Traffic in Bangalore is interesting. Everyone at home warned me that I did not want to rent a car, and that I should let someone from the office coordinate transportation. To be honest, the driving style is not all that different from driving in New York City. Everyone drives like a New York cab driver, jockeying for position and ignoring any semblance of lanes. What makes driving in Bangalore different is the number of small vehicles, the “speed breakers”, pedestrian crossings, and the condition of the roads.

There are a lot of motorcycles on the road, They zip around in between cars recklessly. I am so surprised I did not see any more accidents. “Speed breakers” are speed bumps. They slow traffic down everywhere. Some have signs, but most are poorly indicated. People try to cross the road anywhere, and at any speed of traffic. I was so afraid we were going to squish someone. And the roads don’t have potholes, they have craters. They are mud-covered when it rains because of all the construction, and at night the dust makes it so hard to see.

I did see one accident. A large van on the opposite side of the highway must have bumped a tiny little car. The car driver cut off the van driver, pulled in front of him, and turned off his car, stopping all traffic. The car driver approached the van, and punched the van driver dead in the face 3 or 4 times. He then proceeded to call the police. Amazing.