{"id":3441,"date":"2012-10-26T12:32:00","date_gmt":"2012-10-26T16:32:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/?p=3441"},"modified":"2017-11-19T10:04:04","modified_gmt":"2017-11-19T15:04:04","slug":"wild-traffic-in-ahmedabad-india","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wild-traffic-in-ahmedabad-india\/","title":{"rendered":"Wild traffic in Ahmedabad, India"},"content":{"rendered":"

When traveling down a city street in the United States, the wildest thing you are liable to see is a pigeon or a squirrel. Contrast that with Ahmedabad, India and you\u2019ll likely be quite surprised. Being the largest city in the State of Gujarat, and its former capital, you might expect at least a somewhat modern, urban setting. You\u2019d be wrong.<\/p>\n

First thing you\u2019ll notice is the traffic \u2013 it\u2019s wild. \u00a0Vehicles run the gamut from horse and camel-powered carts, to bicycles of every shape and description, to the ubiquitous auto-rickshaw, a three-wheeled box capable of turning on a dime and sounding like your aged lawnmower.<\/p>\n

\"Hauling<\/a>Camels pull loads in the agricultural areas which probably wouldn\u2019t surprise you, but in India, they drive right down the city streets in rush hour as well.<\/p>\n

Bicycles have been converted into specialized trucks of all sorts and it\u2019s not unusual to see a bike with 10 bundles of 10 ft. long piping trying to weave its way through traffic.<\/p>\n

\"Motor<\/a>Motor scooters are probably the most affordable powered transportation and there are thousands of them. Expect them to be driven on both sides of the\u00a0center-line\u00a0as well as up on some sidewalks.<\/p>\n

The auto-rickshaw is something else that needs to be experienced in person to realize what a life-threatening feeling it represents. The driver sits up front on a single seat and two (maybe three) passengers crawl in the back taxicab fashion.\u00a0 The driver then pushes a button to fire up the engine before speeding off into traffic.<\/p>\n

In Ahmedabad, you hang on for your life because traffic lights are rare, and the first person to the intersection gets the right-of-way. Also, whoever blows their horn first seems to feel they have the right-of-way. In addition, t\u2019s not unusual for drivers to drive down the wrong side of the street if that\u2019s most efficient.<\/p>\n

\"View<\/a>So, as you are sitting in the back of this proverbial tin can, with no seatbelts and no roll bar, you are liable to see opposing traffic pass on both sides at once any given time or any given place. \u201cKeep your hands and feet inside the vehicle\u201d is the best advice you\u2019ll get. Praying wouldn\u2019t hurt either.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

