Safety Tips in Mumbai

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There are many hazards when you take to the roads. One of which are wandering cows…. These can appear anywhere and are not bothered by the honking horns or crazy traffic, they will take their own time getting to where they want to go. Not quite what I expected outside of my hotel.

Dear Tourists,

Every Taxi in Mumbai has a Manual Meter located infront of the window , so whenever you hire a taxi , Pay according to the meter fare card which is always with the driver . Match the meter code with the Taxi Fare card and then pay him.

Avoid all type of bargaining as meter fare card is accepted as legal only.Just ask any local people help if a taxi driver is charging you more than the fare card .The locals will teach him a good lesson for cheating passengers.

Only if its midnite from 12am to 6am , they charge a bit more than the fare card . half a fare more than the actual fare , so that shouldnt be a problem.

Ok guys Have fun in Mumbai...Enjoy your Rides !!!

Bombay is famous for its smog. Most of which comes from vehicular emissions, and the traffic jams dont help.
There are various measures being talked about to control pollution, but most are yet to be implemented.
Some suggest that an example - like the Supreme court reacting to a public interest litigation, and passing orders on pending measures, is the need of the hour...

While the touts and beggars are pretty bad most anywhere you go in India, the "Balloon Guys" in Mumbai take it to a whole new level...

Before this poor unsuspecting tourist can even jump out of his cab, he is already being stalked by a balloon tout, wielding his inflated club in a most onerous manner.... (kinda looks like a 3 foot long turkey leg, or maybe one of those Flintstone clubs that Fred used to whack Barney over the head with....)

Anyway, be alert, you have been warned... ;o))

Taxis are plenty full in Mumbai and an easy way to negotiate ones way around. I have learnt to negotiate my rate before hand; if I find it is exuberant I move on and find another taxi. Rates are reasonable and you should not pay really more. However you will find that after the taxi has dropped you off in most of the times he will want a higher rate. Just pay him the agreed rate, be persistent and leave.

This is not to say that it is dangerous at night, but (how to say this) at night it is really dark due to the street lamps (or lack thereof) and thus your surroundings seem totally different. This is fine on main streets where you have lots of landmarks, but other places everything looks the same, and on Colaby Causeway at 2 or 3 in the morning it is best to walk in the street then on the sidewalk - not that it is dangerous, but not to disturb the pavement dwellers who are trying to catch a few moments of semi-peaceful sleep. Plus as the pavement can (is) uneven you can trip easily.

That said the big difference is that there are not that many people on the street after midnight so it can feel a bit eerie.

Do Not Touch Unattended Objects Anywhere!!! This applies to any unattended objects like small packets or bags or briefcases left unattended in local transport like buses, trains and taxi cabs as there is a high risk of it being something explosive as recently it has been found to trigger bomb blasts all over the city. So be careful when you see something like this at any place and just inform the nearest police or security personnel in the vicinity!!! Take care of your own personal safety!!! And have a safe journey in Mumbai!!!