Traffic in India

[markopolo]

I've never been to India so I don't know how representative this video is of traffic flow is but it sure is interesting to watch:

[youtube:23tfq861]RjrEQaG5jPM[/youtube:23tfq861]

The system works though. There are no lineups at traffic lights, everyone gets through with minimal delay.

There is an underlying calm in the apparent chaos - everyone yields a bit so the traffic flow is continuous.

[Davydd]

It's pretty much the same in Cairo, Egypt. In a metro area of 25 million people there are very few stop lights or signs, lane markings are completely ignored, yet traffic just flows despite camels and carts on the roads.

[wabbit]

It looks like one person hesitating or showing indecision could really screw up the traffic flow.

[AZ ADVenturist]

<<"There is an underlying calm in the apparent chaos - everyone yields a bit so the traffic flow is continuous".!!>>
Although I am certainly no expert on human behavior - That quote seems to be key to the way & reason the systems seems to work...
And, why it will never work in the U.SS.A. - WE are impatient, discourteous & grossly OVERsized. We can't even negotiate a 4 way stop, roundabout, yield or merge without some idiot messing up the whole system. I should know I live & drive & see it in AriZona every day.

[Davydd]

AZ, Have you been to Italy? Lots of impatience and discourteous driving there. No one pays attention to lane markers. A two lane road will have cars crowding four abreast and then the motor scooters come up inbetween the cars and go to the front of the line. They too drive crazy through plazas. Yet traffic seems to flow much like that video.

[AZ ADVenturist]

Originally Posted by Davydd

AZ, Have you been to Italy? Lots of impatience and discourteous driving there. No one pays attention to lane markers. A two lane road will have cars crowding four abreast and then the motor scooters come up inbetween the cars and go to the front of the line. They too drive crazy through plazas. Yet traffic seems to flow much like that video.

Hi, Davyyd; On re-reading my previous rant, it seems sorta Ranting.(sorry)
But - no I've not been to Italy or Egypt either. I've driven & motorcycled throughout Mexico & some in Costa Rica, Belize & Honduras too.
I have Experienced & observed a lot of what you described but never did see anything more than a minor fender bender in any of those locales.
My observation supported by some discussion is that most drivers in 2nd & 3rd world countries (at least in the Americas) value their vehicles as prized possessions and would be hard pressed to replace them if seriously wrecked. This attitude seems to instill a higher level of attention & responsibility upon the drivers, not for safety of others, but to preserve their prized possessions.
I won't continue to denigrate drivers in Arizona, but so many don't demonstrate the talent for driving that I've seen & you describe elsewhere.

[Davydd]

I think from that video you are just seeing how intricate the brain and nature is in how things flow. Watch an ant hill and you see the same coordinated behavior. What we don't know about Egypt, India, Italy or anywhere else is how well the system actually works. When we were in Egypt we all started fastening our seat belts and the Egyptians looked aghast at us and asked why. They never used seat belts. Seat belts were only there because it was an American company, Federal Express, that owned the van I guess. Think about it. In 1950 we had half the population in the United States, probably a fourth of the vehicles we have today and even fewer proportional miles driven, yet auto accidents took nearly twice as many lives yearly back then. So, even though the video looks smooth I would be willing to bet the stats wouldn't bear that out.

[AZ ADVenturist]

Good perspective - that!

[Bluejay]

I visited an old high school friend this weekend and she and her husband were in Northern India for a month last Christmas and I watched videos and pictures of their vacation. What struck me about the traffic is how animals, bikes, rickshaws and cars all share the roads and co-exist on their crowded roads and follow some unwritten rules which are known to them but foreign to us. We could certainly learn patience and going with the flow from them.

A little off topic, I was also moved by the utter poverty and hardship they face, but yet the joy that showed in a lot of faces. We have so much to learn about being grateful with all we have in North America! However, there is also the desperation which was brought home by this experience my friends had right off the plane in New Delhi. It took them four hours to get to their hotel, which was about 10 minutes away, as they kept being misdirected and passed on from one person to the other and having to pay for services so they could be brought to their hotel, they kept being directed to another hotel as they were perceived to be wealthy in comparison to the poverty that is prevalent in India.

They have previously visited 48 US states so they are experienced travellers.They enjoyed their trip to India so much though that they want to go back.

[markopolo]

Bluejay is my DW
After 6 years of me running this forum she has made a post!

Welcome Bluejay

[Johnny R]

Marco, you lucky dog! Reminds me of my spouse, who, after seeing how much I enjoyed motorcycling, finally rode with me. We've had great rides. (Not) sorry to hijack this thread.

[markopolo]

Had to delete a post - we were inadvertently heading toward politics and some times that doesn't work out so well on forums.

[AZ ADVenturist]

Originally Posted by markopolo

Had to delete a post - we were inadvertently heading toward politics and some times that doesn't work out so well on forums.

(W)Right -on - & thanks for the reminder. It's so easy to descend into THAT black hole.