Driving in the madness

How does it feel to be driving in Chennai, India traffic…

A busy buzzing metropolis, it throbs to life as early as 4 AM in the morning with the milk, vegetable, paper and other vendors thronging the streets of Chennai. From 5 AM, you could see people walking, jogging, cycling in the streets. And from 6 AM you would see Engineering students getting ready to board their College buses as the Colleges are situated well outside the City limits. And from 7 AM the office goers, School children would start getting out of their homes depending upon the office and school timings and where they are located to where they have to reach. And the city has various different modes of transportation on the roads. From Bicycles, Tricycles, Autos, Cars – smallest to the latest, Vans – mini, maxi, Lorries, Buses and along with that you have People thronging and walking on the road (since pavements are used for Parking in the absence of dedicated Parking space), you have got to negotiate them all. I am taking my personal initial, nascent experience of driving a Car on this maddening roads to explain what and how to do it.

This is especially applicable for new joiners who will be part of this bandwagon. At the end of the story, they will be able to ride a car like a scooter or a bike zipping through the traffic at the speed of lightning.

Now, here we begin. As I start the engine, with a sense of trepidation I begin to wonder whether it’s the sound of the engine whirring to life or my own heartbeat thudding against my chest waiting to come out of nervousness. Then slowly and steadily I shift it to 1st or reverse gear depending upon where and how I have parked to car to take it out of the parking slot. Gradually, as I slide out, I shift to 2nd gear and take it out of the apartment complex. Here comes the LB road, full of snarling traffic. You wait rather (im)patiently, to get on to the tarmac and you would find all kinds of vehicles to claim their inches of the road. And besides, you will find people by the sideways, front, back and everywhere waiting to cross the road or walk or simply stand and wait for an auto or some vehicle to pick them up. They just don’t care whether you have to take a turn and get on to the road or not. So you have but no option to press the horn to be heard. Please give me my way of the road. With a dash of nonchalance and haughtiness they will sparingly give you an inch of the road for you to negotiate and take a turn as the two wheelers would try to whiz past like super heroes in that given space. Gosh, I can feel the sweat dripping from my forehead and I have not even started as yet on the road and this is just the beginning.

As I careened into the road in a swish manner, do you believe it, I wish I did. I carefully nudged myself to watch carefully on all sides before I slid into the tarmac for a long drive. It was indeed a long drive, about 25 KMS, considering the labyrinthine thoroughfare one has to maneuver in Chennai’s arterial roads, leave alone the inroads and by lanes. But fortunately for me the traffic was not all that derisive when I left home at 8.15 AM for most of the way. It was in the opposite direction away from the City and hence I only had to manage and adjust to the traffic flow which was bursting at seams only at certain arterial junctions and where the roads were dug up for the metro rail. I went through Indira Nagar to Madhya Kailash junction and thereon it was all the way through Raj Bhavan road to Guindy. From there, it was a straight road until Ashok Nagar with a quick right and left turn for another straight road until the destination with some curves and bends. In between from Vadapalani through Anna Nagar, it was horrendous as the roads were narrowed out because of the Metro Rail Project and all kinds of vehicles were moving in all kinds of direction. I told myself, you need to have a revolving eye that could see not only what’s beside, behind, sideways but also if possible anything that could land from the top. Such was the tenacity and audacity of the Chennai drivers, gosh…there is no other exercise or diversion required other than to drive a car to keep the adrenaline pumping and on the edge.

Finally, I managed to reach my destination. Well, I never mentioned where I was going. It was to attend the Marriage function of my colleague. Once the pleasantries and wishes were exchanged, I left again. The real adventure, began now. I went through Anna Nagar, which was in absolute shambles all over because of the Metro Rail Project. It was like going through all kinds of maze and haze and then when I went through Periyar High Road…it was as if the destination would never come. Literally, I was going in some places at less than 5KM speed…inch by inch…and then reached Mount Road, Royapettah and finally my office. And I was told, that’s the best way to come to office. Wow!!!should I give credits to myself for pushing myself to achieve what I did today. Perhaps yes, considering that I was honestly scared to take and drive the car in this manic madras madness…one has to commute for day to day life and also take the family around… but then, having come down to live here…one has to be a part and parcel of everything…and that includes driving…it ain’t no driving miss daisy…though…

#LifeinChennai