Speed demons of Madras




CHENNAI

Madras, or Chennai as it is now called, was in the midst of the monsoon season. I was only there for less than 48 hours and had no free time to look around, so the only time I got to use my camera was in the car, when being driven from hotel to work and back.

These auto-rickshaws (India's answer to Thailand's Tuk Tuks) are to be found everywhere, zigzagging through the busy traffic and contributing greatly to pollution, both air and noise.

To quote my Lonely Planet guide on India, "Because of their size, auto-rickshaws are often faster than taxis for short trips and their drivers are decidedly nuttier - hair-raising near-misses are guaranteed and glancing-blow collisions are not infrequent; thrill-seekers will love it!".

And that is more or less how I would have described their Thai brethren, the Tuk Tuk drivers of Bangkok!

© evangelo costadimas 2004

Posted: Friday - June 11, 2004 at 02:13 PM          

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