Driving in Bengaluru is akin to riding the dodgem cars at Luna park. Flashing high beams and horns are far more important in signalling one's presence and intention than turn signal indicators. The only rule appears to be give way to whatever is in front you. Riding in a 5 door compact "taxi" from the airport to our hotel at around midnight was an interesting experience. Enormous truck with no lights appeared quickly in front of us forcing our driver to constantly swerve to scythe his way through the traffic. Seatbelts are fitted to vehicles but appear to be for decoration only. On smaller city streets and inter-city arterial roads lanes marking are to be used as a guide only. Indians, like Australians, drive on the left hand side if the road in right hand drive vehicles, but the similarities end about there. Feel free to use any part of the road you wish to get you from A to B over here. Three and four-wide overtaking manoeuvres which result in a near game of "chicken" with the on-coming traffic are common. I have been told that professional drivers (driving taxis you can hire for multiple hours or days) are extremely skilled. They only seem like maniacs with a death-wish to westerners!
No comments:
Post a Comment