I have often wondered about the cultural significance of driving and traffic on the roads. Clearly there is a drop-down attempt to make the roads less crazy but I just can’t see it happening.
Yesterday in peak hour the cab got stuck behind a long bank of cars so he joined the scooters on an informal dirt road that had been created along a wide sidewalk area. We gunned it with horn blasting which made it safe for the pedestrians and slow scooters in front. Then on returning to the actual road. He dived in front of a moving bus. Bold as brass was the term that came to mind.
Driving here is a little like surfing on the north shore of Hawaii or some other ridiculously crowded surf spot. To get ahead one must commit to the next move, take the gap. Paddle for the wave hard. Make your intention known vigorously, i.e. blow your horn, or call everyone else off of your wave. If it doesn’t work, i.e. you don’t get the gap, the wave, or someone else beats you to it, then just move on to the next moment. Continue to flow with the traffic, knowing that it is all just a big crazy game and there isnt any point getting uptight.
Now I am going out on a bike to visit Vivekananda’s University of Yoga.
Wish me luck.