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September 30, 2005
Getting Around Town:
First keep in mind that driving around Mysore is like being in space and not having the laws of gravity apply because it is just crazy to drive around here. Rules of the road as we know them DO NOT APPLY. If there happen to be painted lane dividers on the roads they DO NOT MATTER. The only time they might matter is if the lane dividers are made of concrete and jutting out of the road. The stop signs painted on the roads also DO NOT MATTER. People pull into oncoming traffic without looking all the time. I am convinced it is because the Indian people are very fatalistic in their thinking. Whatever the reason it can be unnerving to have a family of four riding on a motorscooter pull right out in front of you with very little awareness of what is going on around them. (and you will see families of four: father driving with a kid between his legs holding onto handlebars, mother riding side saddle on the back holding a baby - we are currently doing our own version of this but involves strapping Rowan to me and putting a helmut on her).
What else? Oh, there are very few stoplights here, but get ready for some Indie 500 action when you do actually pull up to a stoplight. They have an actual countdown clock by the light that lets you know in seconds how long it will be before it turns green. Many people turn off their bike's engines and wait, but once the clock gets down to about 20 seconds or so the bikes get turned on and everyone starts revving their engines and pushing towards the front of the line. Then at about 10 seconds or so people start honking and pushing even more and before the light even turns green there is a mad dash and horns are honking and people driving off.
Rickshaws are pretty fun too. I watch them drive kids home after school and I have counted as many as nine children crammed into them. I am sure they could fit more if theywanted too. They are basically like a motorscooter with a box built around it so that is is enclosed. Like a miniture taxicab. We don't take them too often because we have a scooter, but they can be convenient to travel. Gas is pretty expensive here as well (probably twice what we pay at home), so it can be a better way to travel in groups because you can fit 3-4 people in them.
Oh and pedestrians here are nuts! Jason is always wondering why someone's sense of self-preservation doesn't kick in at some point but it is obvious that pedestrians here do not care. They walk in front of your moving vehicle that outweighs them by one hundred pounds ALL THE TIME. Jason is ona mission at this point to not give in. He thinks it shows weakenss and they will walk out in front even more. I try to explain to him that his logic is faulty, but he doesn't listen...
Well, I could write more but my battery on the computer is about to die. Pics are on their way...
Posted by Tara at September 30, 2005 05:50 AM