Team-BHP > Street Experiences


Reply
  Search this Thread
29,297 views
Old 11th February 2021, 23:58   #1
Senior - BHPian
 
blackwasp's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Navi Mumbai
Posts: 2,966
Thanked: 26,228 Times
What I love about driving in India

Last month, we discussed how bad roads, terrible traffic, stray animals and pesky 2-wheelers made some of us consider giving up driving entirely.

This week, let's look at the other lane of the coin and celebrate the unique pleasures of driving in India.

Things I love about driving in India:



Early morning empty roads
What I love about driving in India-00001.jpg
Image Source

The cool morning air, the deserted roads and a license to slice through all the traffic signals that haven't woken up yet. Nothing quite like an early morning start to a road trip!

Unique dhaba food and eateries along the way
What I love about driving in India-00003.jpg
Image Source

Be it your favourite dhaba, a random McDonald's or the small stall selling sugarcane juice beside the highway, you will never find yourself lacking options for a place to eat along your route.

100% Alertness required
What I love about driving in India-00005.jpg
Image Source

Unlike some other countries where every highway drive is an 8-lane snooze-fest, in India you have to be 100% alert and mentally present whilst driving. You never know what surprise might jump out at you, and as a result the whole experience of driving becomes much more interactive & involving.

Lovely 2 lane countryside roads
What I love about driving in India-00009.jpg
Image Source

Despite thousands of kilometers of new multi-lane concrete expressways being built, the majority of Indian roads are still 2 lanes of black-top meandering through the countryside. Every single inch of highway in India has it's completely unique identity. This makes the scenery more interesting, and more memorable too.

No two drivers are the same
What I love about driving in India-00007.jpg
Image Source

Every driver on the road has a very unique personality, compared to the rather homogeneous drivers in most developed countries. These differences span a very wide spectrum too. On any highway trips it's fun to follow them and try and figure out who they are... Do they have excellent road manners and understandings of safe driving, or are they a ticking time-bomb waiting to end up as a head-on collision? How much engine braking are they using? Are they riding the brakes? Do they have good foresight? Are they in the right gear for this hill section? These probably aren't thoughts that preoccupy the minds of normal folk, but I'm sure BHPians will understand!

Non-stop entertainment
What I love about driving in India-00008.jpg
Image Source

There is no shortage of things to make your eyes pop or give you a good chuckle. Be it an aggressive driver stuck behind a slow moving vehicle, overloaded goods carriers a few degrees away from a topple, a dog in a saddle-bag, or people carrying precariously balanced oversized cargo on 2-wheelers (mirrors, mattresses, mother-in-laws and the likes).

Cultural diversity
What I love about driving in India-00002.jpg
Image Source

Thanks to India's amazing cultural diversity, driving through different states or even districts will allow you to see and experience different cultures. Often portrayed through the language, the style of dressing, food, architecture and even quirky driving habits of that specific locale.

Fastag and Tech
What I love about driving in India-00004.jpg
Image Source

Slowly yet surely, there has been a positive change in the way tolls are collected. It's still nowhere near full and seamless adoption yet, but it has definitely made trips on highways that much more enjoyable and hassle-free. Extra points for not having to roll down the window or exchange currency with toll booth attendants during these COVID times.

People are always willing to lend a helping hand
What I love about driving in India-0010.png
Image Source

Be it guiding a lost traveller, getting some manpower for a push-start, replacing a flat tyre or hitching a ride to the nearest pump for a liter of car juice, most people are very helpful. This is a blessing, as compared to some other countries where breaking down on the side of the highway can be a very scary and lonely experience.

Familiar highway sounds
What I love about driving in India-0011.jpg
Image Source

Sounds can be just as descriptive and colourful when it comes to painting a picture of our highways. Like that distant soft hum of a lorry's tyres on a stretch of tarmac. If you know what I'm talking about, just the thought of that sound has probably transported you to the side of a highway somewhere. Sounds can be entertaining too, like when your ears perk up to the possibility of being overtaken by a supercar only to find out it's a petrol econo-hatch with a broken silencer!

Varied landscape
What I love about driving in India-00006.jpg
Image Source

If you are doing a cross-country drive, you will encounter mountains, deserts, flat lands, oceans, rivers, wildlife sanctuaries, and more. The temperature also varies giving you a unique experience of driving from freezing weather to 40+ degrees Celsius.

