The thrill of traveling by tuk-tuk is, I suppose, the same thrill that comes from bungee-jumping off a bridge. I’m pretty sure I’m going to survive but I’m kept on edge by the possibility that the truck driver turning directly across our bow could be more aggressive at the game of chicken than my driver.
Seeking thrills in India? Skip Uber and hire a tuk-tuk
Uber has changed my experience of India.
Previously, I went almost everywhere by tuk-tuk, the three-wheeled, noisy, fume-spewing-covered vehicles that are as ubiquitous here as summer mosquitos in Missouri. I couldn’t set foot on the street without being swarmed by a haze of aggressive drivers promising, “Madam, I’ll take you anywhere for the best price, I guarantee it.”
What followed would be a spate of haggling over price, generally starting with an outrageous first bid (okay, 350 rupees or about $4 counts as outrageous in Jaipur), followed by my counter of 100 rupees. We’d go back and forth and settle for anywhere in the neighborhood of half to two-thirds of the 350. I was still overpaying, but I figured the excess was a tourist fee.
Now, it’s just so easy to summon an Uber. No haggling, clean cars, air-conditioning. The tuk-tuk drivers see me standing at the curb, phone in hand, and mostly don’t even bother to meet my gaze.