<\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

When traveling down a city street in the United States, the wildest thing you are liable to see is a pigeon or a squirrel. Contrast that with Ahmedabad, India and you\u2019ll likely be quite surprised. Being the largest city in the State of Gujarat, and its former capital, you might expect at least a somewhat […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3444,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","cos_headline_score":0,"cos_seo_score":0,"cos_headline_text":"","cos_headline_has_been_analyzed":false,"cos_last_analyzed_headline":[],"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":[],"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","advgb_blocks_editor_width":"","advgb_blocks_columns_visual_guide":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[608,3],"tags":[210,1393,1396,17,1395,1394,474,3644],"class_list":["post-3441","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-latest-news-blog","category-travel","tag-adventure-travel","tag-ahmedabad","tag-auto-rickshaw","tag-destinations","tag-gujarat","tag-india","tag-traffic","tag-travel"],"featured_image_urls_v2":{"full":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/Ahmedabad_India-3213.jpg?fit=1024%2C862&ssl=1",1024,862,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/Ahmedabad_India-3213.jpg?fit=150%2C126&ssl=1",150,126,true],"medium":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/Ahmedabad_India-3213.jpg?fit=300%2C252&ssl=1",300,252,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/Ahmedabad_India-3213.jpg?fit=768%2C647&ssl=1",768,647,true],"large":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/Ahmedabad_India-3213.jpg?fit=600%2C505&ssl=1",600,505,true],"rpg_gallery_admin_thumb":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/Ahmedabad_India-3213.jpg?resize=150%2C150&ssl=1",150,150,true],"rpg_gallery_thumb":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/Ahmedabad_India-3213.jpg?resize=150%2C150&ssl=1",150,150,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/Ahmedabad_India-3213.jpg?fit=1024%2C862&ssl=1",1024,862,true],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/Ahmedabad_India-3213.jpg?fit=1024%2C862&ssl=1",1024,862,true],"gb-block-post-grid-landscape":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/Ahmedabad_India-3213.jpg?resize=600%2C400&ssl=1",600,400,true],"gb-block-post-grid-square":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/Ahmedabad_India-3213.jpg?resize=600%2C600&ssl=1",600,600,true],"et-pb-post-main-image":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/Ahmedabad_India-3213.jpg?resize=400%2C250&ssl=1",400,250,true],"et-pb-post-main-image-fullwidth":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/Ahmedabad_India-3213.jpg?resize=1024%2C675&ssl=1",1024,675,true],"et-pb-portfolio-image":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/Ahmedabad_India-3213.jpg?resize=400%2C284&ssl=1",400,284,true],"et-pb-portfolio-module-image":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/Ahmedabad_India-3213.jpg?resize=510%2C382&ssl=1",510,382,true],"et-pb-portfolio-image-single":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/Ahmedabad_India-3213.jpg?fit=1024%2C862&ssl=1",1024,862,true],"et-pb-gallery-module-image-portrait":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/Ahmedabad_India-3213.jpg?resize=400%2C516&ssl=1",400,516,true],"et-pb-post-main-image-fullwidth-large":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/Ahmedabad_India-3213.jpg?resize=1024%2C862&ssl=1",1024,862,true],"et-pb-image--responsive--desktop":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/Ahmedabad_India-3213.jpg?resize=1024%2C720&ssl=1",1024,720,true],"et-pb-image--responsive--tablet":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/Ahmedabad_India-3213.jpg?resize=980%2C551&ssl=1",980,551,true],"et-pb-image--responsive--phone":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/Ahmedabad_India-3213.jpg?resize=480%2C270&ssl=1",480,270,true]},"post_excerpt_stackable_v2":"

