Our Traffic - What The.....

[ghatgepatil]

Coming to think of it rationally, don't you all think that somewhere "Bollywood" is to be directly held responsible for this menace??? They project many ills in the society as macho! Similarly, I also DID notice a marked change in the society, though for a short period, say a couple of months maximum after release of movies like 'Munnabhai MBBS' & 'Lage Raho Munnabhai'!!!

I found the masses actually aping Bollywood!

 

[MJ23Bulls]

Add to this list, the drivers of the Govt. City buses (here in Chennai). They would stop right dead in the middle of the road at the bus stops instead of moving to the left and stopping near the kerb. Even if the you see the bus by the kerb and then you start thinking, "Oh! This driver is good man!"; and the moment you're about to pass him, there comes the knockout punch that to too, below the belt. He would just swerve into the right (that's supposed to be your lane) without any signals and giving you nightmares.
Especially during the slow moving traffic, these bus drivers (due to their height advantage and non-insured status) would squeeze you out of your lane.

And we have got "share autos" too. Though they help in people travel a bit more conveniently than the public buses (cost wise also cheaper than the hired autos), for a fellow driver aka vehicle owner aka car owner on the road, these are nightmares too. You never know where he will pullover or cut your lane from the left.
Parking menace: Right in front of the gates.
Zebra crossing: If I yield to the pedestrians, the auto or bike guys take up that space
Yielding at the intersection: a) Fellow drivers behind you think that you're a stupid. They express this concern by honking their horns.
b) If you forget to go bumper to bumper, then a bike or auto from the other (left or right) intersecting road will make you to stop.

Coming back to the why part of it, as someone here has already mentioned that we're programmed as such. Yes! I'm sure most of you would have also seen/experienced this attitude; that is "standing in queue"; or let me put it this way, "not standing in queue". Especially outside the ATMs, if 3 or 4 people are standing in queue, the new person would come and stand in front of the door instead of joining the line. He/she would just keep the count mentally and tell you,"Sir! I know sir that I'm after the 4th person". We've learnt/borrowed a lot of social concepts from the western world. I always wonder why our society can't just respect a queue
Illiterate or literate, poor or rich, young or old doesn't matter. We've forgotten the fact the our society has a VALUE.

P.S:
"pom, pom, pom..... (that stupid musical horn thing with cut-out relay)" and the driver yells at the pedestrian,"I'm honking the horn na? Why can't you give way (or move aside)?"
//You stupid f***tard,"There is also a thing called brake in your vehicle; why can't you use it also?"//

 

[dips0502]

What irks me about queues here is that people for some reason tend to stand uncomfortably too damn close to each other. We somehow have this bumper to bumper mentality where even a little bit of space is treated as something that can be taken away from you.

 

[Santy]

Someone said "a picture is worth a thousand words"

Traffic jam elsewhere

Traffic jam in India

 

[Santy]

What irks me about queues here is that people for some reason tend to stand uncomfortably too damn close to each other. We somehow have this bumper to bumper mentality where even a little bit of space is treated as something that can be taken away from you.

Agree with you fully.

We want to stand here:

But we are standing here:

 

[reubensm]

In Kerala, some of the average, highly localized (with no outside-kerala exposure) lower-middle class malayalis are highly egoistic. They'd block the street by stopping bang in the center of the road and if one honks from behind, they'll stay put there for even longer. When driving behind them, if you politely honk or flash lights for overtaking, they'd slow down even further and prevent one from overtaking. They are also quite third-rate and abusive.

 

[MJ23Bulls]

Santy,
Jabar dast pictures. :salute: :clap:
The traffic jam in the US: Even a biker has his own space, i.e., the entire width of the lane belongs to the bike. I'm trying to locate a picture with the help of google baba, but couldn't. Anyways, thanks for the pictures. I'm going to use your "Qs" in my fb! Thanks!
Regards,
BK

 

[rikhav]

Quiet a lot is said about traffic
I want give you one more example why I feel india was never shining and never will be

I am right now traveling in a BEST bus (am from mumbai)
Since holi is near baloons thrown on bus and aimed on windows so passenger gets maximum wet

2 baloons came on me and I had important printouts in my hand which got wasted

Someone can loose an eye. Some infant can be injured but no, who cares. Its a jungle and its all allowed and same is with roads and traffic

I feel everything is due to upbringing of an individual.

Unless and until people dont stop thinking about themselves rather then others, things will never change

 

[MJ23Bulls]

Unless and until people dont stop thinking about themselves rather then others, things will never change

+Million! :clapping:

 

[Premblr]

Kerala is a different animal most of the roads are two line but right from the bus driver to the two wheeler drivers, they all feel it is one crazy race track, all trying for the first place.

About being third-rate and abusive, have first hand experience.

I accidentally parked once in a supposed to be auto rickshaw line, there were no auto when I parked, after sometimes, I saw that all the auto guys had ganged up and they parked their autos in a way so that I wont be able to take my car out. I politely asked them to move, they wont budge, they even saw my out of state registration, no use, Atlast after an hour, they got bored and left but I was made to sit in the car for a whole hour.

In Kerala, some of the average, highly localized (with no outside-kerala exposure) lower-middle class malayalis are highly egoistic. They'd block the street by stopping bang in the center of the road and if one honks from behind, they'll stay put there for even longer. When driving behind them, if you politely honk or flash lights for overtaking, they'd slow down even further and prevent one from overtaking. They are also quite third-rate and abusive.

