Kareena finds solution to Mumbai's traffic problem

Kareena hails Thailand's motorised auto rickshaws to avoid traffic jam. If people feel Mumbai traffic is bad they should visit Bangkok as Kareena and Tusshar discovered while going for lunch at a mall there. Says a source close to Kareena, "Last Sunday, Kareena took best friend Reenaa, Manish Malhotra, Tusshar Kapoor, and designer Shabina Khan out for lunch at a mall in Bangkok.

They had their lunch but when they called for their assigned cars, they discovered a huge traffic jam outside. They waited for an hour for their vehicles to arrive but then Kareena was getting late for her rehearsals for her performance at the Siam Niramit theatre that night so she suggested that they all hop into a tuk-tuk as they'd reach faster. Fortunately, they reached the venue on time."

Even Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya took a sneak trip on a tuk-tuk just for the sheer experience. Tusshar and Kareena, who are both currently shooting in Pattaya for Golmaal Returns, confirm the incident. Kareena admits, "I have been to Bangkok several times before and have ridden tuk-tuks but have never ridden in a Mumbai autorickshaw. I took everyone to the mall where they serve some great Italian and Thai food but we got stuck in a jam on the way back. I had to leave for my rehearsals at four and was stuck till 3 pm on the streets. We finally hailed a tuk-tuk and went to the venue. The tuk-tuk driver knew the inner bylanes, which were relatively traffic-free so we reached on time."

What's a tuk-tuk?

The tuk-tuk is the South East Asian version of a vehicle known elsewhere as an auto rickshaw or cabin cycle. It is a widely used form of urban transport in Bangkok and other Thai cities, as well as other major South East Asian and South Asian cities. It is particularly popular where traffic congestion is a major problem, such as in Bangkok. Resting on three small wheels (one in front, two on the rear), there is a small cabin for the driver in the front and seating for three in relative comfort in the rear. They are very maneuverable and can turn around in one lane of traffic with room to spare.

Tusshar adds, "We initially thought we'd walk it up to the venue. It was only when we got into the tuk-tuk did we realise that the venue wasn't a five-minute walk but a 25-minute journey! Though I have ridden in autos in Mumbai it was my first tuk-tuk ride in Bangkok and it was great fun. All of us squashed ourselves inside (tuk-tuks are for three people) and travelled in great style if not comfort."