Mountain roads with no real speed limits
What I love about driving in India-0013.jpg
Image Source

There is nothing more enjoyable than taking your car out on an empty mountain road. Some might even consider it a religious experience of sorts. Interestingly, some incredibly remote locations have really well made stretches of road. I remember after hours of bad roads, we came across a fantastic piece of tarmac on our Spiti trip.

Unique art-forms & captions on trucks
What I love about driving in India-0014.jpg
Image Source

Truckers are the backbone of our economy, and they spend days away from their family just to keep the nation running. Most of the trucks on our roads are highly decorative and have slogans like "India is Great", "We 2 Ours 2", "Beti bachao, Beti Padhao" and of course, the infamous "Horn OK Please". No two trucks are the same and if you read between the lines you can get a hint of what's most important in the trucker's life, be it family, religion, patriotism, or just straight up bling.

Well-mannered truckers
What I love about driving in India-0015.jpg
Image Source

Despite our archaic laws being quick to blame the bigger vehicle in case of any mishap, truckers are actually some of the most disciplined and considerate drivers on our roads. Seeing a truck execute an overtaking maneuver (including an immediate return to the slow lane) with autobahn-worthy precision always puts a smile on my face. Tip: When a truck moves out of his lane just to let your car pass, a super-quick beep of the horn just as you cross the truck driver's window is a convenient way to say thanks.

Musical horns of trucks


Travel enough on Indian highways and you are certain to have encountered these air-trumpets in hyperdrive. The melody of a hit song can make it an interesting incident amongst a sea of bland beep-beeps. Sometimes the catchy air-horn tune echoes in your head for longer than the last Bieber hit did.

BRO's hilarious road signs
What I love about driving in India-0018.jpg
Image Source

On the way to Ladakh, you will be greeted with multiple witty slogans by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO). Known as the mountain tamers, these guys definitely know their humour.

Automotive attractions
What I love about driving in India-0017.jpg
Image Source

Places like the vintage car museum in Udaipur, Auto World in Ahmedabad - Pranlal Bhogilal's collection of cars, the Heritage transport museum in Gurgaon and others are attractions that every enthusiast will want to visit at least once if not multiple times.

Last edited by Rehaan : 12th February 2021 at 03:04.
blackwasp is offline   (166) Thanks
Old 12th February 2021, 02:58   #2
Team-BHP Support
 
Rehaan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Bombay
Posts: 24,019
Thanked: 33,985 Times
Re: What I love about driving in India

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing!
Rehaan is offline   (4) Thanks
Old 12th February 2021, 03:33   #3
Team-BHP Support
 
BlackPearl's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Calcutta/London
Posts: 3,604
Thanked: 16,949 Times
Re: What I love about driving in India

I love driving in India so much that it is that experience I miss the most when I stay outside India for extended periods. I find it very boring to drive everywhere else. For me, driving in India is not just driving, it is my way of life. I live for that experience. I cannot point out a single thing that I don't like. Yes, I am that biased

A few pictures of our steeds in different places of India -

What I love about driving in India-dsc_8835.jpg

What I love about driving in India-dsc_3786.jpg

What I love about driving in India-2b-sumitro-trip-darj_00001.jpg
BlackPearl is offline   (65) Thanks
Old 12th February 2021, 06:25   #4
GTO
Team-BHP Support
 
GTO's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Bombay
Posts: 70,335
Thanked: 298,725 Times
Re: What I love about driving in India

Beautiful thread . Indeed, on this thread, let us celebrate driving in India! As a glass-is-half-full personality, I will always look at the pros over the cons of our wonderful country. Enough with the damn complaints!

Over and above what Kanad posted, I love the uniqueness of our driving holidays. In USA, no matter which freeway you are on, it all looks the same with the same indistinguishable roads + exits + food stops + speed limits. BORING. In India, drive just 1 hour of the city and it's an altogether different world. Lots of greens, curvy roads...

