Driving in Pakistan is an activity without rules. Apparantly, the only time people actually get thrown in jail for a traffic related reason is if two males are riding on one motorcycle. Seen I have been here, I have seen two signal lights that were actually up and working. I was more concerned about the waste of electricity, because no one except for me seemed to notice that the signal was red. There is no such thing as jay-walking, and no such thing as one way street. That means that roads are a mixture of rickshaws, buses, bicycles, taxis and people, walking and driving in any direction they desire. But I have not witnessed even one accident. I think that is because people do not really drive fast anywhere, and they are so accustomed to the crazy traffic so they are extra careful. Oh and seat belts most definitely do not exist. I cannot remember if I have even seen one.
On the way back from the airport, my cousin put a large bag of mine in the driver's seat. I began to ask how the driver was going to be able to drive with the large suitcase, and then I saw and remembered that the driver's side is flipped, so driver's sit on the right side of the car, and all the road and directions are opposite. How odd right?
And the cars here are so miniature. Imagine a regular compact car in the US, then cut off about .5-.75 feet from the front and the back of the car, and you have the average Pakistani car. I am still not sure where the entire fits into the car. Of course regular cars are still there, such as toyotas, and hondas, but they are rarely seen. Motorcycles are very common here, and are much cheaper than cars, so are often preferred.
Now let's discuss the most commom form of transportation used: the rickshaw.
There are so many corners in the rickshaw that you have to be very careful not to tear your clothing too much, and to prevent any injury to yourself. And basically, you can fit in as many people as you want in that little vehicle. The basically sit in the main seat in the back, three younger and lighter people can sit on the laps of the people on the seat, and you can fit two people on the miniature seat made for the driver in the front. That is an insane amount of crowded!
The first day that I had to sit in a rickshaw, I was panic-stricken for my life! It feels like sitting in a very mini car, without any doors. I tried my best to keep my hands and legs totally inside the vehicle because the traffic is so scary, and the speed breakers made me jump up and down so much.
Rickshaw drivers make me laugh. Unfortunately, I am not laughing with them. At least for the rickshaws I have riden, the drivers are men (all rickshaw drivers are men), maybe in their thirties, with awkward hair length (not long or short enough to be appealing- but in the middle where it looks like all of them could use a hair cut). There are way too many mirrors for the driver to view from, and many of them are often placed in a position where the driver can stare at the females sitting in the back. I felt so awkward yesterday, because the driver in one of the rickshaws we sat in, placed one entire mirror in a position where he could just stare at my face. It was so awkward, and I kind of wanted to slap him, but I didn't care enough to say anything.
The next rickshaw driver we rode with yesterday made my day! This crazy character play really old songs, very loudly in the speakers in his rickshaw, and he kept staring at me, my cousin and my aunt. I am sorry to admit, but his face was not good looking at all, he had really oily hair, and he really needed to shower- but he was trying so hard to look very cool for us. When we got off the rickshaw for like 5 minutes to buy pretty hats that I saw, my aunt wanted my cousin to switch spots because she felt that the driver was staring at my cousin. The guy simply would not let my cousin switch spots. He insisted that she sit exact there because the balance of the rickshaw would be off, and I could easily see that one entire mirror was set on her! I could just look at his face, and predict what he was thinking! But we ignored it, tried not to say anything in the rickshaw, and just get to our destination.
But guess what happened next? When we got off the rickshaw, the guy offered my aunt his phone number, and said that she could call him anytime she needed to get on a rickshaw. Well obviously she rejected, but I could not stop laughing. We went to the phone shop, and for like 20 minutes, the rickshaw driver was right there, and would not leave. My aunt was paranoid that he would follow us home, and then come park there everyday. I can't remember the last time I laughed as much. I bet everyone thought I was going crazy. But please do not think that all rickshaw drivers are like that. I bet there are plenty of drivers who are honest, hard-working, morally conscious people, just trying to make a living.
I have not riden in a taxi yet. Taxis are rarely used.
On the way back from the airport, my cousin put a large bag of mine in the driver's seat. I began to ask how the driver was going to be able to drive with the large suitcase, and then I saw and remembered that the driver's side is flipped, so driver's sit on the right side of the car, and all the road and directions are opposite. How odd right?
And the cars here are so miniature. Imagine a regular compact car in the US, then cut off about .5-.75 feet from the front and the back of the car, and you have the average Pakistani car. I am still not sure where the entire fits into the car. Of course regular cars are still there, such as toyotas, and hondas, but they are rarely seen. Motorcycles are very common here, and are much cheaper than cars, so are often preferred.
Now let's discuss the most commom form of transportation used: the rickshaw.
There are so many corners in the rickshaw that you have to be very careful not to tear your clothing too much, and to prevent any injury to yourself. And basically, you can fit in as many people as you want in that little vehicle. The basically sit in the main seat in the back, three younger and lighter people can sit on the laps of the people on the seat, and you can fit two people on the miniature seat made for the driver in the front. That is an insane amount of crowded!
The first day that I had to sit in a rickshaw, I was panic-stricken for my life! It feels like sitting in a very mini car, without any doors. I tried my best to keep my hands and legs totally inside the vehicle because the traffic is so scary, and the speed breakers made me jump up and down so much.
Rickshaw drivers make me laugh. Unfortunately, I am not laughing with them. At least for the rickshaws I have riden, the drivers are men (all rickshaw drivers are men), maybe in their thirties, with awkward hair length (not long or short enough to be appealing- but in the middle where it looks like all of them could use a hair cut). There are way too many mirrors for the driver to view from, and many of them are often placed in a position where the driver can stare at the females sitting in the back. I felt so awkward yesterday, because the driver in one of the rickshaws we sat in, placed one entire mirror in a position where he could just stare at my face. It was so awkward, and I kind of wanted to slap him, but I didn't care enough to say anything.
The next rickshaw driver we rode with yesterday made my day! This crazy character play really old songs, very loudly in the speakers in his rickshaw, and he kept staring at me, my cousin and my aunt. I am sorry to admit, but his face was not good looking at all, he had really oily hair, and he really needed to shower- but he was trying so hard to look very cool for us. When we got off the rickshaw for like 5 minutes to buy pretty hats that I saw, my aunt wanted my cousin to switch spots because she felt that the driver was staring at my cousin. The guy simply would not let my cousin switch spots. He insisted that she sit exact there because the balance of the rickshaw would be off, and I could easily see that one entire mirror was set on her! I could just look at his face, and predict what he was thinking! But we ignored it, tried not to say anything in the rickshaw, and just get to our destination.
But guess what happened next? When we got off the rickshaw, the guy offered my aunt his phone number, and said that she could call him anytime she needed to get on a rickshaw. Well obviously she rejected, but I could not stop laughing. We went to the phone shop, and for like 20 minutes, the rickshaw driver was right there, and would not leave. My aunt was paranoid that he would follow us home, and then come park there everyday. I can't remember the last time I laughed as much. I bet everyone thought I was going crazy. But please do not think that all rickshaw drivers are like that. I bet there are plenty of drivers who are honest, hard-working, morally conscious people, just trying to make a living.
I have not riden in a taxi yet. Taxis are rarely used.
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