When considering the various aspects of a motorcycle ride, one usually thinks about riding in different and various levels of traffic ranging from empty roads, through low level traffic that is all going the same way as the rider, and up to stand-still traffic that is many times associated with rush hours.
Yet nothing can prepare a rider with the type of traffic that you can encounter on the streets and roads, even highways of India. At the best of times, the roads can seem totally chaotic to a foreigner.
At first, one might think that traffic in India is crazy and there are no road rules whatsoever. However, as one gets more and more used to it, one should understand that there is in fact a method to the madness. Observe the way Indians drive, and try to go with the flow.
Some rules in India are different. For example, in most western countries flashing your headlights means you are letting a driver pass. But in India it means “get out of the way”. In addition, people often buzz to indicate their “presence” on a road rather than pointing to a dangerous situation.
But one of the most important differences is the way Indian drivers and riders use the lanes on the road, and even their choice of which side of the road to drive on. Often, vehicles will weave through the lanes and fill up every inch of any available space just to get ahead.
Since the roads in India are full of surprises and potential dangers, a motorcycle rider really needs to be constantly alert, always aware and expect the unexpected at all times: All sorts of vehicles share the road, and each and every one of them thinks they really own the road – from hand carts to bicycles, 3 wheeled rickshaws, motorbikes carrying whole families, cars, trucks, buses and anything that you can put wheels on, not to mention farm animals.
India – Zig-zagging between multiple types of vehicles
Ride Vision sees a great value in testing its CAT™ – Collision Aversion Technology in multiple countries and India is not an exception. Multiple countries tests is an important strategy, especially when supported by local manufacturers and allows us to continuously excel our system. In the recent months Ride Vision has conducted multiple very successful tests of CAT™ in India and we look forward to continuing our work with the local manufacturers, insurers and distributors.
