Driving in India
Discussion
I've just been lucky enough to spend a week in India with work. It involved stays in Kolkata, Chennai and Hyderabad.
The first journey from airport to hotel blew our minds. The traffic, the noise, the horns, the chaos.
After a few days of it, it just seemed to work. No one got angry, there was hardly any damage on any cars either.
Simply a case of if you are in a space, the other person isn't
Loved it!
The first journey from airport to hotel blew our minds. The traffic, the noise, the horns, the chaos.
After a few days of it, it just seemed to work. No one got angry, there was hardly any damage on any cars either.
Simply a case of if you are in a space, the other person isn't
Loved it!
Ian Geary said:
This reminds me of chaing mai, Thailand back in 2007 ish.
It was chaotic, but really chilled.
We'd recently been to Rome, where traffic was chaotic, aggressive and dangerous (particularly airport taxis).
Yeah was about to chime in with Thailand... It's like an amorphous blob of cars. But You just look forward and see where you can fit your car and don't worry about it. Everyone else is doing the same behind you. It just sorta works and isn't any stress.It was chaotic, but really chilled.
We'd recently been to Rome, where traffic was chaotic, aggressive and dangerous (particularly airport taxis).
The only people I saw leaning on their horns getting irate? Expat gammons in their BMWs.
First link I could find. Not presented as definitive.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by...
Interesting numbers that often contradict a view that 'it all just seems to work'.
I drive in France and Spain a lot and my enjoyment of their roads and sense that 'it's better' is undermined by the numbers.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by...
Interesting numbers that often contradict a view that 'it all just seems to work'.
I drive in France and Spain a lot and my enjoyment of their roads and sense that 'it's better' is undermined by the numbers.
Ian Geary said:
This reminds me of chaing mai, Thailand back in 2007 ish.
It was chaotic, but really chilled.
We'd recently been to Rome, where traffic was chaotic, aggressive and dangerous (particularly airport taxis).
Thailand is tame compared to India, but visiting both I rented a scooter, something I wont do in the UK, and enjoyed every minute, did about 600km around Phuket and surrounding areas. It was chaotic, but really chilled.
We'd recently been to Rome, where traffic was chaotic, aggressive and dangerous (particularly airport taxis).
Like has been said it just works.
Athens in the rush hour is fun too. Did a couple of weeks commuting in from Glyfada, crazy but loved it.
On a longish journey in Goa, in a taxi that was one of those Japanese little vans, I took to the floor so I couldn't see out of the window, terrifying. Not a great passenger at any time .
Doesitdrive said:
Thailand is tame compared to India, but visiting both I rented a scooter, something I wont do in the UK, and enjoyed every minute, did about 600km around Phuket and surrounding areas.
I found it hilarious that the one traffic circle (roundabout) on the island at, Chalong, causes the Thais complete and utter confusion 
Every day a journey said:
Doesitdrive said:
Thailand is tame compared to India, but visiting both I rented a scooter, something I wont do in the UK, and enjoyed every minute, did about 600km around Phuket and surrounding areas.
I found it hilarious that the one traffic circle (roundabout) on the island at, Chalong, causes the Thais complete and utter confusion Arriving at a river ferry in Goa, on a scooter, wife on the back I looked a prize plum Brit when I stopped at the top of the ramp, gazing at the full ferry.
Motorcycles flew past, gaps appeared as they sped on, so did the same.
Thailand seemed relatively mild to me, bangkok traffic was mostly pretty well behaved.
Malaysia and Vietnam though... almost hilarious chaos. Get to an intersection of a few three lane roads, all road marking stops, just edge forward. While scooters weave all around. And then pedestrians just calmly walking across the road too.
Malaysia and Vietnam though... almost hilarious chaos. Get to an intersection of a few three lane roads, all road marking stops, just edge forward. While scooters weave all around. And then pedestrians just calmly walking across the road too.
cobra kid said:
I've just been lucky enough to spend a week in India with work. It involved stays in Kolkata, Chennai and Hyderabad.
The first journey from airport to hotel blew our minds. The traffic, the noise, the horns, the chaos.
After a few days of it, it just seemed to work. No one got angry, there was hardly any damage on any cars either.
Simply a case of if you are in a space, the other person isn't
Loved it!
It's like the subconscious rules birds use during murmuration - The first journey from airport to hotel blew our minds. The traffic, the noise, the horns, the chaos.
After a few days of it, it just seemed to work. No one got angry, there was hardly any damage on any cars either.
