Horn OK Please

Mumbai traffic is a tourist attraction on itself. Honking is a language understood by one and all in this city. It is not related in any way to aggressive driving, as one would think in a Western country. Honking is simply a way to say "to your left!" or "to your right!" or "right behind ya!". There is no such thing as road rage in Mumbai; somehow, volumes of traffic that could easily shut down any city in a Western country miraculously flow smoothly in Mumbai. Drivers share lanes (it's quite common to see 5 cars sharing a three lane street) with motorbikes and jay-walkers. It's not a traffic for the faint of heart or for anyone with poor reflexes. Surprisingly enough, there are very few accidents for the amount of cars and pedestrians on the road. (I got to see two, though, during my stay in the city.)

Mumbai is a city of contrasts. This is also evident in the traffic. Old cab models share the road with the latest Mercedes or Maruti-Suzuki models. Large Toyota Highlanders or American minivans drive along the main traffic arteries of the city together with small European cars, people in bikes and street vendors pushing carts or pulling ox-driven carts. Many models are manufactured without side mirrors which is understandable considering how close the cars come to each other (literally a couple of inches) during regular traffic flow.

Everyone shares the road, just like everyone shares this city, regardless of religion, background or caste. Without road rage, without stress and without animosity to others. Hindus, Sikhs, and Muslims wishing me a "Merry Christmas" wherever I went. As far as I am concerned, that's a pretty good Christmas message!