Is it just me or is the traffic situation progressively worsening? I’m not talking about congestion, which of course gets worse by the day, but the way everybody seems to be riding/driving. Just the other day, waiting at a busy intersection humming a Sinatra tune, lights turn green I start moving and a kid on an Activa cuts right across my nose, across three lanes of traffic to effect a ‘U’. And by the look on his face, seemed mighty pleased with his efforts.
He wouldn’t have been grinning had I been in the Scorpio. A) The Civic stops better. B) Had I hit him the Civic would have showed signs of damage, which wouldn’t have pleased the boss.
I swear in the Scorpio I wouldn’t have thought twice, I’d have hit the twit and then thumped him proper. And that scares the hell out of me. With road rage brimming over it’s only a matter of time before I hit or get hit by someone and shit, that’s scary.
But why does it have to be this way? You don’t find these morons clowning about in Mumbai or Delhi; you don’t because cops actually do some work there. In Pune you only see a cop because he’s jumped in the middle of the road to flag down some rider to check his license (or PUC or god-knows-what), not doing something that we’d term productive. In Pune you’ll rarely find a cop manning a traffic signal and if he’s there it will only be because some VIP is on his way and you’ll know he’s manning the signal because the tailback will be over a kilometre. I digress.
In Pune you need cops manning intersections when the traffic lights are working because unless there’s a cop in sight nobody bothers to wait for the lights to turn green. Unless there’s a cop standing next to you nobody respects white lines or road dividers. And the worst offenders are invariably college kids or call centre clowns.
This has to stop and I recommend a policy of zero tolerance. Believe me, I’ve thought this over and nothing else comes to mind. And I suggest particular attention should be paid to the kids.
Forget fining kids on bikes – they seem to have too much money these days to feel the pinch. Rather any kid who looks under 21 should be given a tight slap and made to stand in the middle of the road holding his ears. I guarantee he’ll never break a law in the land again. Sort out the kids and half the problem will be solved.
Impound call centre taxis jumping lights, cutting lanes or honking their heads off. Two cars impounded and no taxi wallah will take pangas ever again.
Next the rick drivers. They’re too old to jhaap but a fine will sort them proper.
Cycles? Yank out the valves and throw it away. Should be enough.
Trucks? What the hell are the cops doing allowing them in the city? Ditto for tourist buses parked on busy arterial roads.
The guys in cars who don’t think twice before jumping a light? I’m out of ideas except for fining their asses off.
Things are improving though, I believe cops are now noting down vehicle numbers and sending summons to their homes. It’s a step in the right direction, as are the rumoured plans to install cameras at busy intersections. But isn’t it all too late? What we need is a concerted zero tolerance campaign for a couple of months (for this cops will actually have to do some work), involve citizens groups (there are enough people who’ve had enough of the traffic mess to brave the hot sun) and educate motorists – only then will things change perceptibly.
That’s the start. Things have to change at the grassroot for a permanent solution to be effected; a subject on traffic etiquette has to be compulsory in schools and our licensing procedures have to be overhauled. The kids will sort out errant mom and dads, new licensing norms will at least ensure more morons aren’t added to the roads. Heck, I even recommend everybody go in for a compulsory re-test; it’ll be hugely inconvenient but at least we’ll all live longer, not end up as road kill.
