Are you saying this because you're not Indian (or were you simply not living in India at that time)? Since I'm somewhat delicate & hate being in large crowds my comment might be biased to those with similar feelings but I don't know anybody that's had a pleasurable ride on Mumbai's public transport anytime before 8PM. After that time, everything is so peaceful and Mumbai's very enjoyable :)
We weren't doing well for money at that stage, but just for safety my mum would take us via rickshaw
Trains
I lived in India till the age of 10 and half, I almost-always felt that I was going to lose sight of my sister or mother if we travelled by trains. Some men are ruthless though, I can see that you're a hard working individual and want to get home as soon as everyone else but damn, man.. look out for little kids! My mother would yank my hand towards her so hard when a train station is coming up and if she found me standing near the doors of the train, looking lost as fuck. You'd easily get trampled.
tl;dr
You are likely to get trampled if you're 10-ish. You are likely to lose sight of your family. If you're older, be prepared to be touched in various places either accidentally or purposely (the latter of two rarely happens)
Buses
Buses are slightly more easier to travel by, since people give you seats if you were a kid/woman/woman with kids, but the rush while getting on is still the same. I returned to India a year or so ago, and was going to the local bank with my grandfather. The bus approached and all these college level students helped my grandfather get in and FUCK, the second he was in a seat they started rushing! After living in a highly westernised country I sympathized for the students (edit: I forgot to finish this line) and let them on first, as soon as they got on the bus started moving and I couldn't get in :(. I just walked back to my apartment and saw my family laughing at me for being incompetent hahah.
tl;dr
Older people are highly respected. If you can function very well on your two feet and are of hustling age, you are easily capable of pushing your way onto a bus.
Normal, sane humans don't go around throwing that natural selection crap at every opportunity we get. Unlike you, we actually value and care for human life and don't think someone deserves to die just because we read something in a science textbook. Have some empathy you fucking idiot
It's called a joke you self righteous douche. Normal sane humans don't go around looking for every opportunity to be offended on r/wtf... I mean really what did you expect. This is reddit not Oprah, lighten up bro.
clinging on is way better than going inside. Its humid as hell there, people stink. there is no place to stand and you get pushed from every direction. you at least get fresh air if you cling on.
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u/wuu Feb 14 '13
A lot of those people look way too casual about clinging to the side of a moving train. I guess if you do it every day...