What I love about driving in India-0-2.jpg

What I love about driving in India-1.jpg

I love taking brand new launches for early morning drives. It's always a special feeling driving a fresh new unlaunched car, understanding it, analysing what the manufacturer is offering & evaluating the machine inside out. I wouldn't trade these experiences even for driving a Ferrari on the Autobahn or a Lamborghini on California Highway 1. Test-driving new cars is automotive nirvana for me:
What I love about driving in India-2.jpg

What I love about driving in India-3.jpg

Nothing quite like exploring an Indian city early in the morning. If you love to drive, you must head out either early in the morning or late at night (no fun once our vast population wakes up):
What I love about driving in India-4.jpg

I love stopping at dhabas for their uniquely strong tea ("kadak chai"), and the unbelievably delicious culinary experiences they offer, especially with my late Dad who loved cars & road-trips like crazy:
What I love about driving in India-5.jpg

What I love about driving in India-6.jpg

Unlike USA & Europe, another unique factor about India is that slow + economical cars can be a LOT OF FUN. On Indian highways, I have had some memorable drives in an Alto K10, Aura turbo-petrol, Swift etc. Good music + good tyres + good company + a freeflow exhaust is all you need. This ugly car gave me lots of smiles under 80 kmph (and lots of shocks above that speed ). Whoever said you need to spend money to have fun doesn't know what he is talking about. Give me 5-6 lakhs and I'll give you a car that'll have you grinning wide for years to come:
What I love about driving in India-marutispresso07.jpg

Last edited by GTO : 12th February 2021 at 08:13.
GTO is offline   (93) Thanks
Old 12th February 2021, 06:50   #5
Senior - BHPian
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Bangalore
Posts: 1,151
Thanked: 4,734 Times
Re: What I love about driving in India

I love driving in India because of the unique driving skills that India and Indian drivers teaches us and unforgettable experience that our people give us.

When we are stuck in a narrow lane, where either side, vehicles are parked, even with a heavy SUV, we Indian drivers are able to drive in a tight space with inches of tolerance without a single scratch on the car body.

While taking the car out or inside of a parking space, with a gap of 6 inches in front and 6 inches at back(I mean bumper to bumper parking), many of us are able to pull out the car into/ out of parking slot, without touching either car in front or back.

The amount of patience and lessons we have learnt because of the above situations on roads is amazing. Life is not about going at illegal speeds when situations are in our favor. Life is all about how we manage to come out of a difficult circumstance unscratched when situations are not in our favor.

In mid of nowhere, when car is stranded at midnight, the helping hand that we get through locals and truck drivers is never forgettable experience for 90% of the people.

We don't know who they are, its not their job or business, they don't get any benefits by helping us. But still, they leave their work and extend their helping hand by spending their time and money. Some times I have seen, they will pick one of the passengers up and drive several kms with their vehicles in search of mechanics to repair our car, thus helping. Hats off to their attitude to help strangers.

Again, when the car is stranded in mid of nowhere, when mechanics appear as Gods to save us from the situation, the jugaads that our local mechanics do as temporary solution is another surprising thing.

With limited infrastructure on the mid of road, very limited tools in hand, , with no spares for replacement, they will do some funny jugaads and help to drive the car till workshop (ofcourse, if the repair work is small). I always wonder how do they get that skill in such small villages? Our dealership in spite of sophisticated trainings struggle to identify issues. But, these local mechanics in small villages are so innovative and creative.

I don't think we can get to see these things in any foreign countries.

Last edited by gkveda : 12th February 2021 at 07:07.
gkveda is offline   (23) Thanks
Old 12th February 2021, 06:59   #6
Distinguished - BHPian
 
BoneCollector's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: BIHAR
Posts: 3,196
Thanked: 10,797 Times
Re: What I love about driving in India

Lovely thread and an interesting topic. I haven't driven anywhere outside India but have had the opportunity of driving in different states of India. Highway drives in India are indeed great. Depending on the area you're driving, you'll get to see lovely landscapes, ranging from lush green fields to rocky terrain to hills. Like blackwasp pointed out, it needs alertness levels of the highest order. Even a small distraction can be dangerous. Even the expressways demand your full attention.

Another one is that you get good company owned and company operated fuel bunks which have the cleanest rest rooms. There are decent hotels also near cities.

Highways have got good surveillance now with police as well as NHAI authorities doing regular patrol.

The efficiency of your vehicle increases by leaps and bounds compared to city driving. The vehicle is able to stretch it's legs.
BoneCollector is offline   (10) Thanks
Old 12th February 2021, 08:07   #7
Senior - BHPian
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Chicagoland
Posts: 2,983
Thanked: 6,851 Times
Re: What I love about driving in India

Travelling on Indian roads is an experience beaten by only the train. Having driven in many conditions (including blizzards) in the US, driving in India is the most unique, challenging, and rewarding experience. Despite all the dangers, a few common-sense practices will reduce your chance of accidents multifold. (Other threads to discuss that on TBHP)

