2007 - May

[glaconman]

India was one of those places I thought I'd never drive in. Just looking at the quality of roads and both the amount and variety of traffic is very
intimidating.

But when you actually get out into the traffic it's not so bad. Rather thathinking about it as some kind of escoteric skill that takes years to master, you just need to view the spectacle for what it is: just alot of people doing their own thing. Then you feel more comfortable joining in.

Drivers will pull-out without looking, expecting you to accomadate them; but equally, drivers are also very forgiving when you f*ck-up. It's the swarm mentality I guess, preserving the momentum of the group.

I'm not saying there are no hazards (cows and bullocks, for example, move for nobody), but the biggest problem for me was the noise and fumes that combine with the heat. I did occasionally find myself parking up in the middle of a busy junction in Pune (reputably the worst city to drive in) shouting at some 4x4 driver for deafening me with his horn. But this was only an occassional occurance to let-off-steam.

In general the speed of traffic in cities is much slower, and when you've got your family on the back of the bike you don't take many risks.

My worst driving experience was between Pushkar and Jaipur on a highway. It was a similar road to the M1, with some cars doing a similar speed. But there was no lane discipline, with trucks taking up 2 lanes and pedestrians crossing the road dragging sacks. It was more like a video game.

Driving in the rural parts of India through the jungle was a sublime experience. When we got back home my lad was very disappointed that he couldn't sit on the tank of our Yamaha.

I'd agree with Andy that driving in countries like USA and Australia can be a wonderful experience. I remember well driving into San Francisco at dusk in an open-top Mustang, taking a left turn downtown and being confronted with a one-in-two hill.

We went to Rome last year. We didn't drive but, to be honest, the traffic didn't look too crazy. I suppose it's all relative. I think I've had my baptism of fire.