American teachers Kenena Pelfrey and Sandra Chando in the bicycle rickshaw- Guwahati, IndiaThere are no words powerful enough to describe the streets of Guwahati, India. I suspect that traffic and motorists are similar in other parts of India too. The road congestion here in Guwahati makes New York City seem tame by comparison. The locals assure me that the traffic is worse in Mumbai and other larger Indian cities, but I do not see how that could be possible. If you know me, then you know how silver my hair has been for quite some time now. If it were not already white, this past week riding the streets of northeastern India would have done the graying instantly. There are several factors at work that contribute to traffic congestion and driving conditions. Here are some of my impressions:
1. Every conceivable type of vehicle is present on the road- seriously! It reminds me at times of an Al Chymia Shriner’s Parade back home with the funny mini-cars they drive as entertainment. If you can put wheels on it, then it is legal to drive on the streets and highways in India.
2. Extreme animal hazards are present. There are cows, goats, monkeys, dogs, geese, oxen, horses, buffalo and elephants around every corner or curve in the road. All the animals do pretty well getting out of the way except for the cows. These bovines know that they are in a special class and can do as they please, take a nap in the road or stand and stare at the cars from the median in four lane traffic- absolutely no fear!
3. Drivers do not obey any traffic laws. The biggest vehicle wins the face-off in a drawdown situation. Everyone complains about the other driver’s terrible driving while dodging traffic madly too. There is constant horn blowing that is part of the driver’s vocabulary. They communicate with other vehicles with subtle differences in the pattern of the honks and the length of the tones. It all means something; I just haven’t figured it all out yet. Honking is highly encouraged here with signs on the back of trucks and buses encouraging others to honk and let them know they are back there somewhere. Horn honking is the norm here and almost illegal in my hometown.
4. Road conditions can be extreme. Construction and potholes are a big problem just like in the U.S. There are roundabouts where the traffic engineers in India threw up their hands and said “I give up.” In addition, there are more dirt roads to travel and very narrow lanes, streets and alleys in the cities which permit two-way traffic. Guwahati is in the foothills of the Himalayan Mountains so there are steep, winding roads to traverse and a plunge off a bridge or cliff is a real possibility.
5. Finally, the need for speed NASCAR style is in the blood of many of the drivers. These drivers would give "The Dukes of Hazard" a run for the money. Passing takes place without restrictions on curves and anywhere at full speed. If there is a brief stretch of flat, straight road most of the drivers seem to gun the engine and put the pedal to the metal. The locals acknowledge the problem with graveyard humor on road signs. Here are a few road sign captions for your enjoyment.
“Arrive in peace- Not in pieces!”
“If you want to stay married- Divorce speed!”
“Speed thrills- Accidents kill.”
“Speed thrills- But increases your hospital bill.”
I must say that the Indian drivers have an amazing ability to thread their vehicle through any knot of traffic and find somewhere to park the car that seems impossible. They excel even the Italians in this regard in my opinion. I continue to white-knuckle my way through the streets of Guwahati and wear a small hole in the floorboard of the back seat!
1. Every conceivable type of vehicle is present on the road- seriously! It reminds me at times of an Al Chymia Shriner’s Parade back home with the funny mini-cars they drive as entertainment. If you can put wheels on it, then it is legal to drive on the streets and highways in India.
2. Extreme animal hazards are present. There are cows, goats, monkeys, dogs, geese, oxen, horses, buffalo and elephants around every corner or curve in the road. All the animals do pretty well getting out of the way except for the cows. These bovines know that they are in a special class and can do as they please, take a nap in the road or stand and stare at the cars from the median in four lane traffic- absolutely no fear!
3. Drivers do not obey any traffic laws. The biggest vehicle wins the face-off in a drawdown situation. Everyone complains about the other driver’s terrible driving while dodging traffic madly too. There is constant horn blowing that is part of the driver’s vocabulary. They communicate with other vehicles with subtle differences in the pattern of the honks and the length of the tones. It all means something; I just haven’t figured it all out yet. Honking is highly encouraged here with signs on the back of trucks and buses encouraging others to honk and let them know they are back there somewhere. Horn honking is the norm here and almost illegal in my hometown.
4. Road conditions can be extreme. Construction and potholes are a big problem just like in the U.S. There are roundabouts where the traffic engineers in India threw up their hands and said “I give up.” In addition, there are more dirt roads to travel and very narrow lanes, streets and alleys in the cities which permit two-way traffic. Guwahati is in the foothills of the Himalayan Mountains so there are steep, winding roads to traverse and a plunge off a bridge or cliff is a real possibility.
5. Finally, the need for speed NASCAR style is in the blood of many of the drivers. These drivers would give "The Dukes of Hazard" a run for the money. Passing takes place without restrictions on curves and anywhere at full speed. If there is a brief stretch of flat, straight road most of the drivers seem to gun the engine and put the pedal to the metal. The locals acknowledge the problem with graveyard humor on road signs. Here are a few road sign captions for your enjoyment.
“Arrive in peace- Not in pieces!”
“If you want to stay married- Divorce speed!”
“Speed thrills- Accidents kill.”
“Speed thrills- But increases your hospital bill.”
I must say that the Indian drivers have an amazing ability to thread their vehicle through any knot of traffic and find somewhere to park the car that seems impossible. They excel even the Italians in this regard in my opinion. I continue to white-knuckle my way through the streets of Guwahati and wear a small hole in the floorboard of the back seat!
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