Bike Rides: Love at First Sight

Hyderabad

‘Never ever do it again! Never, get on somebody’s bike just like you did now! This was an exception. I got you safely back home since it was dark, but that’s because I am a good person, I work in England, so I know how foreigners feel when they need help. But keep in mind that other Indians might not be like that.” I am being seriously warned by a mysterious motorbike rider as I reach my home on his bike at around 8pm in the evening. Dark as night are his clothes and the massive helmet making him look like a black knight. When he talks to me, it’s rather his worrying but friendly eyes than his voice pent in his helmet and sounding raspy and rough. Indeed, my saviour wanted to be strict and serious about the matter contrary to the young, frivolous and excited girl pretending to be listening carefully while actually … she had just fell in love with the bike rides. 

He himself thought he can be justified. He found me roaming in the streets without any clue about directions somewhere in Lakdikapool area. It was slowly getting dark and I was still a newcomer in the town; perfect match to get lost and be found again. 

The Black Knight:  Excuse me, where are you going? 

Me (finally there’s someone to help me): To SPAR supermarket.

The Black Knight: SPAR supermarket? This is the wrong way.  

Me (I knew I would never find it myself): Oh really? No wonder, this is my first time to try to find it alone. 

The Black Knight: Do you specifically need SPAR supermarket or any supermarket would do? 

Me: Any supermarket. (Yes, yes, please take me there! All I need now is a supermarket before it gets darker.)

The Black Knight (pondering): Well, then come on my bike, I will take you to one supermarket nearby.

Me (pretending to be careful and thinking): OK. (I knew this would happen in the best scenario.)

Perhaps, many people would have refused getting on a stranger’s bike, but somehow I had a feeling that my so called knight is a good person. Besides, motorbikes (or as Indians call ‘bikes’) are one of the most common and convenient means of transportation in Hyderabad, and needless to say, it was lust urging me to try it for the very first time.  Well, nobody told me that the first time would come in the seemingly most unexpected moment as I was wearing skirt, hurrying to do my shopping and letting it become darker as my sense for directions became vaguer. However, maybe this was exactly what was needed to make this bike ride so magical and romantic. Therefore, I didn't hesitate a second: immediately got on, arranged my skirt so that it covers my knees (though who cares about it anyway), cramped my hands in the handles on the back of the bike and here I was. Ready to go! Going! Floating in the breeze and feeling my hair dancing on my back and forehead, my skirt happily fluttering in the air and my soul singing. It was love at first sight undoubtedly as I even forgot what I needed from the supermarket. However, as promised my knight got me there and I randomly bought some food items already thinking about the way back home. Yes, yes, again on his bike! 

After having dropped me home, he said that one sentence which I never wanted to hear as I was irretrievably in love with… with bike rides. ‘Don’t ever get on a stranger’s bike? Don’t ever ride anybody’s bike! It’s dangerous and you might fall down!” I reluctantly promised I would follow that, but secretly knew he is not going to succeed intimidating me. I liked that ride! And I am going to try it again once I get a chance. 

I got it already the next day when I and my Mexican friend appeared to be lost at night in the centre of Hyderabad. There were some random guys offering us a lift back home and here we go – getting on a bike again!

Actually, it’s pretty common for women and even for children to use bike as a means of transportation. Moreover, the bikes can serve for different purposes, for example, there are family bikes with 3 or 4 places. Of course, everything has its downsides, and the green activists would never support the motorbike dominance in the city. Well, Indians don’t seem to bother about it.

Auto – rickshaw

Auto driver in Hyderabad

If you don’t have your own bike, you would often commute from place to place by rickshaw or auto (as the locals call it). It’s like a taxi: you tell where you need to go and the driver will get you there. Sounds easy? It is… and it’s not!!! You may face problems here as well. First, you need to agree on the price and most probably the auto driver would want to charge you more (as from a foreigner) or refuse using the meter. Secondly, you have to be ready that the driver would not always know the address precisely, so he might know only the area and then spend time (waste your precious time) looking around and asking to others while you are getting annoyed. However, sometimes the drivers are just amiable chaps who even try talking to you and ask some questions about India and/or your country. Not always they would speak perfect English as these kinds of jobs are done by lower class people, but mostly you can find a way to communicate. This was the transportation I used most often when I had to go somewhere in the city and to be honest – I already miss it.

Cycle 

A street in Panaji (Goa).

What I experienced in Delhi (not that much in Hyderabad) was a kind of vehicle we use in Riga for entertaining tourists. Yes, so called cycles might also be used to get around. That way the driver is economic as he doesn’t use petrol, and “green” to the city. Well, he needs to put more efforts though.

Public bus

In a bus in Bangalore

Public buses are pretty organized. At least they have numbers, and if I am right, they run according to a certain timetable. This was not the case in Egypt for example, where you need to stop the bus by showing signs with your hand(s) and there are definitely no timetables (to most of the buses), and people are sometimes running in crowds and struggling to get in. Compared to that, congrats for India, it was pretty much ok! What I found funny in the bus was the way it was divided into male and female seats. Well, if you look deeper in Indian culture, this is just a normal thing as this is the way everything seems to work. They do have women rights, but for sure, it’s something different to what we (Europeans) understand by it. It’s more like segmentation into two genders. Well, I guess that’s a story for another post. In fact, I didn’t need to take public bus that often as I mostly used auto or my school bus. 

(Jump off a) Train 

Train Bangalore - Hyderabad

“Are they really standing out of the train while it’s still running?” I was asked after coming back from India. This seems to be a scene many have seen on TV and wondered how it’s possible. Yes, it is possible! Trains might move slowly especially when approaching the next station, and there are even people who jump out of the train when their stop comes as the train doesn’t stop completely but only reduces its speed. Yes, it happens. Otherwise, trains are very common and CHEAP to use if you want to commute between the cities. It takes time, but if you have secured a sleeping place in a sleeper class, it’s usually a convenient way to spend a night. You wake up and you have reached a new city. However, the trains might not always be that clean and hygienic (especially the toilets). Moreover, don’t be surprised to share your bed with cockroaches or see some random rats passing by. Also, be aware of pickpockets! Especially during night it’s better to keep your precious stuff with you so that you can have a control over it. In general, trains are very lively means of transportation and if you go for a train, you go for Indian culture and adventure. It's always interesting to observe the train vendors selling snacks, water bottles, chai (tea), coffee, Masala dosa (Indian spice delicacy) and pronouncing it with their special Indian accent. That is something to discover on your own skin until you get annoyed by that: always loud voices never giving you time for a peaceful nap but always making sure you have something to eat and drink. 

A train vendor.

A train vendor.