Transportation in India

Mumbai traffic.

Rickshaws are a very popular mode of transportation in India. They are three wheeled motorized carts which seat three individuals. The driver sits in front and two passengers can sit in back on a small bench seat. They do not have any doors, just a small rail on one side and the option to put little shades down to cover the passengers. The rickshaws are very popular because of the traffic congestion that occurs. A rickshaw is much smaller than a car and can dart in and out of traffic easier than a car or bus. When the girls took me on the tour they talked about rickshaws as a nice mode of transportation for women. They were originally brought about because women were being molested in cabs and had no way out. Since rickshaws have no doors this is a safer option for women traveling alone. As you can see from the picture many of the rickshaws have bumper stickers saying “Don’t Spit. It Spreads TB”. Gross!

Rickshaws.

Busses are also a popular form of transportation in India. The busses are red and can be single or double decker. The girls tell me that the busses are for the “mean and gross men”. When our car drives next to busses we can see that people are crammed in, some standing, constantly throwing trash out of the window and spitting. The girls also told me that many of the bus drivers do not have real drivers licenses. Evidently many of them pay money for their license instead of taking the class and obtaining a license the correct way.
You can find regular taxis in India as well. They are not as common as rickshaws in the big cities but can be found in the less popular areas. The taxis seem safer than busses but I would never ride in one knowing that they are unsafe for women.

Bus...notice people hanging out of the windows.

Taxi.

Motorcycles and cars are also used for transportation. Motorcycles are quite popular as they can dart in and out of traffic and can hold two or three people. You do not see women on motorcycles very often and if you do they are sitting sideways. Cars are very small in India. You very rarely see Mini Vans, SUVs or any of the big cars like we have in the US. Most of the cars are very small and look like they have been through the war. Because of the traffic there are lots of fender benders and scratches.

Motorcycle...in a full suit.

The car I have for this trip is a nice Toyota SUV. This is very rare and many cars get out of our way when our driver is coming down the street. The driver is very nice and has safely delivered me at Accenture and the hotel each day.

The SUV I ride in each day to and from work. Sorry for the blurry picture but this is the best I could get this evening with fog and air pollution.