First impressions of India, imagine the Bahamas on speed. They have the same mix of Old World and Modern, they drive on the left, and there are palm trees instead of coniferous or deciduous trees. The drive from the airport to the hotel was an unbelievable experience. The city (country?) has a distinct lack of stop signals, stops sign, or anything that would suggest stopping is a good thing. Instead of stop signals they employ the well known system of 'chicken', keep nudging in and nudging in until someone balks, then race across the road. I figure it is a 50/50 proposition, either you get there or you don't need to get anywhere ever again. I asked my driver to stop at a McDonalds and as we are backing out there are some pedestrians coming so I say 'ok, two people coming up behind you, TWO PEOPLE DIRECTLY BEHIND US!', he doesn't flinch, best chicken player I have ever met. The pedestrians lost that one when they had to scurry away or be squashed. No posted speed limits apparent, either. Speeds seem to managed by the liberal use of very large potholes (sinkholes?), speed bumps and wide cracks in the road. If you do not slow down for them, you will rip out the undercarriage of your car which is cheaper than having police manage traffic and keeps the economy ticking by use of the trickle down theory, from bad driver to mechanic to part suppliers to manufacturers.
Second day on the road, it is daylight and the roads are a lot busier. I am in a developing part of Mumbai known as Navi Mumbai (New Mumbai) and so I am told that the traffic is light by comparison which is both entirely believable and equally unbelievable. Once again, an apparent lack of stop lights. All drivers (all!) drive with one hand on the wheel and one on the horn. On a three lane road, for the most part it is four or more lanes of traffic plus pedestrians. The game of chicken continues wherein it appears that 'Might Makes Right". The larger the vehicle the greater the advantage, large trucks, followed by buses, then cars, then rickshaws, then motorcycles and lastly pedestrians. This is a pecking order which seems to be followed because all the horn honking appears to work which in turn makes for more horn honking as vehicles jockey for position on the road.
At one point we came to a complete stop at what is apparently an unmarked intersection on a main highway (no light, of course). This is not a concept easily grasped by a North American who is used to a more planned movement of traffic. This is not even akin to grid lock in Manhattan or stop'n'go traffic in LA. This is a magnitude of difference. We are at a dead stop with a wall of vehicles and pedestrians crossing our path. As far as I know we are here for the day. But somehow, miraculously it seems, we nose our way through and we are back on our way in less that five minutes. I am not able to do this phenomenon justice, it truly has to be experienced to be believed. Most of the time, I am laughing out loud at the apparent absurdity of the situation, causing, I am sure, my driver to think I am just a little crazy as well.
Can't wait to try the train!
Second day on the road, it is daylight and the roads are a lot busier. I am in a developing part of Mumbai known as Navi Mumbai (New Mumbai) and so I am told that the traffic is light by comparison which is both entirely believable and equally unbelievable. Once again, an apparent lack of stop lights. All drivers (all!) drive with one hand on the wheel and one on the horn. On a three lane road, for the most part it is four or more lanes of traffic plus pedestrians. The game of chicken continues wherein it appears that 'Might Makes Right". The larger the vehicle the greater the advantage, large trucks, followed by buses, then cars, then rickshaws, then motorcycles and lastly pedestrians. This is a pecking order which seems to be followed because all the horn honking appears to work which in turn makes for more horn honking as vehicles jockey for position on the road.
At one point we came to a complete stop at what is apparently an unmarked intersection on a main highway (no light, of course). This is not a concept easily grasped by a North American who is used to a more planned movement of traffic. This is not even akin to grid lock in Manhattan or stop'n'go traffic in LA. This is a magnitude of difference. We are at a dead stop with a wall of vehicles and pedestrians crossing our path. As far as I know we are here for the day. But somehow, miraculously it seems, we nose our way through and we are back on our way in less that five minutes. I am not able to do this phenomenon justice, it truly has to be experienced to be believed. Most of the time, I am laughing out loud at the apparent absurdity of the situation, causing, I am sure, my driver to think I am just a little crazy as well.Can't wait to try the train!
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