As I've already described in earlier blogs, driving in India is so notorious that it's bordering on cliché. But Mangalore drivers have, in the last 48 hours, had to deal with a whole new form of chaos, having been treated to the behind-the-wheel stylings of yours truly. Through a combination of vast over-confidence and circumstantial necessity, I've been taking the wheel of the family Qualis - basically a 7-seater 4x4. Compared to my usual ride - "the Little Beast" - it's quite a step up, both literally (it's a damn sight higher than my Polo) and in terms of general value/power/size/respect. The respect element is crucial in India, and on Indian roads respect is directly proportional to size. Buses rule, 4x4s like the Qualis come second, then anyone in a "normal" car, and and auto-rickshaws or generally timid drivers come rock bottom.
Back home in England, many of you may have been lucky enough to hear my views on people who drive 4x4s. Needless to say it's far from positive - and while typing this I remembered writing a blog on the topic many a year ago (Jan 2005). Searching Google uncovered this particular rant which, considering I was pretty young at the time, made some entertaining - if somewhat demented - reading:
...What is the problem with [4x4s]?I recommend reading the whole of the above blog before reading on here - it touches upon why I'm not being a hypocrit by driving a 4x4 here...
The answer is seen twice daily. The infamous "school run" - when all the women come out from their idylic lives to unleash their fury on the road and anything else in their path. They're choice of weapon? The plush 4x4 that is designed for off-road travel must be the only choice! The small hatchback that could do 50 miles to the gallon? "Oh no we can't be seen in that! Imagine what so-and-so would say..." And considering that the road is in near-perfect condition, then it's easy to see why a 4WD is the obvious choice. Welcome to the realm of the Chelsea Tractor. (read whole blog here)
Long story short, this is not England, or indeed Delhi (where, last summer at least, the roads were impressively well maintained). Much like the aforementioned concept of a "light lunch", the notion of "smooth roads" arrived in Mangalore so late that you'll rarely see people driving fast down a good road - so certain are they that there'll be a mammoth crater of a pothole somewhere around the corner. As such, having a vehicle with the bulk of the Qualis is not just useful, but pretty necessary, if for nothing else but the sake of the passengers' backsides.
I've gotta say though, you feel like a pretty big cheese driving around in a massive car with a 3 litre diesel churning out crazy torque under your arse. It's pretty damn sweet.
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