Reasons I like driving in India:
1. Driving in India mirrors Life:
  • Always expect the unexpected; Take nothing for granted
  • Live in the moment; Enjoy the journey
  • Learn from every experience - whether positive or negative
  • Early bird gets the worm
  • Good health is the most important - body (for life), car/bike (for drives)

2. Topography/Roads:
  • The surrounding flora, fauna, and geographical features in the tropics are the most beautiful I've ever seen
  • Varying roads (compared to the interstates in the US) make every drive interesting
  • Narrow ghat sections are beautiful; The fresh air, musty smell of (coffee/tea/eucalyptus) plantations, and cool climate at hill stations is extremely refreshing

3. People & culture: (focus on positives)
  • People are genuine & helpful - directions, road conditions/warnings, vehicle repairs etc
  • Very easy to get a hot meal in many restaurants
  • You can enjoy the local cuisine from a snack shop/vendor; I enjoy boiled & salted peanuts, jhal muri (puffed rice recipe with some veggies/nuts, a cousin to bhel puri) more than any meal in an American diner
  • Great tea & coffee in local stores; Although I must admit that I'm in love with the Black coffee served in US
  • Unique writings, sign boards, painted trucks/buses etc
  • The variety of items local population carries in their vehicles; Most trucks in the US looks the same with standardized containers/trailers

4. Improving Technology, Convenience, & Safety: While Indian roads have a way to go in the three categories, NHAI & police forces has made significant progress in the last couple of decades. I've personally seen how my Bangalore-Chennai journeys are evolved through the years('99 - '16) and have become smoother, faster, and more safer. My dad tells me that some Indian highways are smoother than potholed California Interstates.

In the USA- "I drive to get to a destination"
In India - "I chose a destination based on the drive"

The first thing for me after moving back to India is to re-learn how to drive.

Last edited by landcruiser123 : 12th February 2021 at 08:15.
landcruiser123 is offline   (34) Thanks
Old 12th February 2021, 08:23   #8
Distinguished - BHPian
 
ashis89's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Bengaluru
Posts: 3,447
Thanked: 10,836 Times
Re: What I love about driving in India

For me, a long drive across India means experiencing the variety - varied culture, topography, dialect and the local attractions, across each city/state I get cross. The more I see, the more I learn.

Be it agriculture/crops, method of cultivation, design of houses, fooding habits, dressing habits, religious beliefs and general rules of the society keeps changing as we go around our country.

So much so that the road quality, road rules, driving styles and car brand preferences also vary from state to state.

Last edited by ashis89 : 12th February 2021 at 08:24.
ashis89 is offline   (8) Thanks
Old 12th February 2021, 08:28   #9
Senior - BHPian
 
aargee's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: TSTN
Posts: 6,230
Thanked: 9,596 Times
Re: What I love about driving in India

What I hate about riding/driving in India is the same thing that I love

I can get nearly the same experience of riding/driving else where in the world, except for being ALERT all the time. When seen from the point of view of the rest of the world, it's a state of tension all the time, anxiety & various ways in which one adopts to overcome it & learn to enjoy riding/driving.

But if you look deeper, it helps the brain to stay alert all the time. Over continuous practice of staying alive on Indian roads I'm sure will certainly improvises PFC & exercises cerebellum improve reflexes. Whether one's cognitive abilities improve or not is something only an MRI can confirm & that too when in motion, is out of question.

And there's a whole lot of philosophy that one can learn from Indian roads as well. Although India leads in the number of road accidents despite having less number of cars (and high two-wheelers), I'm not sure what the statistics got to say. I presume that the number of deaths per accident should be far lesser compared to the number of accidents worldwide.

Last but not the least, driving in the West (not Egypt, Iran kind of places) is like brushing your teeth, pure mechanical, no different experience; In India, everyday, every minute is new experience even if it's the 100th time taking the same road, it's like playing cricket (or any sports) where you know the rules but the experience is different.

Driving in India is Mother of all driving. If one learns, adapts & survives on Indian roads, they can very easily learn & anywhere in world.

Last edited by Sheel : 12th February 2021 at 10:24. Reason: As requested.
aargee is offline   (7) Thanks
Old 12th February 2021, 09:17   #10
Senior - BHPian
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Chennai
Posts: 1,353
Thanked: 5,687 Times
Re: What I love about driving in India

The best part about driving in India is that every journey is a unique experience even if you're traveling on the same stretch everyday.

