An Indian Adventure

Visited Delhi and Rajasthan recently. Was expecting to see a load of "Classic" Cars but the government there has done a very effective job of phasing out old polluting personal transport and replacing it with small, modern cars. Mainly Suzuki if our ad hoc survey is anything to go by!

A throwback to a byegone era that we encountered on our travels was this

A Premier Padmini, a Fiat 1100D, designed in 1962 and licensed for Indian manufacture from 1974

The transport of choice is the redoubtable Auto-Rickshaw (tuk-tuk), all mainly Gas powered these days. Over here we occasionally play the "how many people can you get in a Mini?" game, for fun. In Delhi the population generally cram unfeasibly large numbers of human beings into, and onto, the "Auto" as a means to an end. The going rate for transport in these contraptions is incredibly low, mere pence but the game of arguing long and hard about the fare is ongoing as the drivers are truly reluctant to use the Meter for tourists - agree the price prior to the journey or better still INSIST they use the Meter, but then be prepared for a sullen chauffeur and extended detour of a journey.

Driving, or more accurately, being driven, is more scary than any rollercoaster. The idea is that Mirrors are NEVER used, the game of head-on "CHICKEN" is played as the norm and any rules of the road have been totally forgotten.

There is however one extremely sensible, simple and practical piece of road furniture that should immediately be adopted here. At all the major intersections with traffic lights they have prominent timers, counting down the time till the lights change. These timers are the only means possible yet discovered to prevent an Indian driver incessantly blowing their horns. The most apt sign in the whole of Delhi......

The cars may be mostly modern, that isn't true of the trucks and busses. The "All India Permit" proudly signwritten onto the majority of commercial transport implies the driver has actually passed a driving test, sadly they all, without exception drive as if they are in "Mad Max", as for the roadworthiness of almost any vehicle, well let's just say that there isn't enough paper available for the list of "Advisories" which would be required!

The highlight of our motoring in India has to be the sedate trip taken in a 1939 Chevrolet Master 85 Limousine. Driven impeccably by Rav, our ex Indian Army driver, we toured Jodhpur in decadent luxury, visiting the Polo Club and the magnificent Forts.