Driving in India
Driving in India is different than in the US. We received an international drivers permit before we came so that we could drive here. To date I haven’t been BRAVE enough to drive here, only Dennis has.
For starters, they drive on the opposite side of the road. That makes the stick shift on the left side, as well as the wipers. Your turn signal is on the right of the steering wheel. We have had to learn turning and where the edges of the vehicle are again. I feel like I’m 15 taking drivers Ed. We are sticking to the posted rules but have noticed they don’t always apply. We have had to learn some implied rules of the road that others follow including:
1-lanes are a guideline and traffic often travels in swarms.
2-there aren’t stop signs. You inch out into an intersection until oncoming traffic stops for you to cross across or you immediate merge into traffic traveling the same direction.
3-a horn is used to warn drivers you are near rather than to complain about driving. Be prepared to honk frequently.
4-roads are very small so right of way goes to the biggest vehicle.
(Yes those are cars parked down both sides of the road)
5-watch out for animals on the road. Cows, goats, donkeys, and dogs can be found wandering even on the highways.
6-it’s okay to drive up a road the wrong way if there isn’t a place to cross across.
7-lane closures and speed bumps are frequent to slow traffic. The speed bumps are often in the shadows and hard to identify.
8-motorcycles will fit in where ever there is any room. You might be sharing one lane with them or they will be on the sidewalk.
9-it’s okay to park in the middle of the road and leave your vehicle unattended.
(They stop at the weirdest places too, like on a corner or where the road is already smaller)
10-it’s okay to pass anyone anywhere
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