I’ve never been one to take many risks when there was the potential for injury. I was so injury averse, in fact, that I earned myself the nickname “Safe Sarah†from my family during my teens/early 20’s. I was totally cool with this though. I was proud of being the rational girl who weighed the risks and prioritized safety over a moment of exhilaration. And rules. Oh how I love them. Rules make the world a better place, provide the structure for people to thrive, and go hand-in-hand with safety.
Then I happened to marry the guy who HATES rules and insists on doing all the dangerous things – paragliding, rock-climbing, scuba diving with sharks . . . the list goes on and on. I was a nervous wreck at first but over time I slowly loosened up once I realized I couldn’t stop him. This was a good thing because overseas they are not nearly as regulated on safety issues as Americans are. Lions walk a foot away from your safari vehicle and could easily jump in. Hikes on a mountain pass have tiny ledges that you need to go across and no rope or safety railing. And probably the most dangerous thing of all – cars. Buckling up is a rarity in India. Kids sit in the front seat on their parent’s lap or stand in the backseat. Or hang out the car window. And there are usually way more people in a vehicle than it was intended for.
When we first got to Mumbai we purchased a car, just like we had at all our other posts. We quickly realized that we wouldn’t need it though, as Nick and I could walk to work at the Consulate nearby and Nia had transport on her school bus. In the end we opted not to hire a driver because we just didn’t think we’d have anything for him to do. And the car happens to be a stick shift, which neither of us know how to drive, so for the time being it is staying parked in our garage stall. :) But even if I did know how to drive a stick, I would never be crazy enough to drive a car in India!
But that meant that for the 2-4 rides I did need a car for each week, we had to use public transportation. However, my early experiences with public transport were really positive. Uber worked super slick and I felt very safe using it solo. Auto rickshaws, another very common (and cheap) transportation option are plentiful as well. Here’s what they look like.
When I first arrived in India I swore I would never ride in them because, HELLO, they were essentially a deathtrap on wheels! But of course there came a day when I couldn’t get an Uber and needed to get somewhere in a hurry and therefore had to settle for a rickshaw. Was I terrified? Most definitely!
Here were some of the many things rushing through my mind…
• With the side wide open someone could easily reach in and snatch my purse.
• I’m going to be sick from these strong gas fumes!
• Is it legal to make your own lane and drive on the shoulder??
• And I couldn’t shake the fear that if we got in a crash, my little metal rickshaw was not going to be the winner. Probably okay that there was no seatbelt as it wouldn’t do much good anyways…
As with most things, I mellowed over time. I found myself taking auto rickshaws more and more, even letting Nia go on them. She LOVES them, by the way. That’s her preferred method of transport in Mumbai. Nick is not a fan, doesn’t like all the pollution and he refuses to get a cool mask like us.
I think it was Nia’s squeals of delight each time we rode that finally made me a fan. If I didn’t think about all the danger factors, it was actually a truly exhilarating experience with the wind whipping in your face. It’s impossible for you to get the full sensory experience of a rickshaw ride, but here’s the best I can do:
So what do you think? Would you ride one?