When traveling down a city street in the United States, the wildest thing you are liable to see is a pigeon or a squirrel. Contrast that with Ahmedabad, India and you\u2019ll likely be quite surprised. Being the largest city in the State of Gujarat, and its former capital, you might expect at least a somewhat modern, urban setting. You\u2019d be wrong. First thing you\u2019ll notice is the traffic \u2013 it\u2019s wild. \u00a0Vehicles run the gamut from horse and camel-powered carts, to bicycles of every shape and description, to the ubiquitous auto-rickshaw, a three-wheeled box capable of turning on a dime…<\/p>\n","category_list_v2":"Blog<\/a>, Travel<\/a>","author_info_v2":{"name":"Doug","url":"https:\/\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/author\/admindoug\/"},"comments_num_v2":"1 comment","author_meta":{"display_name":"Doug","author_link":"https:\/\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/author\/admindoug\/"},"featured_img":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/Ahmedabad_India-3213.jpg?fit=300%2C252&ssl=1","featured_image_src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/Ahmedabad_India-3213.jpg?resize=600%2C400&ssl=1","featured_image_src_square":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/Ahmedabad_India-3213.jpg?resize=600%2C600&ssl=1","author_info":{"display_name":"Doug","author_link":"https:\/\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/author\/admindoug\/"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/Ahmedabad_India-3213.jpg?fit=1024%2C862&ssl=1","coauthors":[],"tax_additional":{"categories":{"linked":["Blog<\/a>","Travel<\/a>"],"unlinked":["Blog<\/span>","Travel<\/span>"]},"tags":{"linked":["adventure travel<\/a>","Ahmedabad<\/a>","Auto rickshaw<\/a>","Destinations<\/a>","Gujarat<\/a>","India<\/a>","traffic<\/a>","Travel<\/a>"],"unlinked":["adventure travel<\/span>","Ahmedabad<\/span>","Auto rickshaw<\/span>","Destinations<\/span>","Gujarat<\/span>","India<\/span>","traffic<\/span>","Travel<\/span>"]}},"comment_count":1,"relative_dates":{"created":"Posted 13 years ago","modified":"Updated 8 years ago"},"absolute_dates":{"created":"Posted on October 26, 2012","modified":"Updated on November 19, 2017"},"absolute_dates_time":{"created":"Posted on October 26, 2012 12:32 pm","modified":"Updated on November 19, 2017 10:04 am"},"featured_img_caption":"","series_order":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p21Ejy-Tv","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":3861,"url":"https:\/\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/shooting-birds-in-india\/","url_meta":{"origin":3441,"position":0},"title":"Shooting birds in India","author":"Doug","date":"November 28, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"As part of the 2nd annual Bird Watcher\u2019s Conference in Gujurat, India, we had the opportunity to shoot many bird species on Nal Sarovar Bird Sanctuary. Of course, I\u2019m referring to shooting pictures of the birds. We arrived early in the morning and were shuttled to the boat launching area\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Blog"","block_context":{"text":"Blog","link":"https:\/\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/category\/latest-news-blog\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/NalSarovar-9002.jpg?fit=1024%2C680&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/NalSarovar-9002.jpg?fit=1024%2C680&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/NalSarovar-9002.jpg?fit=1024%2C680&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/NalSarovar-9002.jpg?fit=1024%2C680&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":9633,"url":"https:\/\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/ring-kerry-tour-done-right-way\/","url_meta":{"origin":3441,"position":1},"title":"The Ring of Kerry tour done the right way","author":"Doug","date":"June 30, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Possibly one of the most popular bus tours is the Ring of Kerry in southwestern Ireland.\u00a0 Promising picturesque countrysides, exciting mountain roads and panoramic seaside vistas; it\u2019s got something that seems to appeal to everyone. Starting at Killarney, the typical tour takes a counter-clockwise tour of the Iveragh Peninsula in\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Travel"","block_context":{"text":"Travel","link":"https:\/\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/category\/travel\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/Ireland1024-5009.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/Ireland1024-5009.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/Ireland1024-5009.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/Ireland1024-5009.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":13595,"url":"https:\/\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/congested-tomtom-thinks-you-are\/","url_meta":{"origin":3441,"position":2},"title":"Congested? TomTom thinks you are","author":"Doug","date":"April 2, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"TomTom \u2013 makers of my favorite GPS units, have just completed a study on the most congested cities around North America and around the world. Traffic Congestion The good news for the US is that only Los Angeles finished in the top 25 cities with the world\u2019s worst congestion. Looking\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Past"","block_context":{"text":"Past","link":"https:\/\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/category\/past\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Traffic congestion","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/TomTom-Infographic2015.jpg?fit=1200%2C832&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/TomTom-Infographic2015.jpg?fit=1200%2C832&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/TomTom-Infographic2015.jpg?fit=1200%2C832&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/TomTom-Infographic2015.jpg?fit=1200%2C832&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/TomTom-Infographic2015.jpg?fit=1200%2C832&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":13020,"url":"https:\/\/dougbardwell.com\/db\/county-galway-half-way-there\/","url_meta":{"origin":3441,"position":3},"title":"County Galway \u2013 Half way there","author":"Doug","date":"March 2, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"The county of Galway is about the mid-point of the Wild Atlantic Way\u00a0(WAW) and is home to both Galway City and the beautiful, but rugged Connemara Coast. This area is known to have the largest Gaeltacht Irish-speaking population in all of Ireland. 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