So, I've mentioned the Indian traffic throughout a few of my blogs. It's loud. It's crowded. And, yes, it can be a little scary at times. However, the more I've been on a bike, scooter, and in a car, the less nervous I get when a rickshaw comes flying up to my side of the vehicle.
As a foreigner traveling to India, one needs to come here with an open mind, especially if he or she is from the West. Life is different in most ways (although, it is similar in some). In the US, even in the small town of Hernando, MS, where I grew up, there is a structure, a pattern. We constantly look at the clock knowing we have every minute of everyday planned out, getting upset if our schedules are interrupted. We never have a spare moment. However, it's not quite like that in India. People are not on time. Classes are rearranged in a moment's time. Plans are constantly changing. Your friends say they'll pick you up at 8:45. 10:15 rolls around and you can finally walk out the door. Like I've said a hundred times, you have to expect the unexpected. Being caught off guard is all a part of the fun.
However, the other morning I was caught off guard. Rather than it being fun, I was a little afraid for my life. There is a traffic circle down the road from the university I attend. Three days ago, someone decided to block half of the circle causing an actual traffic jam on every intersecting road. No one really knows why they, whoever they may be, did it. Having the circle blocked complicates the once free-flowing traffic. Combine the blocked roundabout with the noisy road construction and you have a lot of upset, frustrated drivers. The two-wheelers can be the worst. If they can't find a path on the street, they take to the sidewalks/footpaths.
Here I was minding my own business. I had just picked up some cereal and bath necessities. Out of nowhere, I here this horn, a little close for comfort. I turn around to find five two-wheelers wanting to pass. As they flew by, I honestly thought my foot was about to get ripped off. This isn't the first time this has happened; however, it was the closest one has gotten. I don't really mind if they almost hit me when I'm crossing the street. The street is their territory, and it was my lack of judgement that almost got me into trouble. However, the footpath is my territory. As a pedestrian, I believe the three-foot wide footpath should be a part of our rights. It's not even that wide half of the time. I risk my life every time I cross the street in Pune; but, I would like to think I wouldn't have to be terrified to walk on the sidewalk.
What I have learned these past three months is that India runs on its own time. But, believe it or not, there is a system to the madness. The way they live is illustrated by their traffic. Most of the time, there never really is a "traffic jam", as we know it. It's always moving. Two-wheelers move in and out, cars push forward, and rickshaws follow wherever the is an ounce of room. As a friend said, "With traffic, Indians will always know how to make a way [This I had to learn the hard way]. It is an organized chaos, and it works."
One can learn something from Indian traffic: Life is difficult and at times is may slow down; however, you have to learn to make a path through the difficult times.
As a foreigner traveling to India, one needs to come here with an open mind, especially if he or she is from the West. Life is different in most ways (although, it is similar in some). In the US, even in the small town of Hernando, MS, where I grew up, there is a structure, a pattern. We constantly look at the clock knowing we have every minute of everyday planned out, getting upset if our schedules are interrupted. We never have a spare moment. However, it's not quite like that in India. People are not on time. Classes are rearranged in a moment's time. Plans are constantly changing. Your friends say they'll pick you up at 8:45. 10:15 rolls around and you can finally walk out the door. Like I've said a hundred times, you have to expect the unexpected. Being caught off guard is all a part of the fun.
However, the other morning I was caught off guard. Rather than it being fun, I was a little afraid for my life. There is a traffic circle down the road from the university I attend. Three days ago, someone decided to block half of the circle causing an actual traffic jam on every intersecting road. No one really knows why they, whoever they may be, did it. Having the circle blocked complicates the once free-flowing traffic. Combine the blocked roundabout with the noisy road construction and you have a lot of upset, frustrated drivers. The two-wheelers can be the worst. If they can't find a path on the street, they take to the sidewalks/footpaths.
Here I was minding my own business. I had just picked up some cereal and bath necessities. Out of nowhere, I here this horn, a little close for comfort. I turn around to find five two-wheelers wanting to pass. As they flew by, I honestly thought my foot was about to get ripped off. This isn't the first time this has happened; however, it was the closest one has gotten. I don't really mind if they almost hit me when I'm crossing the street. The street is their territory, and it was my lack of judgement that almost got me into trouble. However, the footpath is my territory. As a pedestrian, I believe the three-foot wide footpath should be a part of our rights. It's not even that wide half of the time. I risk my life every time I cross the street in Pune; but, I would like to think I wouldn't have to be terrified to walk on the sidewalk.
What I have learned these past three months is that India runs on its own time. But, believe it or not, there is a system to the madness. The way they live is illustrated by their traffic. Most of the time, there never really is a "traffic jam", as we know it. It's always moving. Two-wheelers move in and out, cars push forward, and rickshaws follow wherever the is an ounce of room. As a friend said, "With traffic, Indians will always know how to make a way [This I had to learn the hard way]. It is an organized chaos, and it works."
One can learn something from Indian traffic: Life is difficult and at times is may slow down; however, you have to learn to make a path through the difficult times.
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