The traffic situation in Bangalore is a common topic that comes in every discussion. In spite of various initiatives taken by government and non-government organization the situation has not improved. There is even a website called the Smiling Drivers an initiative to improve the traffic situation.
An interesting initiative which made me think; why only smiling drivers? Why not smiling teachers, employees, parents, youngsters and the list goes on? Yes in today's fast life most of us have forgotten to smile, including myself. However I have also observed that this is not completely an outcome of the fast paced life but rather a trait. Walking on the road or in a gathering we only smile at someone we know, a sharp contrast to the western world that we copy a lot from. In the western world for example different people entering a lift smile or wish the other person even though they do not know each other.
Now going back to the traffic situation in Bangalore, what can we do to improve? I feel that rather than trying to implement big initiative that start of with a big bang and die somewhere on the way, let us try to get small things right. Now what are these small things or initiatives? Let me take another example of the place where I stay. We have many narrow roads here which are always clogged with increasing traffic day by day. Most of the by roads that have rows of concrete high rises on both sides are in a bad condition. I was talking to a flat owner in the building I stay on the condition of these by roads and as usual he was complaining about how the government does not maintain the roads. I suggested to him that why not all the flat owners from the multiple buildings in each by road get together form a body and take the initiative of maintaining "their by road". I also suggested to him that every building normally has a Association of flat Owners, and these individual associations can just join hands to form the larger body and take up this responsibility. I told him that he can put in a word to our building association and then we can start from there. Well then, so what is the current status……. have not seen this person after that day !
Another aspect is that traffic rules are for everyone, including pedestrians, Government vehicles, and very slow moving vehicles like bicycles. I have observed on numerous occasions government vehicles like BMTC buses flouting the rule right in front of the cop who just turns a blind eye. Cycles and other two wheelers cause a huge havoc on an already congested and slow moving traffic. The cycles do not even have reflectors which can at least warn other motorist, other wise on a road where the fours wheelers have extremely bright headlights, the cyclist is lost in the "High Beam" and the bigger vehicle owner pays the penalty. The next in line of course is the two wheeler crowd. The two wheeler can pop up from either side of your vehicle, so if you are taking a left turn, you need to have an extra pair of eyes on both side of your head to ensure that a two wheeler does not try to squeeze in an overtake you from the left side while you are quickly looking out for traffic on the right side before making the turn!
So what is the solution? I believe strict policing is the only answer to counter this chaos. Here I leave you to yours thoughts on "strict policing". We have all heard of "Lead by example" so how do we implement this into the traffic segment. The Government has to lead by example, if Government vehicles start following traffic rules, I am sure the common man will at least start!
That's for my first post….