Driving in India teaches you lessons for life:

1) Everyday is a new day. You expect things to be unpredictable and are willing to adapt.
2) Nothing like Indian traffic to teach you patience. Stuck in a jam for 30 mins? Nothing like good music to soothe you out. Also 30 mins is better than 1 hour.
3) It keeps you humble. No matter how skilled you are, if you don't react correctly to an emergency situation, it could be RIP.

But this doesn't mean it's ok for things to remain the same. Far too many people die every year.
Turbohead is online now   (4) Thanks
Old 12th February 2021, 09:39   #11
Senior - BHPian
 
PrideRed's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2012
Location: BLR/PTR
Posts: 3,277
Thanked: 9,634 Times
Re: What I love about driving in India

This is something I was speaking 2 days back. Changing cultural diversity keeps you glued and India makes for one of the best and entertaining road trips. While Europe is good too, you have to cross borders and also comes challenge of rules/regulations, currency and language. Yes India too has different languages, but English/Hindi can help you sail through. I find US the most boring to drive. As for road surface, Many roads in India are of international standards.
PrideRed is online now   (4) Thanks
Old 12th February 2021, 09:41   #12
Distinguished - BHPian
 
SS-Traveller's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: New Delhi
Posts: 8,161
Thanked: 27,103 Times
Re: What I love about driving in India

Oh, I just love driving. Driving itself is a challenge, and driving in India is a colossal one. Surmounting that challenge each time we venture out on the highways and return safe, that is another mountaintop climbed!

I like the write-up, blackwasp, but would beg to differ on a few points, from the point of view of road safety:
Quote:
Originally Posted by blackwasp View Post
...a license to slice through all the traffic signals that haven't woken up yet.
Even non-working traffic signals are not a license to drive through. If anything, one needs to be extra cautious at these junctions.

Quote:
Originally Posted by blackwasp View Post
...small stall selling sugarcane juice beside the highway...
I avoid those like the plague. No idea what stomach bug one would pick up from these (and I have done so & suffered earlier).

Quote:
Originally Posted by blackwasp View Post
100% Alertness required
Unlike some other countries where every highway drive is an 8-lane snooze-fest...
That is a seriously dangerous misconception to be spread on this forum. Snooze-fest on any highway in the world is an excellent formula to end up dead.
Quote:
Originally Posted by blackwasp View Post
Every driver on the road has a very unique personality, compared to the rather homogeneous drivers in most developed countries. These differences span a very wide spectrum too. On any highway trips it's fun to follow them and try and figure out who they are... Do they have excellent road manners and understandings of safe driving, or are they a ticking time-bomb waiting to end up as a head-on collision? How much engine braking are they using? Are they riding the brakes? Do they have good foresight? Are they in the right gear for this hill section?
That's a good suggestion for a game to play amongst the family in the car, but it is probably dangerous to follow a rash / erratic driver to try and figure out who he is / what he does. Nowadays, that game (we've played it for long) usually boils down to a single answer "that guy has diarrhoea, so he needs to get to a loo fast".
Quote:
Originally Posted by blackwasp View Post
Fastag and Tech
Slowly yet surely, there has been a positive change in the way tolls are collected. It's still nowhere near full and seamless adoption yet, but it has definitely made trips on highways that much more enjoyable and hassle-free. Extra points for not having to roll down the window or exchange currency with toll booth attendants during these COVID times.
And it doesn't pinch as much when a big toll amount is deducted from the Fastag even as one crawls over terrible roads! That's like a painless tooth extraction of a perfectly healthy tooth!

Quote:
Originally Posted by blackwasp View Post
People are always willing to lend a helping hand
Be it guiding a lost traveller, getting some manpower for a push-start, replacing a flat tyre or hitching a ride to the nearest pump for a liter of car juice, most people are very helpful. This is a blessing, as compared to some other countries where breaking down on the side of the highway can be a very scary and lonely experience.
Breaking down or getting into trouble on the highway in India is probably a lot more scary (though not lonely) experience. One doesn't know who is there to help, and who is trying to rob one. In many other countries, you break down (even a flat tyre), you stay in the car, call the helpline and your insurance, and someone is there before you've completed your forty winks.
Quote:
Originally Posted by blackwasp View Post
Mountain roads with no real speed limits
There is nothing more enjoyable than taking your car out on an empty mountain road.
That is another seriously dangerous suggestion, an invitation to speed up on good mountain roads just because there are no speed limits enforced!
SS-Traveller is offline   (27) Thanks
Old 12th February 2021, 09:46   #13
BHPian
 
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: Mumbai
Posts: 46
Thanked: 85 Times
Re: What I love about driving in India

Driving in India is truly a different experience compared to any other place in the world. The colorful trucks, amazing vistas and diversity in people/scenery is incomparable.

