If you have traveled on Indian roads you will know that your journey is about traveling from one pot hole to the next. However, if you ignore the bumps (extremely hard to do) there is a lot you can learn on a road journey.
All you have to do is follow a big truck on you way to your destination. I am particularly talking about traveling on the roads that link small towns in Indian states. We don't have a large number of expressways and highways in India. The first lesson I learnt was how gravity can actually be defied. I get scared just looking at the amount of hay (and other crops) these truck drivers stuff into their vehicles. It spills out from all direction and the vehicle itself leans precariously to one side. Overtaking the vehicle is not advisable under any circumstances. There are two reasons for that. Firstly, the driver will never let you overtake. It's like he has entered a mental race with you. The second reason being, fear for your life. That is a statement you should always remember while traveling between towns. Drive as if you care for your life. I know we see safety warnings all over our cities. These warnings flash on the traffic signals while you wait for the lights to turn green. However, they are to be taken a little more seriously when driving on these roads.
The second lesson I learnt is, we don't have to be apologetic for every wrong we do or are about to do. Without any fore-warning the roads can narrow down drastically or disappear all together. I have traveled on a road where the road suddenly disappeared and in place were huge pieces of bricks just strewn about. No need for any warning. These things are taken for granted. Once in a while you do see a sign board on the side of the road that says "sorry for the inconvenience". They can't begin to guess how much inconvenience I have faced after driving on these 'roads'. My physiotherapist is quite happy though when I tell him about my travel plans to my home town in a North Indian state.
You can also learn an additional thing or two from the trucks I mentioned before. For instance, make a note of all the messages you read on the backs of these trucks. They can be anything from outright funny to some real serious tips. No matter what the make of the truck is, one message you will always see is "use dipper at night". Always makes me smile. Can we really afford to read while driving at night when all our efforts are concentrated on avoiding the potholes and not falling off the road into some field by the side? In the daytime I am too busy jumping on my seat because of all the craters on the road. My brain can register no information my eyes scan. Another message I love is "my India is great." It's written behind all heavy weight vehicles without fail. Really augments my pride for my country.
Despite all this, it really is worth traveling on Indian roads. You don't want to miss out on your own share of lessons that are waiting for you.
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