The Road and The King

On 6 November this year, i completed 15 years of driving with a licence. Much said already :)

Over the years, i have figured some truths about the roads and driving in India, stuff that sometimes amuse, irk, trouble, and entertain us during the daily commute.

Passing the blame: Not one to shake hands and let go. Every child knows "taali ek haath se nahi bajti", but try to say that on the roads and you are at your own peril. Of course, there are exceptions. The mandvali is usually preceded with  the charade of power connections, curious onlookers, and there never is a moment where sense prevails.

The connections: Among the things done in an accident, one of the first things is to pull out the mobile phone and call - not to inform near and dear ones, but the "connection" - be it goons, cops, politician.


Chaos of the onlooker: Joblessness is a real condition in our country and its visible when there is something that happens on the roads. I once was stuck on a bridge, cos some idiot jumped off the bridge and all those walking, driving on it, stopped their vehicles in the middle of the road to see the rocky end of the one who jumped.


Signal boredom: Yes, its true. No one likes traffic signals. They just add unnecessary seconds to our already behind schedule lives. However, just cos you are late, must you dig you nose?
Pseudo leftists: Despite 60 odd years of the Congress party, our country remains largely leftist. If all those who overtake from the left joined the left front, the Chinese wont need to do all this under bullying.

Curious case of the unfollowed lane: First came the road, then came the road widening, and then the mad rush. Yes, most of our roads are very narrow. However on the ones that are wide and have lanes, can we follow the line? Nope!! The best is Dilli syndrome, where you drive "on" the white lines - going whichever lane the traffic eases up.


Middle class surge: Folks came from very humble beginnings, wanted to get ahead in life. They took any opportunity, no matter how small to make their lives and those of their loved ones, better. They passed on those values to their kids. Unfortunately, on the roads too. Two wheelers, cars, tempos, trucks - take whatever vehicle. Whenever there is an opportunity to get a foothold, they will attempt to put their vehicle in there.

Cross over at the railway gates: In manned as well as unmanned railway crossings, this is a common sight where vehicles will block the left AND the right side of the road. When the gates open, those who have crowded the wrong side of the road, from both sides, want to move ahead. Folks who arrive earlier  and are on left side of the road, are stuck till blokes who want to go from wrong side of the road to left side, for equal number of idiots on the other side want to make similar passing.


Gone with the Wind: its easy to judge, but from cycles to bikes, from auto rickshaws to buses to luxury cars - we have people spitting out - oblivious to everything else.

Blame is proportional to the size of the vehicle: Take any accident. More often than not, the one with the bigger vehicle is the villain. Its not only the attitude of party involved, but the onlookers, the system and even the police. Its the sense of entitlement that is pissing off. I have seen bus guys getting beaten up just cos they have a bus! I have given money for damage that was not my fault of mine. Sometimes i wonder what did i avoid by encouraging that beheviour?

Jaywalkers: If there is one category that has begun to anger me too much, its the pedestrians. I respect those on their feet, and those cycling. I always wait till they pass, give them preference at intersections. When i dislike them most is, after a 2 mins signal, they continuing to walk by simply raising their hand. This can be seen best at Swargate. Either, we re-program the signals, where after the vehicles turn, there should be a 20-30 sec vehicles stop for pedestrians. And of course, there are those who walk on the road, even if there is a footpath is in place.


Some  things that pop up:

• There is absolutely no value of human life. At least people behave that way. 
• The traffic police is severely understaffed. There is zero deterrent value to our punishments. And there are no incentives for good beheviour. 
• At no point of upbringing is civic sense taught. Parents think its the schools responsibility, the schools think parents should do it. And lets accept it, we are bad teachers for those with impressionable minds.
• We have screwed up. We can fix it.