“It’s compulsory to have 3 things to drive in India: horn, brake, and luck,” says our driver. happy guy and I both laugh a little awkwardly, but we know he’s definitely right. You can never predict when a human, cow, or dog may cross the highway. Sometimes it’s an entire herd of cows or even camels. Occasionally, like today, there are monkeys on the road waiting for cars to stop and give them food.
Also when driving, one must pass brightly multi-colored trucks with the words “Horn please” or “Blow Ok Horn” painted in bright colors on their rear. I had never seen a car inviting another to honk before. I thought about this for a while, and then realized it must be because of their large blind spot. Long trucks definitely can’t see who’s whizzing by their side, so they all communicate with honking.
The drivers also honk when making sharp turns to warn oncoming traffic. This is because the roads are usually narrow enough really for only one car to pass comfortably. So driving becomes quite complicated in India. When arriving to our destination, I always breathe a sigh of relief!