I have driven about 10000 miles across the US throughout 2020 (Will be posting travelogues soon), including driving from California to Chicago in March when my university closed to move in with my relatives. While the first two days of the drive were slightly interesting, thanks to the mountains in Utah and Colorado, I was EXTREMELY bored on the third day since it was just straight roads and plain farmlands for 10 hours straight between Nebraska and Chicago.

Over the last 3-4 months I have also driven about 3-4k exploring various destinations in the Midwest states like Ohio, Indiana and Illinois. The drives have been some of the most boring thanks to the plains and straight roads with repetitive scenery and rest stops. Also, I have been personally appalled by how potholed some major interstates are. And mind you, these are not India-like potholes, some of them can rip apart your car at high speeds.

Contrast this to driving in India across Maharashtra, Goa, Gujarat and the Southern states, it makes me feel sad that such a large portion of vehicle owners in India only make the home to office commute and not much else throughout the lifetime of their car. Throughout my stay in India, my family never gets to touch the steering wheel

Last edited by Yash98 : 12th February 2021 at 10:07. Reason: Added a thought to a sentence
Yash98 is offline   (7) Thanks
Old 12th February 2021, 10:05   #14
BHPian
 
Join Date: Jun 2020
Location: Kochi/Bangalore
Posts: 41
Thanked: 75 Times
Re: What I love about driving in India

I have mostly driven in the southern part of India & I love it [except Bangalore City driving during normal hours].

Kerala
1. Most of my driving has been in my home state
2. Mostly 2 lane roads and a lot of speed cameras, so driving fast is not easy on the main highways.
3. Lot of scenic places to drive to - Munnar, Idukki, Wayanad, Beach sides
4. Frequent Kochi - Calicut drives in the early morning for some yummy food!


TN
1. Good highways with relatively less focus on speed
2. Best part was driving to Pondy from Chengalpet [where I was]. A 90-100 min driving covering as many Kms on some of the best roads and zero traffic! Best stress buster

Karnataka
1. Good highways & Bangalore has many spots to drive to which are 50-75 km outside the city
2. Food drives to nearby places just to taste some good food!

Telangana
1. Limited to Hyderabad - Warangal drives, but always enjoyed them
2. The Outer Ring Road is a joy to let out your driving beast!
slayer23 is offline   (4) Thanks
Old 12th February 2021, 10:24   #15
BHPian
 
Vikram Arya's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Calgary/Shimla
Posts: 421
Thanked: 2,111 Times
Re: What I love about driving in India

While driving in India I particularly enjoy that I can:

1. Stop whenever I want by the side of the road and stretch my legs, look at the beautiful locales, or just for taking a quick nap and the fact that I don't have to wait for a rest area

2. Stop on any roadside dhaba for a piping hot cup of tea, chat with the locals about local topics and also listen to their opinion about practically everything under the Sun

3. Drive at 50 kmph without worrying about anyone; if you're driving faster than me, you can pass me even if it is single lane road

4. Whenever I'm back home, almost 100% of my driving is in hills and you run into all sorts of people on the road which makes the drive even more interesting though sometimes infuriating (especially the bufoons who barely know how to turn the wheel)

5. Last but not least it reminds me of the years gone by, the people that I met, and huge repertoire of memories that are associated with particular stretches of the highways all over North India (traversed in a CJ-3B, Mark II, III, IV Ambassadors, MG 410/413 Gypsies, an MM540, a Tata Estate).....

6. Having said all of that there are some of the most beautiful highways here as well; my favorite one is Coquihalla Highway between Kamloops & Vancouver. It passes through Cascade and Coast Mountain range and is one of the most beautiful highways anywhere in the world. In all fairness the reason that I like it so much is because the topography around this highway reminds me of my home state (Himach Pradesh).

Driving in India is something that I eagerly look forward to every year & is one of reasons that I want to come back again and again.

Enclosing some pictures from a trans Himalayan trip that I undertook in 2017.

What I love about driving in India-img_20171217_110857.jpg

What I love about driving in India-img_20171217_171347.jpg

What I love about driving in India-img_20171218_120114.jpg

What I love about driving in India-img_20171218_122140.jpg
Vikram Arya is offline   (17) Thanks
Reply

Most Viewed
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Team-BHP.com
Proudly powered by E2E Networks