The main road outside the house is called the East Coast Road (or ECR for short) and continues for miles along the coast to Pondicherry, a french influenced town south of Chennai. The ECR is one of the main roads in Chennai and is particularly chaotic.
The safety laws here are bizarre, undertaking is allowed, there are no road markings, public busses are allowed to jump red lights and only the driver of a motorcycle is required to wear a helmet.
No wonder the death rate is so high in India when traveling with a three year old perched on your petrol tank is legal!