All Flavours of Rickshaw Rides
Rickshaws have been my number one mode of transportation for as long as I can remember. These three-wheeled, surprisingly sturdy vehicles have been my ride to all sorts of events, in all sort of weather and other conditions. Regular rickshaw commuters will agree with me, when I say that there are certain types of rickshaw rides everyone encounters.
Need for Speed: On days when the roads are relatively clear, the rickshaw-puller will let his inner Armstrong shine through. Hold on to your hood as the rickshaw blazes through the streets at breakneck speed. How he manages to manoeuvre such a bulky vehicle with such finesse is beyond me. Yes, sometimes you feel as though as you are about topple over, or crash into the neighbouring van-gaari, but you can always count on the rickshaw puller to recover from those moments and keep cruising on.
Sound of Music: Why bother fumbling about with your headphones when your rickshaw puller is willing to show off his pipes. He doesn't even need a request -- he'll sing whatever he feels like, and before you know it the neighbouring rickshaw-pullers will have joined in while you sit silently -- either in awkward appreciation or stunned admiration -- feeling like an extra on the set of a musical. They're even nice enough not to charge you extra for the entertainment.
GTA V: The scariest, most nerve-wracking ride of the lot. Nothing deters this rickshaw puller from getting to his destination. He'll squeeze his vehicle through gaps meant for bikes, board foot paths without a second glance at pedestrians, go over potholes and sink his foot into inch-deep mud -- and he'll do all this while cursing and talking loudly. Some of the first slangs I ever learned were during rickshaw rides. #KnowledgeIsPower. These rickshaw pullers are also the most prone to roadside brawls, so be wary of them.
My Way or the Highway: This is a ride that will take place on those days when nothing is going right. The last thing you want to deal with at the end of a bad day is a rickshaw puller who is determined to ignore your directions and follow his own roundabout paths to take you to your destination and then charge you twice the regular fee because it was a longer route. This is why you should fix the fare before getting on the vehicle.
Saw II: You spot a brightly painted rickshaw, all nice and shiny and get on it happily -- only to have your rear end and back stabbed by rusty nails that adorn the inside of the vehicle. This happens more often than most would like to admit. Needless to say it's almost impossible to get comfortable during these particular rides and you just try your best to survive the journey. You might wanna get a tetanus shot after this, just sayin'.
Hopefully this article got you all excited about your next rickshaw ride. Travel safely.
Nifath Karim Chowdhury likes to doodle all over her notebooks, textbooks and life. Send her a virtual high-5 at nifty_nicole@live.com.