Here is another of my favorite posts. If you can wade through the 800+ words, you will meet some amazing Indian rickshaw drivers!
Posted on March 30, 2013by annetbell
From day one in India , we have had a love/hate relationship with the rickshaw/tuk-tuk and we are still alive after 45 days. I guess we won. It is cheap transportation…$0.20 for one way to Cept University. The most expensive rides have been $2.00. Cheap, safe? What is the hate side of the story? Well it scary, that’s what. Rickshaws going in all directions. Yes, they scoot in the wrong way. Cars are on the left side (thank you British) and rickshaws squirm in and out and sometimes on the wrong side of the wrong side traffic! It is a lot like Mario Cars video game but it is real. I told David I would never criticize his driving again…a promise I hope I can keep.( Back in the US, nope, couldn’t keep that promise!) I mostly close my eyes and pray. Not a bad idea in any circumstance, praying that is. Please watch the video on YouTube of crazy rickshaws in Varanasi. There was no footage taken in Ahmedabad, and Varanasi was the worst, crazy traffic I have seen. Here is the best of the worst! Notice auto as well as man powered rickshaws. In Ahmedabad, there are none of the people-powered ones which are a throwback to ages ago, yes from the British.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98prHZuTYPI (Crazy Rickshaw Ride in Varanasi India)
Now I want to tell you four short tales of rickshaw drivers, along their daily work on the roads of India.
The first tale was weeks ago, shortly after we arrived. A strike was called for drivers to protest for 72 hours because of the rise in fuel prices. This price rise would increase the minimum they had to charge and theoretically they would have less business. I was going with a visiting Canadian professor to NID, ( The woman who took us to the Kite Festival.) National Institute of Design. We noticed there were fewer rickshaws, and fewer who would stop, and NID is way across the city. Finally, a young man stopped for us. We entered and he said, he would have to take us by a back route to avoid the strikers. He said he was saving money for college, warming the hearts of two visiting teachers. As we reached our destination, and exited to pay the driver, suddenly three thugs ran up as we stood right there paying and started pounding on the small rickshaw driver. Skye, her student, and I started yelling, “Stop, stop,” and after a few moments they ran off as quickly as they had appeared. The driver was badly shaken but not badly hurt. As we entered the grounds, we looked back to see him sitting with his head on the wheel, not driving away.
One morning, I was catching a rickshaw on my own. A beggar women approached and started patting me as she pulled on my sleeve. This is quite distressing to me and what she wants. But everyone says not to give them money because it goes to someone they are begging for. This seems to be true because we have given beggars food left over from dinner that we had parceled for them, and after taking the food, they still ask for money. The driver said something to the old woman and she moved up next to him. He took a coin from his pocket and gave it to her. It reminded me of the “poor widow’s mite offering” from the Gospels and how that pleased God. RIckshaw drivers are not wealthy people.
The third tale happened one night David and I were returning from dinner. We had gone to Souk for some hummus. The ride was uneventful and we got out to pay when the driver replied to David’s inquiry of the price, “No charge Uncle, welcome to India!” We were very touched at his gift to us, given from the goodness of his heart… caring for strangers.
The last story happened just a few days ago. We had arrived at the end of our lane and David was paying. The driver said, “No, too much,” and returned 10 rupees to David. He had inadvertently given the driver 30 rupees instead of the requested 20.
If you watched the video, you saw images of the poverty in India. Many of these drivers work for someone else, while some have their own rickshaw. Gas is $6.00 a gallon. They are squeaking by, I imagine. There is a rising middle class as evidenced by the TV commercials, but these drivers are not part of it. Blessings for these four men who were kind beyond the call of duty, honest, caring, and friendly to a woman from far, far away
Of course, there are always the bikes, either motorized or peddled!
This huge male monkey was resting on the motorbike just outside the Jain Temple in our neighborhood.
This Is Incredible India! And I hope you can see why I hold these dear Indian people in such high regard!
TalesAlongTheWay 
I loved the stories….the people seem so incredibly nice. I can’t imagine a taxi driver saying “no, too much”!
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This is one of my favorite posts. I was so happy to find it when I was looking for one I hadn’t re-blogged. Thanks for the comment!
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You’re welcome! 😃
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Reblogged this on Oyia Brown and commented:
But – you didn’t embed!!
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The rickshaw drivers are such an integral part of India and the Indian experience:) And every so often you run into amazing people driving those colorful vehicles! Great stories, Anne…
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So glad you like it. I don’t know what we could have done with the cities being so large. I don’t think we ever took a cab and the buses were were so crowded. I think Tuk-tuks would be a great addition to New York City in the spring and summer!
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oh yes they would:) So much easier to move around a big city in rickshaws!
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Reblogged this on conimpressions.
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Many thanks for the reblog!
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Love this post because we took pictures of these little rickshaws!!! We were always on a tour bus wondering what a ride would be like. And now we know . . . based on your blog! Thanks for letting us ride along with you!
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LOL ! I love comments like thid! Traffic in India is like no other we have seen anywhere. We rode in tour busses on trips and I loved the trsins ‘t eat or drink on trains except what we brought on bosrd! . . . 2nd class was fine though we didn
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Firstly, welcome to India! Umm… you see, the roads & traffic isn’t the best in here. In fact, I posted a similar blog – “Would you like to have Stray Dogs or Potholes as your day starter, sir?”
Check it out at your leisure 😉
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I didn’t write on the potholes but we loved our land dogs just outside the hostel!
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Autorickshaws are a necessary evil for us…cheap transportation for the masses….of course makes your heart pump more blood than you care for! 🙂
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That is a great description ! We were always amazed at the number of Indian people in a tuk-tuk and they would only take 3 of us. Sometimes a couple of tiny girls could ride on laps. We were happy for seasonably priced transportation, too!
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Yes, when I remember my (two) trips to India, the crazy traffic is one of the first things I think about. Those auto rickshaw drivers can be so memorable. You definitely met some great ones. Thank you for the memories! Enjoyed the photos, too.
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When I first started writing the blog, I had an Indian blogger say that most westerners talk about the traffic and riding elephants, so I have tried to expand my tales. But those two things are very memorable especially to Western tourists. For me after all the traveling for 4 months, the Indian spirit was the best part ever! Thanks for your comment! Visit again soon!
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We have something similar in the Philippines called tricycles. In my town, they are the King of the road. No rules and yes, it’s an exciting scary thrill to ride them.
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How interesting! Transportation in countries with large populations. Thanks for the comment!
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That is touching story that the driver provided free service as a gift!
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Our four months in India were filled with generous kind Indian people and they have nothing as far as money or things but what remarkable spirits !
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Who would ever have thought of such a generous gift ? I wouldn ‘t in a thousand years
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Reblogged this on TalesAlongTheWay and commented:
I promise you will fall in love with these incredible Indian people!
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I love these pieces you write about the world Anne, so much I would not know but for you, thank you 😄
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Your lovely words are a wonderful thanks, Chess!
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Hey. You have really catched the essence of rickshaw’s in India. It is indeed a hate/love relationship. They drive like crazy, darn difficult to find one to agree to go where you want to and yet very helpful, esp. to shoo away beggars.
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LOL, , thank you! It is indeed an experience. These motorized ones are so much more comfortable than the bike rider ones! Incredible India !
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Hi Anne, this is such a sweet post and I would say you have had good experiences with all the rickshaw drivers. The click of the monkey on the bike is the best.:)
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LOL. . . . Thank you for being patient with a silly American woman, but you can tell, that I really do love your amazing country!
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Of course I can see that Anne. 🙂
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