JOYRIDES AND LAST RITES ON DELHI ROADS.
(Part One)

Every Great city in the world worth its name has their own trademark transport system with which they are identified with. San Francisco has its Trams, New York its fabled Cabs (and drivers), London has the 'Tube', Tokyo its sleek Bullet trains and Even Mumbai has its overcrowded Local Train Network. (I’m just making them all up, of course)

Now Delhi, i am proud to report, has not one, but a series of transport systems which can truly be associated only with Delhi, on the nature of the adrenaline packed sagas surrounding them. Let’s take a look at the one of the more famous ones - STA Buses.

The buses may not be air conditioned, but they condition the air with a sense of unflagging excitement. You never get bored riding them. One minute you’re drowsily sitting in the seat, then the Bus suddenly accelerates and you find yourself part of a Formula 1 race between two buses where one is trying to get ahead of the other in the clogged Delhi roads, all in the interest of the ‘people’ who are eagerly waiting for transport at the Bus stands; and not; I repeat, not because of their greed for grabbing more passengers than their rivals.


Even while holding on to your dear life by grabbing the seat rails, you can't help but marvel at the driver's skills and his self confidence, considering that the lives of a 101 people in the bus are in his hands.


With the number of people who get hit by these buses each year, one also gets the impression that perhaps they are playing a year round game in which they get points for every person they hit (Hey Kumar, i just got another one. That makes it 21 this year. Do i get a bonus point? ).


It's like riding a roller-coaster ride with the added excitement of the actual possibility of getting hurt. Plus they drop you off where you want to go. Nothing defines the essence of the city more than this service - fast paced, rugged and exciting (did i add smelling)