I was driving from Chandigarh to Delhi after a long day of press conferences and everyone who has traveled on Indian roads, especially in the bureaucratic bi-lanes of Delhi is aware of the ‘laal batti gadi’.
The ‘laal batti gadi’ for all my non Hindi speaking friends is an official car with a red flashing beacon that gets the right of way because its “official”.
Every driver on the road usually gives way to this car and then there’s a frantic rush to get behind the car because it clears a path for you (or so it seems).
This act is kind of like in the Indian corporate world where people like to hide behind their bosses because they believe they are at the least amount of risk, after all you cant really get hit face first unless you’re the lead car. But that brings me to my biggest dilemma, why would someone want to voluntarily be another follower and be just another trail car?
Wouldn’t you rather be faster than the ‘laal batti gaadi’ ? be the one who makes the way for the laal batti gadi. Trust me its a lot more fun and yes, you will piss off some ‘official people’ but if you stay ahead their rambling insults will just eat the dust from your exhaust.
Drive safe !