Simply a case of if you are in a space, the other person isn't
Loved it!
don't get too close to your neighbour. Go in the same general direction as your neighbour. Stick with your neighbour.
There's no one in charge and no plan, and they never hit each other.
cobra kid said:
I've just been lucky enough to spend a week in India with work. It involved stays in Kolkata, Chennai and Hyderabad.
The first journey from airport to hotel blew our minds. The traffic, the noise, the horns, the chaos.
After a few days of it, it just seemed to work. No one got angry, there was hardly any damage on any cars either.
Simply a case of if you are in a space, the other person isn't
Loved it!
You got a glimpse of traffic in a few Indian cities, which was at relatively low speeds, from the luxury of the back seat of a car. It would be a different story if you were a pedestrian or on a motorbike/scooter the entire time (a lot of deaths on indian roads are those two groups)The first journey from airport to hotel blew our minds. The traffic, the noise, the horns, the chaos.
After a few days of it, it just seemed to work. No one got angry, there was hardly any damage on any cars either.
Simply a case of if you are in a space, the other person isn't
Loved it!
Also, if you were driving yourself on the highways between Indian cities and villages (where a lot of road deaths also occur), around truck drivers that are often drunk and tired and drive too quickly, you'd probably not be "loving it"
Finally, when accidents do happen, your status in society often influences what happens next (legally) speaking. One time in India, I witnessed police officers being openly bribed after a car accident to make the case go away. Corruption is rife there. Yes, everything "seems to work" until there is an incident.
"An Indian court granted bail to a drink-driving teenager who rammed his Porsche into a motorbike and killed two people, on the condition that he 'write an essay' about the incident.
The court also told the 17-year-old boy from Pune in the western state of Maharashtra to undergo treatment for his drinking habit, take counselling sessions and work with the local police for 15 days.
The teenager, who has not been named, is the son of a prominent real estate magnate, and the perceived leniency shown by the judge has sparked outrage in the country."
https://www.independent.co.uk/asia/india/pune-pors...
Edited by raspy on Friday 15th May 10:00
Been to India a few times, I've never driven but I have cycled 300-400 miles on each visit through cities and rural environments.
Cycling has it's own rules compared to motorised vehicles, but my take on India is no one queues, if there is a gap then fill it, if you can go the wrong way down a road to get where you want to get to do it - Best I've seen was being transferred from the airport to the hotel and the traffic stopped on the motorway, everyone just turned around to continue their journey, also my last visit (March) I was in a bus which just turned into oncoming traffic as it was quicker to do that that go to the next junction and turnaround.
It's also hilarious to watch "traffic officers" stand in the middle of busy junction trying to direct traffic, people just go where they want, when they want... the job is pointless, like many there.... people sweeping the roads only for the next car to go by as chuck it all up into the air again.... rinse and repeat.
If you want to cross the street don't even think of waiting for the lights to change, they get ignored... you just have to walk out into the live road and be assertive and cross, they predict where you are going so will drive to avoid you. If you hesitate you're in trouble... something my wife just cannot cope with and will stop dead in the middle of a busy road and cause chaos.
Closest I have seen to India though is Vietnam.... admittedly the chaos does seem to work.
Cycling has it's own rules compared to motorised vehicles, but my take on India is no one queues, if there is a gap then fill it, if you can go the wrong way down a road to get where you want to get to do it - Best I've seen was being transferred from the airport to the hotel and the traffic stopped on the motorway, everyone just turned around to continue their journey, also my last visit (March) I was in a bus which just turned into oncoming traffic as it was quicker to do that that go to the next junction and turnaround.
It's also hilarious to watch "traffic officers" stand in the middle of busy junction trying to direct traffic, people just go where they want, when they want... the job is pointless, like many there.... people sweeping the roads only for the next car to go by as chuck it all up into the air again.... rinse and repeat.
If you want to cross the street don't even think of waiting for the lights to change, they get ignored... you just have to walk out into the live road and be assertive and cross, they predict where you are going so will drive to avoid you. If you hesitate you're in trouble... something my wife just cannot cope with and will stop dead in the middle of a busy road and cause chaos.
Closest I have seen to India though is Vietnam.... admittedly the chaos does seem to work.
Otispunkmeyer said:
Yeah was about to chime in with Thailand... It's like an amorphous blob of cars. But You just look forward and see where you can fit your car and don't worry about it. Everyone else is doing the same behind you. It just sorta works and isn't any stress.
