Indian autorickshaw driver sets world record for two-wheeled driving

Autorickshaws, or tuk-tuks as they are known in other countries, are the staple mode of transportation for a humungous number of the Indian population. You can see them everywhere, these rickety relics of a bygone automotive era, still plying their trade, especially in the Indian metros. They have been decried for their lack of basic safety features, and for their drivers’ propensity to load them up with more passengers than they can possibly carry, but the fact remains that autorickshaws still remain one of the most convenient modes of commuting for the middle class. 

For Jagathish M, though, autorickshaws are more than just a source of income, and his means to ferry his passengers around. Sure he does that – during the daytime – but come nightfall, the Chennai-based driver transforms into a stunt driver, with his tuk-tuk as his accomplice. He routinely pulls insane wheelies on his machine, the most significant act of which is riding for long distances on just two wheels instead of three. 

Jagathish appeared in the reality TV series “Guinness World Records – Ab India Todega,” where he set the record for the “Furthest distance side-wheel driving on a motor tricycle” at the Juhu Aerodrome in Mumbai, India. To win the crown, the 27-year old needed to accomplish his feat over a minimum distance of 1 km. However, in the end, Jagathish more than doubled this requirement by driving a remarkable 2.2 km on just two wheels, thus earning him a spot in the 2016 Guinness Book of World Records. 

To accomplish his stunt, Jagathish has to get his rickshaw moving at a speed of 80 kph before he skillfully uses the steering handles to transfer the vehicle onto two wheels. 

We hope Jagathish’s next customers tip him well, or he may tip them.