A Winter in India

Another frequently seen public service announcement is “Always use seatbelts.” In fact, their use is “compulsory” in the front seat.

But as you can see, most people don’t sit in the front seat. People with little or no money are very resourceful at making due with what they have. In the mountains, there are “share jeeps” that pick up anyone and everyone along the road. Here on the plains, the jeeps are replaced by these vehicles that look like old VW buses. As you can see, people ride along with the back door, and even the passenger-side side door open, allowing more people to stand on the body frame.

So they need customized versions of the public service announcement. Such as, in the second picture: “Even if you are a holy man riding on propane bottles, wear your seatbelt.” Or, “Even if you were a lumberjack in a former life and now have to ride standing on propane bottles instead of logs, wear your seatbelt.”