The only people I saw leaning on their horns getting irate? Expat gammons in their BMWs.
Thailand is the only place I’ve rented a car without having to produce a license to drive it.The only people I saw leaning on their horns getting irate? Expat gammons in their BMWs.
raspy said:
You got a glimpse of traffic in a few Indian cities, which was at relatively low speeds, from the luxury of the back seat of a car. It would be a different story if you were a pedestrian or on a motorbike/scooter the entire time (a lot of deaths on indian roads are those two groups)
Also, if you were driving yourself on the highways between Indian cities and villages (where a lot of road deaths also occur), around truck drivers that are often drunk and tired and drive too quickly, you'd probably not be "loving it"
Finally, when accidents do happen, your status in society often influences what happens next (legally) speaking. One time in India, I witnessed police officers being openly bribed after a car accident to make the case go away. Corruption is rife there. Yes, everything "seems to work" until there is an incident.
"An Indian court granted bail to a drink-driving teenager who rammed his Porsche into a motorbike and killed two people, on the condition that he 'write an essay' about the incident.
The court also told the 17-year-old boy from Pune in the western state of Maharashtra to undergo treatment for his drinking habit, take counselling sessions and work with the local police for 15 days.
The teenager, who has not been named, is the son of a prominent real estate magnate, and the perceived leniency shown by the judge has sparked outrage in the country."
https://www.independent.co.uk/asia/india/pune-pors...
So I was wrong to enjoy the experience. Gotcha.Also, if you were driving yourself on the highways between Indian cities and villages (where a lot of road deaths also occur), around truck drivers that are often drunk and tired and drive too quickly, you'd probably not be "loving it"
Finally, when accidents do happen, your status in society often influences what happens next (legally) speaking. One time in India, I witnessed police officers being openly bribed after a car accident to make the case go away. Corruption is rife there. Yes, everything "seems to work" until there is an incident.
"An Indian court granted bail to a drink-driving teenager who rammed his Porsche into a motorbike and killed two people, on the condition that he 'write an essay' about the incident.
The court also told the 17-year-old boy from Pune in the western state of Maharashtra to undergo treatment for his drinking habit, take counselling sessions and work with the local police for 15 days.
The teenager, who has not been named, is the son of a prominent real estate magnate, and the perceived leniency shown by the judge has sparked outrage in the country."
https://www.independent.co.uk/asia/india/pune-pors...
Edited by raspy on Friday 15th May 10:00
I remember the feeling well, the first ride from the airport to hotel. Absolutely white knuckle terror. After 2 weeks of hotel to office and back, about 40 mins each way, I was as chilled as the locals.
You're right, it's absolute carnage, but I never saw more than a bent bumper. Their ability to map out the courses of so many other road users, and predict where the gap will (probably) be when they get there, and aim for it, is stupendous. We Brits couldn't do it, we just don't have the lawless chaos in which to practice such antics.
What blew my mind more was that about a week in I discovered that my driver didn't drop me off at the office and go about his business. No, taking me to the office and back was his job for the day. He sat in the car outside the office ALL DAY waiting for me, and no amount of persuading him it was fine to go off and spend his time doing something else would get through. Dude, go chill out. Go see your family. Nope, can't. He had a job to do, and that job was take me to the office and back, and he would wait. Go for a walk? No, can't leave the car. I felt terrible for him, but after a while you get the hang of the culture and pecking order that runs the country, like it or not.
You're right, it's absolute carnage, but I never saw more than a bent bumper. Their ability to map out the courses of so many other road users, and predict where the gap will (probably) be when they get there, and aim for it, is stupendous. We Brits couldn't do it, we just don't have the lawless chaos in which to practice such antics.
What blew my mind more was that about a week in I discovered that my driver didn't drop me off at the office and go about his business. No, taking me to the office and back was his job for the day. He sat in the car outside the office ALL DAY waiting for me, and no amount of persuading him it was fine to go off and spend his time doing something else would get through. Dude, go chill out. Go see your family. Nope, can't. He had a job to do, and that job was take me to the office and back, and he would wait. Go for a walk? No, can't leave the car. I felt terrible for him, but after a while you get the hang of the culture and pecking order that runs the country, like it or not.
I remember the chaos that was Cairo. There was a roundabout outside our hotel that busses used to stop on to let passengers on and off. They didn't get off near the kerb though. Right in the middle of traffic on a four lane roundabout!
Never saw anyone get remotely near hit by a car. It all just worked.
Never saw anyone get remotely near hit by a car. It all just worked.
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