The Chris Motes Blog: June 2007

What an experience. My observations:

In the US, when people stop at a stop sign to make a turn, they look the direction of oncoming traffic and evaluate whether their merge into traffic will cause someone to have to slow down or divert from their current course. In the same situation in India, the driver evaluates whether turning into traffic will cause a certain collision or not. The driver thinks about whether vehicles approaching him have enough time to get out of the way.
Occasionally you will see a white line painted down the center of a highway. This line has no significance to any driver in India. It is common to have 4 vehicles + an auto-rickshaw and a motorcycle all next to each other on a two lane highway.
Driving in the lanes of oncoming traffic is common. Just last night my driver drove for 30 seconds in the far right lane of oncoming traffic. Not just 1 lane over - two!
Honking in US means "what the hell are you doing?!?". Honking in India generally means "Hi, I'm here"

My first reaction to driving in India was that this was complete chaos. There's a strange order though. Everyone is making sure they don't hit each other. Traffic is like a river. Jump in and go with the flow.

My first post. How exciting!

I'm blogging from Bangalore, India, 12.5 hours ahead of my beloved PST. I'm here for work.

It has been a sheltered adventure so far. Lots of time in the hotel and at work, a few excursions out into the buzz of Bangalore, a couple of walks through the slums and some absolutely spectacular food.

Here is a list of things that every non-Indian should know before going to India:

Driving is an experience - rhythmic chaos is the only way to describe it. The attitude is generally "let the other guy get out of the way". If a driver wants to merge into oncoming traffic, he just does it. Traffic lights and center white lines are mostly decorative. Lesson 1 in Indian driving school is learning to honk the horn. Two lanes is enough room for 3 cars and 3 motorcycles to drive comfortably side by side. Keep your hands inside your vehicle at all times or you'll lose them.
Don't use your left hand for much, certainly not to eat or shake hands. The left hand is the hand traditionally used by Indians to wipe their bottoms. Left handers have no place in this world.
A guy shouldn't shake a woman's hand unless she extends her hand.
The auto-rickshaw is a great way to get around - just make sure it has a digital meter and that it gets turned on. If I were a woman I'd probably arrange for an air-conditioned vehicle with a trusted driver.
All prices are negotiable, including hotels. Agree on fares up front.
Check online reviews of the hotels you're considering. For the past few days I've been staying at a 5-star hotel. Very nice. Except for the fact that it's adjacent to a river of sewage. It stinks.
Ask direct questions. Indians aren't so great at delivering bad news. Don't ask "will this take long?" - you'll get the Indian head shake which is a side to side tilting of the head (neither a "nod" nor a "shake" in US terms) along with a "no sir, not long". Instead, ask "how long will this take?"
Don't penny pinch - your pennies can make a major impact on someone's life there. The average wage in India is a fraction of the average US wage. Consider that what you're paying for 1 night in a nice hotel is what the average Indian makes in 3 months.
No kissing in public. It's considered lewd and could get you in trouble.
Get out of the hotels and eat the Indian food among the Indians. It's absolutely delicious and you'll get some of the most hospitable service you've ever had.
Accept and embrace the differences. I went to dinner with some Hindu friends. I proclaimed my dinner of beer, garlic naan and chicken curry to be one of the best I've ever had. They laughed. Lots of Hindus don't drink alcohol. Garlic and onions are considered by many to be aphrodisiacs and thus not acceptable. And of course many Hindus are vegetarian. At a minimum, a Hindu cow is a safe cow.