Just to give you an idea of the comparisons and the contrasts, below are some local forms of transportation that I have had the luxury of experiencing from across the globe:
Pittsburgh: PAT bus
You have probably either seen this bus riding around town or taken a ride on it at some point but here in Pittsburgh mass transportation is happening less and less as cuts in budget affect local citizens who depend on this common mode of transportation.
Ghana: Trotro
While buses, trains, and private cars can also be found in Ghana, the trotro is a popular form of transportation that feels a bit hectic the the average American such as myself. The Trotro is a shell of a van that sometimes has seats and sometimes doesn't but always crams in as many riders as possible. You may have to stand on your head to fit in the trotro you need but drivers won't turn citizens away and they travel EVERYWHERE in the country which is what makes them a very valuable resource.
Peru: Combi
In Peru Combis rocket around cities charging much less than taxis or buses for passengers to get from point A to point B. When I was teaching in Peru, I rode a combi everyday from the city of Huancayo to the village of Wardi. While Combi drivers will recognize their seating limits, they certainly utilize every inch of space on their combis. On one Wednesday the combi was very busy and I had to ride both inside and outside of the van right behind the gentleman holding the sign. Talk about a wild ride! I certainly don't recommend doing such a thing at home but when you trying to indulge yourself in another culture sometimes its OK to be a little adventurous :)
India: The Rickshaw
I saw many more taxis and buses in India than I did in Peru or Ghana and India is even developing subway systems in their big cities like Hyderabad and Bangalore (New Delhi already has one) but I primarily depended in the rickshaw to get around. The rickshaw is a covered and motorized bike that will carry as many passengers as it can fit but is usually limited to 2-4. The original rickshaws were simply two wheeled bikes with a carriage attached and can still be seen around town, especially in New Delhi.
Can you imagine carting me all the way from my hotel to the Red Fort in this? Do you think you could pedal me 6.5KM on very busy roads?
Europe : bikes
In Europe, bikes are a very popular mode of transportation and are much better for the environment than cars are. Just look at all the bikes parked here! It appears that everyone in Copenhagen owns there own bike!
Washington DC: Metro
When I lived in DC, I used my bike a lot, even to and from work but if it was raining or I had a meeting that I needed to dress up for then I would depend on the Metro. If you ever visit Washington DC, don't be afraid to try the metro, it is very easy to use, very safe and very clean!
There are many similarities and many differences among the transportation possibilities that cities offer but the biggest contrast that I found was organization. In the foreign cities I have visited, traffic laws are much less organized or don't exist at all. As an example of this, I attempted to take you all on a rickshaw ride with me. You can hear the way drivers communicate with each other using horns as opposed to lanes or turn signals. It is by far NOT the best example of how wild a rickshaw ride can be (especially since sometimes they have to dodge cows who care very little about traffic patterns) but it was the best I could do without insulting the culture that embraced me so kindly.
I have to admit that I enjoy the adventure of riding local transportation so let's go for a ride and then you can compare and contrast experiences yourself! Have fun!
