Traffic, Health and Death in Bangalore

So, this article in the Times of India goes to some length to describe why Bangalores drivers are the worst. But the real problem is the way that life interacts with traffic in Bangalore. The narrow streets, the unfinished roads, the volume of traffic, especially motorcycles and mopeds is just stunning. There is almost no perceivable traffic order and priority everyone just heads in every direction at once and cuts in and out honking all the time. There are a number of things that make it worse, much worse. You need to understand that cows are sacred and deemed to … Continue reading Traffic, Health and Death in Bangalore

Energy wars

While here in the US there is a program to discourage energy use, or to economize, as we approach the summer in Texas the energy utility companies will be encouraging us to move the dial up on the a/c, if you’ve got a smart meter, they’ll be doing it remotely. None of that in Bangalore, the front page of the Times of India is screaming out to “keep the fans and ACs around the clock”. The temps are comparable to ours and I’m guessing that less than 20% of the population of Bangalore has access to AC. So next time … Continue reading Energy wars

Disconnected service

I’m out in Bangalore and its been crazy. My driver just took an hour to drive 8km to take me to dinner, that pretty much explains why I eat in, but more on the traffic and driving later. By today’s 5* standard the Leela Palace where I’m staying is a 7* hotel, every detail is taken care of. Room service tidies everything, including dirty laundry, which gets folded and if I leave it in a bag, cleaned, laundered and folded better than I’d ever get it done in the US OR UK. But like many things here, the have processes … Continue reading Disconnected service