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uncutshirt
03-25-2007, 04:10 AM
I dare anyone to drive a distance in India and if you are brave then at night. Its insane! No lights - No laws - Impromtu toll boths - one of my drivers said the only rules are " good brakes, good horn, and good luck."

I saw a sign on the way to the Taj Mahal that said "Do not drive in the wrong direction." I thought - how odd - why would there be such a sign when there is a divider between the lanes??? Sure enough - within one minute all six lanes were traffic were consumed by a fleet of cars, things that resembled trucks, buses, camels, rickshaws, goats, and cows for 3KM.

Or at night when there are no street lights there is truck stopped in the opposing lane with its lights off - I mean WTF!!!

The sad thing was that I desperately wanted to buy or rent bike there and try and ride but no such luck. I think my wife conspired to keep me off the road. All the bikes are ~ 125cc - nothing over 200cc. Just remember to take the path of least resistance - stop if you can't make it and stay more or less on the left and the biggest vehicle or animal wins!

Lets not forget rider safety. Apparently, there is a fine for not wearing a helmet but I actually saw a guy drive a Honda Hero with a clay pot on his head - kind of missing the point. It very common to see a family of three or even five on a bike with only the dad riding with a novetly helmet.

Honestly, it would be safer to go well off-road on a GS than drive on the "roads."

PAULBACH
03-25-2007, 06:48 AM
I lived in South India for two years. Did you make it into any of these places?

Madras
Bangalore
Kerela

uncutshirt
03-25-2007, 09:17 AM
No, we spent two weeks in Orissa and one in Delhi and Jaipur. We plan on doing the south on another trip. About where did you live?

Boingo
03-26-2007, 07:03 PM
Wow…good for you uncutshirt!

In 2000, my wife and I spent a year traveling around the world, and a month of that was in India, mostly the northern part. It was both the high and low point of our trip. Out of the 21 countries we visited, India is what we keep talking about, and where we vow to visit again.

We found the rules of the road mere suggestions. Expect the unexpected takes on a whole new meaning there.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjrEQaG5jPM

I dare anyone to drive a distance in India and if you are brave then at night.
No and hell no!

Before we got there, I entertained the idea of renting a Royal Enfield and exploring, but several auto rickshaws trips in Delhi convinced me of the utter folly of the idea. First time we went out, I damn near wet my underoos.

PAULBACH
03-26-2007, 07:06 PM
Live in Manipal, South Kanara about 180 miles south of Bombay on the west coast of India. That was in 1965 - 1967.

Even rode a motorcycle over there.

mrich12000
03-26-2007, 07:43 PM
Wow you guys are brave and I thought Montreal was bad:wave :brad