India is quite interesting. You need to practice a little, even if you have cleared the driving test, either you need to have contacts in transport department or should we willing to loosen purse strings to get the final driving license.
Traffic signals look very pretty..give a very organized look to the roads. But I am one of few Indians who never jump traffic signals. But this hasn't won me any laurels..my car has been bumped from behind while waiting for green light, I have got snarls and stares for stopping at red light and pestered by beggars on the lights for some petty cash.
Then there are many who love to tailgate vehicles and not just put a dent on their vehicle and pocket but on the front vehicle too..and if you are unfortunate to be travelling in a bigger vehicle, you end up paying even if it was the other persons fault.
Metros are characterized by traffic jams, chaos and it is usually caused by drivers jumping lanes and blocking traffic in return. Though we have right hand driving but we all seem to be ignorant about right of way. I can go on and on..but i guess i am exhausted now..
For non Indians/NRI's and people fascinated by the tag FOREIGN, favorite tag line to use is "traffic in India is so bad". But still, this is the way i have learnt and i love and enjoy listening to FM while driving..
Happy and Safe Driving to all...
