There is nothing more terrifying than getting from point A to point B in India.
Take Mumbai, for instance. I spent 4 days in this city of 20+ Million, and I saw exactly 4 traffic lights. Masses of cars, busses, trucks, tuk tuks, motorcycles, scooters, bicycles, animal and human powered carts, pedestrians and cows were all competing for the same space, and the winners were those that had no fear and the loudest horns, except for the cows, who enjoyed traffic priority much like pedestrians in California.
A taxi driver gleefully told me that the trick was to use the horn, not the brakes, and from my experience, I'd guess that replacement brake shoes are a very slow seller in Indian auto parts stores.
On the back of almost every truck, bus or taxi, I saw the phrase "Horn OK Please", which essentially suggests that any driver wishing to pass should lay on the horn - not that any such encouragement is needed. Almost as amazing as the traffic chaos - best described as a combination of Frogger and Mario Kart - was the incredible and unceasing noise of horns. Interestingly, a couple of months ago, Mumbai outlawed the phrase as conducive to noise pollution, but I doubt it will make any difference.
You can say what you want about traffic in New York or LA or Mexico City or Rome or wherever, but until you have taken a ride in Mumbai, you have never been to the summit.
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