The moment your Ambassador’s engine revs up and you leave the start line, there’s no turning back: in India, all of your driving skills will be put to the test. Through country routes and bumpy roads, you’ll have to be up for the challenge and keep up with the others. Of course, it’ll pay off, because you’ll see and experience things that not many people do. No need to worry; we’ll help you wise up on the business of driving in India!
A Quiet Street. Photo by Ryan
Always Mind the Bullocks!
The most important rule of all: never, EVER hit a cow. I repeat: watch out for cows!! Also, like in the United Kingdom, you have to drive on the left side. You quickly have to get used to the fact that the roads in India are usually bumpy, in a poor condition and often fully packed with rickshaws, motorcycles and animals. Therefore, you have to keep an eye out for movement from every direction.
Just Chillin’ on the Road… Photo by shankar s.
Size Matters
So, how does right of way in India work? Well, for the most part, it’s all about who has the biggest car. If you see a truck or a bus approaching towards your car, you’ll have to swerve to avoid collision. Yes, even if the chauffeur of the truck/bus is completely in the wrong.
Queue? What Queue?
Imagine the following situation: you are pulling up to a car from behind. The car in front of you is waiting to turn right. What do you do? Queue up and wait till the car in front of you turns right? Wrong answer. If you want to go right, all you have to do is pull up right beside the other car and try to cut in. Voilà! That’s how you get ahead in a car, in India. Naturally, things can get tricky when three or four cars do this, but hey, you’ll get used to it!
No Queueing Here… Photo by Alex Graves
Honk-Honk!
If you’re not driving in a Quiet Zone and you’re stuck behind a huge lorry, there’s a great solution to the problem: if they have stickers on them saying “Sound Horn,” you may honk and they’ll let you go. This comes in handy especially when you’re driving on narrow roads and place where overtaking a bus might be dangerous.
Pay Attention
This goes without saying, but sharpening your senses is one of the best tips for driving in India. Be conscious of what is happening around you and try to prepare for what other participants in traffic might do. Driving on Indian roads, forever in exciting movement, will soon feel like a thrilling rush, and let’s face it: if you can learn to drive here, you’ll be able to drive anywhere! Feel free to boast about it.
Road into Paradise. Photo by Rajarshi Mitra
India’s traffic scene has a lot of surprises in store, and there will be situations where you’ll just have to improvise. In any case, if you ever feel the need to deepen your practical Indian driving knowledge, we can also give you driving lessons.
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About the Author
veronika
Vera graduated from McDaniel College Europe with a degree in Political Sciences and International Relations. She loves to write about anything that interests her and she has a mania for baking - she also has a baking channel. She is an avid organizer, recording everything in her Filofax. An active person, she runs a lot and has to go to the gym on a regular basis, otherwise she would go craaaazyy.