Puttin' On the Ricks

In India, there's often just too much traffic for an American-style SUV to go barrelling through the streets of Mumbai or Delhi. So, they've motorized an Asian transport icon, the rickshaw: originally a two-wheeled wagon pulled by a runner to move the social elite from one place to another without having to exert themselves. Over time, the runners stopped running and started pedaling, pulling the cart on a modified bicycle, as seen in this photo from gridlocked Karol Bagh, New Delhi. Cheaper than cabs, but certainly more convenient than buses, modern ricks rip and run throughout North Mumbai (they're not allowed in Town because of the chaos they'd cause), seemingly squeezing into whatever places, roach-like, the driver can fit the front wheel. Their hand-eye coordination and faith in bus and truck braking systems is phenomenal.

Come ride with me:

Rowdy Rickshaw, Mumbai from Fly Brother on Vimeo.

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