I recently got back from a working trip to India, and I must say, for someone who has not been to India before, it truly was an eye-opener.

If you are used to the orderly and efficient system that is Singapore, it is most definitely a shock to the system once you've experienced Indian traffic.

(For the record, I got the picture above from the Internet. I was too shell-shocked during my trip to take any photos of Indian traffic myself)

For one, Indians never slow down. NEVER. They blast through intersections and zoom out of side roads without any care for other traffic. The prevailing attitude seems to be, "Others be damned, I'm going and that's that."

Yet somehow, amazingly, nobody gets into an accident. It appears that they are all prepared for someone to appear from nowhere, and are ready for evasive action.

(Although, having said that, the number of cars you see with damaged body panels indicate that there is a fair share of contact in Indian traffic).

On the highways, lane discipline is non-existent. Every conceivable space on the road is occupied, and you'll find yourself squeezed between other cars, motorbikes, tuk tuks, buses and whatever forms of transport they use there. The gaps they leave you are incredibly fine.

Nobody uses their wing mirrors either. They actually fold their mirrors in to avoid getting them knocked off. Talk about unnecessary.

Horns and high beams are common usage items, and the rule seems to be bigger is boss. Which I supposed helped a bit in the 7-Series that we were in. Good luck to you though if you find yourself in a Tata Nano, or worse, one of those flimsy three-wheeled tuk tuks that serve as taxis in Delhi.

And if you're a pedestrian trying to cross the road, you'd better have balls made of solid, cast iron steel.

It really is something that has to be experienced in person, and honestly, after a trip to India, you'll appreciate Singapore's traffic conditions much better, despite our supposed flaws.

Be thankful the next time you come across someone who makes you mad on the roads. It could be worse, you know.