AUTO RICKSHAW RACE IN INDIA

The auto rickshaw is a three-wheeled form of public transport that you can see people driving in the crowded cities of India. People think these small vehicles can travel only a few kilometres but they are mistaken. This text about the auto rickshaw race will change your mind.

The race
The auto rickshaw race is a totally different race. It takes two weeks along India’s highways, over mountains and through valleys. Driving such long distances in this kind of vehicle is not only a sport but also an adventure. 180 drivers from 19 different countries take part in this challenging 5,000 km race.

The first auto rickshaw race took place in 2006. In order to participate in the race, teams need to get a permit to race, and they also receive an official starting time. If there are international teams who are unfamiliar with the race, the competitors need to learn how to drive the vehicles a couple of days before the event. The aim of the race is to arrive at the destination within a certain number of days.

Each team have to donate at least $1,600 for Indian charities. James Austen, a spokesman of the company says, ‘Online applications start a year before the race, and all the permits are sold in one minute’.

Colourful vehicles
Contestants paint their auto rickshaws - sometimes they draw pictures of animals like tigers or elephants on the sides of their vehicles. Once a team painted its auto rickshaw in the colours of a police a car hoping that it would make their job to get through the traffic easier.

Difficult conditions
The hot weather is a big challenge for everyone. Apart from the hot weather, the amount of traffic on the Indian roads and driving uphill in the auto rickshaw are also stressful for the drivers. Despite the difficulties, the drivers have a chance to see the parts of India that tourists rarely visit.

Sometimes drivers break an arm or a leg, or they get lost in isolated areas. In these situations, the local people help them.

Adapted from IGCSE past paper