My brother who has just returned from his Bangkok vacation, was sharing his experiences with us when suddenly the topic shifted to how people in Bangkok follow traffic rules and how we are in India. He said people in Bangkok would never honk unnecessarily and would always follow the rules unlike us. This conversation turned out to be a perfect beginning for the second part of my series: We shall not listen.
Honestly speaking I myself am a very indisciplined person. I cross the roads even if the cars have not halted or would never follow the zebra crossing (actually zebra crossing lines have faded in my city, you can barely see it). So basically, I am not the right person to write about it. Infact once when I was in 2nd standard, I did not look at the rickshaw coming from the opp direction, I simply crossed the road. The rickshawala got down and slapped me hard across the cheeks for being negligent. Not that I learnt any lesson but yes since then I developed immense hatred for rickshawalas despite being a rickshaw addict ;-)
So note to myself: Cross the road only when the vehicles halt.Look aage peeche upar neeche and daaye baaye.
When we talk about following traffic rules, it is not just meant for pedestrians. Motorists infact have a greater responsibility because if they injure a pedestrian or a fellow motorist; the public would happily pounce and vent their frustration on the poor motorist.
My brother says every country has a stringent law for traffic regulation, which our country lacks. Give the traffic cop 100 rupees extra and you are left scot-free. Worse are the hit and run cases due to drunken driving (e.g. actor Salman Khan), you kill some innocent people and give some compensation to the family (in some cases not even a compensation) and you are left on bail. Would your compensation bring back the family's loved ones? The punishments are bad and ancient, so what do we do about it?
We can only follow the rules. Is it easy? No it is not. You are forced to follow the herd mentality, for example: you have a speed limit for driving in a highway, sea link, normal roads etc which needs to be followed, but how many of us follow it?. Ek ne tez se car kya chalaya everybody follows the same without even caring about the speed limit and incase some one follows the speed limit, they are showered with colorful verbal abuses for creating problems in 'smooth functioning of traffic'.
People are not the real problem, the problem is with the punishments, they need to be made really stringent, so stringent that people think twice before flouting the rules. For instance, make drunken driving a non bailable offence or if You exceed the speed limit, go drive your car in Kanjurmarg or Powai during peak hours for one whole year (you will forget what rash driving is). Kuch bhi karo but please ensure that there is smooth flow of traffic, you have no idea how scared senior citizens, physically challenged people are when they have to cross the roads.
More inputs are welcome.
Up next: Pressure to excel in life.
Honestly speaking I myself am a very indisciplined person. I cross the roads even if the cars have not halted or would never follow the zebra crossing (actually zebra crossing lines have faded in my city, you can barely see it). So basically, I am not the right person to write about it. Infact once when I was in 2nd standard, I did not look at the rickshaw coming from the opp direction, I simply crossed the road. The rickshawala got down and slapped me hard across the cheeks for being negligent. Not that I learnt any lesson but yes since then I developed immense hatred for rickshawalas despite being a rickshaw addict ;-)
So note to myself: Cross the road only when the vehicles halt.Look aage peeche upar neeche and daaye baaye.
When we talk about following traffic rules, it is not just meant for pedestrians. Motorists infact have a greater responsibility because if they injure a pedestrian or a fellow motorist; the public would happily pounce and vent their frustration on the poor motorist.
My brother says every country has a stringent law for traffic regulation, which our country lacks. Give the traffic cop 100 rupees extra and you are left scot-free. Worse are the hit and run cases due to drunken driving (e.g. actor Salman Khan), you kill some innocent people and give some compensation to the family (in some cases not even a compensation) and you are left on bail. Would your compensation bring back the family's loved ones? The punishments are bad and ancient, so what do we do about it?
We can only follow the rules. Is it easy? No it is not. You are forced to follow the herd mentality, for example: you have a speed limit for driving in a highway, sea link, normal roads etc which needs to be followed, but how many of us follow it?. Ek ne tez se car kya chalaya everybody follows the same without even caring about the speed limit and incase some one follows the speed limit, they are showered with colorful verbal abuses for creating problems in 'smooth functioning of traffic'.
People are not the real problem, the problem is with the punishments, they need to be made really stringent, so stringent that people think twice before flouting the rules. For instance, make drunken driving a non bailable offence or if You exceed the speed limit, go drive your car in Kanjurmarg or Powai during peak hours for one whole year (you will forget what rash driving is). Kuch bhi karo but please ensure that there is smooth flow of traffic, you have no idea how scared senior citizens, physically challenged people are when they have to cross the roads.
More inputs are welcome.
Up next: Pressure to excel in life.
