Three weeks in India -- Day Twelve
Well. Apropo my post yesterday about the traffic, we were in a minor fender bender today. I've been amazed so far that driving here isn't more of a contact sport. We were stopped in traffic, maybe inching forward a bit and this is (of course ) a common thing in the traffic here and everywhere. A two wheeler on our left driven by a young woman with a man on the back got too close while trying to squeeze by. Nothing significant there -- everything about Hyderabad traffic could be described in those two words: too close. The guy propped his hand against the rear left quarter to no avail, and the handlebar banged into us, just behind the left rear door. It was a jolt to the passengers, and a small one at that.
So. Traffic began to move, our driver slowed to allow them to come even on our left (remember, we're driving on the left here so the driver's sitting on the right) and he motioned the bike to pull over, which it did. The guy got off the rear of the bike, the left side window's rolled down and . . . oh -- did I mention? For only the second time in two weeks for a morning drive I'm not riding shotgun, instead I'm sitting in the third row, in the back -- one of the ladies from Ireland had the front row center passenger seat for this verbal donneybrook. Self-help traffic court, Hyderabad style, ensued.
I couldn't understand a word for the first 20 or maybe 30 seconds as they went back and forth, but it sounded great! (Think Pinto from Animal House: "This is GREAT!") The only thing better than hearing people get pissed off at each other in a foreign tongue is getting a good translation, which unfortunately was not to be had. Obviously on the defensive, the guy outside switched to heavily accented English saying "Look, I've apologized, she's apologized, there isn't a scratch. What do you want us to do?" Meanwhile my Irish friend sitting at mid-field must've been thinking wistfully of blarney stones or something. The driver fired another verbal salvo as the guy hopped back on the bike, which dashed away through traffic, leaving our driver is in a state of controlled apoplexy.
Tonight as I met the car for the drive back I couldn't help but notice a near foot long dig and scratch in the panel on the left side. No damage, huh? The fact is, as I've looked at the many cars in the parking garage and lot at our building over the last two weeks I've been surprised there aren't more marks like the one we got today.
Oh - and did I mention my neck pain? Just kidding.
Looking forward, the Saturday tour has been pushed to Sunday. Tomorrow is R&R at the hotel, with perhaps an independent foray into the surrounding neighborhood. No promises on that. Meanwhile, I saw off my traveling companions at the hotel lobby -- they should be at the airport right now, as I'll be in a week, waiting for the flight to Frankfurt and then one to home. Godspeed to them -- I've enjoyed their company (mostly at dinner) and am pleased to have finally had the chance to get to know some of the folks from that office first hand.