About our Tuk Tuks

Riding a Tuk-Tuk is like nothing I have ever experienced before. It feels quick, nimble, noisy and even a little smelly. There is a clutch on the left hand side and works with a squeeze of the leaver (like a bicycle break) and you twist to change gear. Right side is straight forward, twist to accelerate. There is also a brake pedal. While making the Baja Tuk-Tuk I’m guessing there was no need for continuity as although there is a hand break, the placement of these varies. My Tuk-Tuk (tuk’er) has it in the centre while Bobby ‘s (Tilly) is on the right side. They have a reverse which works by manually pulling up a leaver. Once finished reversing you must release the leaver again to continue forward. It’s simple writing it down but when your eager to speed off you can forget. It wouldn’t be the first time I have jolted back when expecting to leap forward out of the drive.

Our first experience was one of nerves and excitement all wrapped in one.  Bobby took first go as he is a more experienced and confident driver than me. We were told beforehand that the second gear can be tricky to find and it didn’t take long for Bobby and I to experience this. Bobby practised and after a few runs he was confident and found the second gear no problem. I on the other hand was a little apprehensive. After many drives around our little village of Cardenden my confidence eventually started to grow.  With eagerness to test the Tuk-Tuk on new roads, we decided to go a drive to Kirkcaldy promenade.  On route I pulled out of a busy junction and I just couldn’t find second gear, with cars driving fast behind I went into a bit of a panic. Eventually I managed to slip it into second gear and quickly speed off as I was conscious I had just held up the traffic. This little incident really knocked my confidence. I found I would avoid driving the Tuk-Tuk anytime we went out unless it was around our home village of Cardenden. When we bought Tuk’er I knew I had to push through my anxiety and start pushing myself. With more Sunday runs to Kirkcaldy under my belt, I started going a bit further on new roads and the confidence started to grow again and with that a whole new aspect of fun! One run that I vividly remember was driving home one night whilst out visiting family. People pointing and taking pictures of the Tuk-Tuk’s as we drove past. The smell off barbeques from the gardens, the sounds of laughter from the parks. The sun was starting to set and as we come over the hills the view was spectacular. A sense of open space, the smells of the rapeseed fields as we whizzed down the country roads. This was what it was about. That sense of adventure, the free feeling of the open space and the people. The smiles we see, the waves we get and just overall joy they bring, not only to our face but everyone we pass along the way.

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