Transportation Issues

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For a while, I was staying at Juhu Beach in Mumbai, which is north of Mumbai proper. In this and other areas, the autorickshaw provides inexpensive but often frightening transportation. Basically, they are three-wheeled open air contraptions with space for two sensible adults or more if you are a little nuts. They are powered by a motor plant approximately appropriate for a lawnmower.

Apparently, the idea is to see who can fit through the tiniest space and do so as quickly as possible. They glide through people crossing the street, and seem to magically squeeze between the next rickshaw or car. I have had to up my Xanax prescription for this experience.

In Mumbai proper, the taxicab is the dominant auto on the road. They are tiny little things-- very narrow and short. I keep hitting my head. Oh and of course, none have air conditioning. So when you stop at an intersection, you stop and enjoy the exhaust and the heat. It's all good. And again, the taxis just slip by each other with inches to spare, and are fond of having two taxis share one lane.

Of course, most people that live here take the train and the largest and busiest train station downtown is the Victoria Terminus. People pour our of the streets into the train, packed in ways I can't describe.

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Comments

[cindy]

auto!
ah, those lovely autos. Make sure to hold onto everything, mim. Things fly out in matters of seconds. And i found that wearing a scarf over my mouth helped with the emissions and dust.

[Steve]

Mumbai Hoop-dies
Did that one picture (view from Rickshaw) have a family of four on a moped? Do you hail these things like taxis? Do the taxis stop for the brothers in Mumbai?

[sharon]

but are u having fun??
The traffic, the cows, the xanax, you sure you don't miss work??Be safe!!