While many of the Rickshaw Run teams met up in Southampton for some Rickshaw driving, Gins & Tonic and a good curry, we’ve been getting a bit a taste of the action too. We arrived in Delhi on Sunday morning. The place certainly abuses the sense, but you’ll have to read about the general feel of the place on mine and Espe’s respective blogs. This site is all about the Rickshaw Run, so that’s what I’ll concentrate on.
After fighting our way passed all the touts at the airport we jumped in the first Rickshaw in sight. It certainly was an experience. The traffic is manic. Bigger vehicles rule and keeping you finger on the horn seems to make any manouver whatsover ok. Roundabouts were also a bit scary with vehicles coming onto them having right of way but most impressbive was the way the rickshaws weave in and out of the smallest gaps. Shortly after stepping safely off the rickshaw and paying the driver we spotted this. A little disconcerning, I think you’ll agree.
Not phased, well not too much, the following day I managed to get one of the Rickshaw Wallahs let me have a go at driving one such beast. Not a motorbike rider I didn’t have a clue, but apart from snatching neutral by mistake it was all pretty simple. Right hand controls the throttle, left hand has the clutch leaver and gears. The puny brakes are controlled by a lonesome foot peddle while steering is done by the hanbdle bars. In fact the only thing I didn’t discover was the location of the horn… something I feel I will be needing quite frequently.
I should have given you a try on my bike in Madrid, just to give you a first impression :-). If you can’t find the horn : clutch and full thortle, works in Madrid. (you might take of the escape).
Does it have reverse?