Auto-rickshaws (tuk tuks)

These a pretty identical to Thai tuktuks, they variably run on 2 stroke, diesel, and some lpg apparently. They are either metered or priced by negotiation. These guys will turn their engines off in stopped traffic or at traffic lights to save gas and restart them via a crank handle down on the floor on the left hand side.
When the traffic starts moving or the lights go green you get a symphony of all the auto-rickshaw driver furiously cranking their handles to get started before the traffic gets moving. The motor bikes and some vehicles do the same.

The head-wobble

Move your chin to the right, and the top of your head to the left. Now reverse and repeat quickly.
In India this interchangably means:
Yes,
Maybe,
Sorry,
Thanks,
I don't know what you are talking about.
Also used as a conversation ender. Its kinda infectious though. I caught myself doing it at McDonalds the other day. Rather embarrassing. A smile also goes a long way here and can get you out of most situations.

Funny Traffic #2

Oh the laughter. I wonder what they get taught? There are NO road rules here. At one narrow railway bridge near work, one direction of traffic regularly muscles the other direction out and fills the entire road space. I also see cars with stickers that say "How do you rate my driving? Call xxx to report bad driving" ??

Funny traffic #1

There appears to be only ONE road rule enforced by the police here - that motorcycle drivers must wear helmets. Of course that doesn't mean this applies to passengers or that there is any restriction on the number of family members you can take for a ride. Four seems achievable when you squish smaller ones in between larger ones.

Speaking of which...

If one is on the treadmill in the gym and the power suddenly goes out, things could get quite messy. (think about it).
..so the treadmills are all hooked up to huge UPS devices. I assume this gives you the chance to jump off in the dark before the motor stops. I don't want to test it.

Marat Hali street view

This is the view from the grocery store we went to on the way home. I think we were somewhere near Marat Hali which is the closest village to where we live on the ring road near where the airport road intersects. Notice the building under construction - there are buildings going up everywhere here and they are ALL concrete. Nothing is built of wood here coz termites will destroy a building in a year.
Underneath the sign advertising personal satellite TV you will find squatters and poor roadside stall men.
Notice also the great wiring on the the power pole. Electrical safety is not one of their strong points. There is a metal lamp post in our apartment grounds that issues strong arcing sounds from it, you see guys joining 220kv lines in the street mud and melting electrical conduit together with fires. No-wonder the power goes out regularly.

View from the apartment

The nice building across the way is actually Cisco I just realised. Doesn't mean we are any nearer to civilisation. The hidden road that runs across the picture in front of Cisco is the outer ring road. This location doesn't even appear on the comprehensive "Bangalore Road Map" I purchased, or any map for that matter.