 

[sidvee]

I found the masses actually aping Bollywood!

That is really scary, wonder if they will start singing around trees in parks soon hyeah:
Cheers,
Sid

 

[Vinod.R]

Well it is not just traffic. We as a country of citizens lack all types of discipline. Traffic is but one part of it.

We carry our herd mentality (Sorry animal herds, you are better!) through out our life. Standing in queue is anathema to us. Giving someone personal space in public is a crime.

We are so accustomed to indiscipline and in-orderliness that we do not even know that we are NOT following norms of basic decency.

 

[ranjeetrain]

All the more worse, people think the best way to protest is to jam roads/highways. Why would they bother about ambulances getting stuck, mothers getting late returning home for their little ones waiting on them

See this, just another of those Traffic nightmare on NH-24 as protesters block road for hours - The Times of India

 

[MJ23Bulls]

Giving someone personal space in public is a crime.

+ Million again!

By the way, In Tirupathi Balaji Temple, while standing in queue one can experience such pleasant and unpleasant experiences at the same time. When there are folks from the south of the country around you; it's always pleasant as they respect the space and stand apart. But suddenly if you feel that you're being pushed, then one can be sure that there is definitely a group from the northern parts of the country which is trying to arm (and/or belly) wrestle their way for a much quicker darshan. Actually, the queue won't be moving since the passage has been blocked somewhere ahead. But this (these) particular group(s) don't give a damn about those in front of them; they squeeze themselves in all the available gaps and move on. Even if they too had to stop, then they would be breathing down your neck with his/her entire body pressed against you. (Be it a group of 15 or 20 or 10 or even 4 or 5 persons, they would be falling on each other without maintaining space for the entire duration of going though the queue) :sad:
No wonder, we always hear about mishaps and fatal accidents happening in queues in northern indian temples during festivals.
P.S: Please note that this is a general observation only; not to start N or S or E or W debate. Thanks!

 

[Vinod.R]

Me and my wife personally experienced this at the Tirupathi temple just two months ago and of course we could not get the darshan!!! (As we tried to get the darshan in the free queue).

We have decided not to visit the temple again and will make do with our local Balaji in Kerala (Who I am sure is the same guy standing in Tirupathi!). It is simply too much of an hassle. I felt like we were at the security gates of an International Airport and less of a place of worship. The less said the better.

 

[Raghav_K]

Me and my wife personally experienced this at the Tirupathi temple just two months ago and of course we could not get the darshan!!! (As we tried to get the darshan in the free queue).

We have decided not to visit the temple again and will make do with our local Balaji in Kerala (Who I am sure is the same guy standing in Tirupathi!). It is simply too much of an hassle. I felt like we were at the security gates of an International Airport and less of a place of worship. The less said the better.

+1

We went in the morning special darshan which allows only few people (200-300 i guess and only after they get done the free queue opens) . Even in that queue everyone was jumping and pushing, eventhough the temple guys kept telling the path ahead is closed, please sit.

 

[Record Player]

I consciously stayed away a few days from posting here hoping that at least one of the days I enjoy my drive back home. Well, every other days seems worse than the other .

Very valid points shared by our FMs here and clearly I see frustration, be it the North, South, East or West, we are united in this area of ignorance and arrogance.

How do the other Countries manage such great civic sense and unity?

Is it strong laws and hefty fines, insurance premiums based on age and points on your license that matter or is it simply humanitarian sense and care and respect for others!!!

Traffic was something I just picked up originally, that's because I just couldn't take it that day. But there is soo much more. The other day, I decided to have lunch at our Food Court (Bay) which is open to all companies in the Technology Park....my my....all top professionals I must say, don't even bother of lines and act like hooligans. I am sure the distraught Somalia people have better sense! I don't think in any place in India people like to maintain lines and they act like its their birthright to jump the queue. Such arrogant and ignorant behavior commonly seen everyday at Restaurants, Cinema Halls, Banks, Malls, your neighbor hood, shopping streets, parking lots, Govt offices, corporate offices, all worship places, ooh I can just go on. In other words every singly place once you step out of your home!

Signing off for now...

 

[Record Player]

+1

We went in the morning special darshan which allows only few people (200-300 i guess and only after they get done the free queue opens) . Even in that queue everyone was jumping and pushing, eventhough the temple guys kept telling the path ahead is closed, please sit.

@Raghav - Agree with you. Doesn't matter if its the paid or free queue, behavior is the same!

 

[mathan]

Both. In Netherland Jay walking is considered a serious crime and hefty fines are imposed even on tourists. My friend in USA was caught for drunken driving and arrested, handcuffed and had to stay in lockup for two days and hefty fine of $2000 imposed and let off on Parole for three years and if there is any other indictment during that period he would be in serious trouble. Every week he has to attend meetings conducted by the State on the ill effects of Alcohol while driving. These are the kind of rules that are imposed in some of the countries and we do have similar rules but is flouted everywhere.

Coming back to our people in IT industry I have always seen them not giving way for those coming out of the lifts. They just barge in not considering that they need to give way for those coming out of the lift first. Also they do not have any courtesy to wait for someone coming towards the lift. They just close the door even if we ask them to wait for couple of seconds.

Even a small kid in Britain gives way for a lady and old people whether it is in a public transport or in a lift or in Q system. Hope we evolve soon!!