Back from India - III
Negotiating traffic on the roads of Mumbai, while at the wheel has become more difficult compared to what I remember from my last trip in 2000. Maybe, because I have been away from all the crazy traffic of New Jersey and New York, and I have forgotten how to drive. A few observations made during 1000+ kms that I drove in 4 weeks.
- The number of cars on the roads must have increased by at least 100%
- The number of rickshaws must have tripled. All the rickshaw drivers are basically BAD drivers. They have no regard for traffic rules. I doubt if they even know that any traffic rules exist. They are a pest and there should be a hunting season when people are allowed to shoot at rickshaws that don't obey rules.
- The lane markings on the roads have no meaning. They are there just to provide employment for people who make them.
- Dividers in the middle of the road are not to be taken seriously. At a traffic light, if you are going to make a right turn, it is OK if you go on the other side of the divider.
- Although the road signs suggest you to be in the the rightmost lane if you are planning to make a right turn, it is OK if you start a second or a third lane for turning.
- The passing lane is actually for people who drive the slowest. If you want to pass you should stay to far left. (actually, this is true in US too)
- On a big divided highway with 3 lanes going in each direction, if you want to go to a place on the other side of the road, you should not concern yourself with going ahead and making a U-turn to get to your destination. You should cross over whenever you want as you get to the desired location, drive on the wrong side of the road and get there.
- If you stop or slow down to let someone make a turn in front of you, people look at you as if you are mad.
- All these bad things that I saw this time in Mumbai have been a norm in other parts of the country for a long long time. One could easily see the effect of people moving into Mumbai from all over India and bringing a little bit of their habits and their 'own' traffic rules along with them.
- In Jaipur, I was amazed at the dynamic nature of traffic. There is no left side or right side of the road. Vehicles going in one direction just take up all available space on the road. Depending on the volume of traffic going in each direction, the width and number of lanes going in each direction changes.
But, it is not all bad. The condition of roads is generally better everywhere. All the flyovers in Mumbai have significantly improved traffic conditions. On the afternoon of 31st Dec., I could go from Thane to Fort in less than 45 minutes which was unheard of a few years ago. Even after the monsoon season, all the highways were in very good shape. Mumbai-Goa highway was excellent and so was Delhi-Agra and Jaipur-Delhi highway.
Mumbai-Pune expressway is just like a dream come true. It takes only two and half hours to make this trip that used to take anywhere from 4 to 12 hours a few years ago. I could drive comfortably at 65-70 mph (not kmph). People actually follow lanes. There are no interruptions. Beautifully landscaped road with entrance and exit ramps all the way through. It feels like driving on I-80 somewhere in Iowa or Nebraska. I am sad to say that ‘Khandala ghat’ is no more. The beautiful scenery is still there, but, the road condition has changed dramatically. All the traffic congestion with trucks climbing at less than 5kmph due to the steepness of the road is only a memory from the past. The whole journey on the expressway is worth every paisa of Rs. 100 that they charge in tolls.