17 comments:
hii G3
needles to say, as usual I loved every bit!
u r right, self discipline is a hypothetical concept :P
What people fear the most is monetary fines. Strict rules and regulations can help curb traffic mess and cars flying in full speed.
Honking, that too unnecessary honking is a manor problem, people honk for pleasure or for the sake of honking or they even think that their continuous honking will make red light turn green sooner!! hahaha!!!
sorry for the typo
"unnecessary honking is a MAJOR problem"
interesting...post
Livin in US ..and coming from india I was actually surprised why people are scared of laws and POLICE(which means trouble)in US
its all fear of violation of law,where there is no bribe.Over speeding or anything else its not jus ticket (fine) its accompanied by points also which makes your insurance go up& up monthly,spoils your driving record and when you have to buy a new car again its difficult.."A LOOP IS MADE"one cannot get out of it...that's a Violation of LAW.
...people not only follow the rules but at times courtesy is seen which is worth appreciating...
...Charity begins from home...
stop bribing people and follow the rules!
We have hardly changed any law since Britishers left.Even the ones we have changed are the ones which ensure,easy get wawy for politicians.
Even the laws we have are good enough to punish the guilty.But, is corruption a crime in India?Pay and smile
We are hassle free because of loose laws and loopholes. Harman explained it right.
your license can be revoked; you have greater responsibility towards safe driving. The law is strictly enforced. Its only when the punishment is harsh that people would fall in line.
oh sweetie, it's remained a right topic to discuss, from the time unknown :(
to be honest, i've jumped signals, crossed the speed limits,,,... but, ONLY in nights, or after checking the clearance around...
but, i've been strict to myself, in changing lanes & taking right/left turn policy.. n have never done unnecessary honking at all!!
I believe personal responsibility is something we have to learn..
No big gyaan, just " I'll put efforts to be a better citizen" :)
AS i agree with you honking is a major problem. My new house faces the road, you have no idea how irritating it is. People just honk without any rhyme or reason.
Harman how i wish this system was introduced in India. People have money to pay a fine, anyways a 200 rs is a paltry sum for them. This won't work, you need punishments like the ones mentioned by you. It will bring fear within people.
Chowla Sir, with times laws too need to change or be updated. But yes, if it happens our mahan netas would be found on the wrong side of the law everytime so they do not wish to see it change.
Bindu yaa we have very loose and ancient laws. Don't know if they would ever change.
CV good girl (for the 2nd part of your comment)yes so far as one ensures that they do not harm themselves or the others it is ok. Personal responsibility is a necessity. Now I know how you injure yourself so many times.
Same as what HARMAN has posted, here in DUBAI, the fines are so heavy that it can take away your month salary, yet thats our INDIA, once i read Dr. ABDUL KALAM, as he wrote, why blame the government, the public has to be disciplined first before blaming the government, do we throw garbage in our bedroom or kitchen???
hey , gayathri nice concern..and ya, thanks for visit...
why are you alled G3?
Gayathri,
I normally cross roads at traffic lights and use zebra crossing but most of the times vehicles encroach upon that. I now a days tell such persons with folded hands PAIDAL JAANE WAALON KA RASTA TO KRIPYA CHHOD DIJIYE. I have also written on post on this issue, may be in Aug or so last year. If you find time do give your views on that but do let me know you have done so. My id is in my profile.
Take care
This is called the civic sense,which we lack totally
This is an Indian mentality which is not going to change unless the government decides to get strict the rules which I can say with the guarantee will not change as they also reflect the attitude of the people living in the country.
I guess, we each need to look into ourselves and ask how we can make it a better country only then changes can be implemented not just for the tariff rules :)
Bhargav even I tend to ask the same, do we throw garbage in our bedroom, no right then why do we throw it so carelessly around?
Makk that is the abbreviation of my big name gayathri :P
Jack yeah i guess in the end we have to only plead with motorists to allow us to walk :(
Dr. Anthony so true :(
in only handful follow the traffic rules.
Heyy G3...! After coming to Muscat the first thing I admired about here is the way the traffic moves. Lane traffic and everyone goes by the rules. No one dares to bypass any rules. Noone even budges at the yellow signal...only green ! Its all because bypassing traffic rules is as serious as any other crime in this country. There is no question of bribing ! Then there are punishments ranging from seizing the vehicle, license and passport, to years in jail ! And the worst thing about India is the traffic...where ironically the fuel is also the most expensive.. If only punishments for not following traffic rules were harsh enough to deter people from blocking roads..!
Anita so true :( i dont know when will people learn to be disciplined
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