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Pedestrians Right of Way
Written By nanhi - 11 May, 2010
Traffic Bangalore Action Enforcement Pedestrians Zebra Crossings Right Of Way
Bangalore is such a civilized city populated by the highly educated working class. But in most civilized cities around the world motorists, motorcyclists, scooterists ... give the right of way to pedestrians, but alas not in Bangalore. Why is this so?
To illustrate a point. I was recently in California, as an invitee to the Stanford University, Palo Alto. The morning walks required I cross the famous El Camino Real highway. Crossing an exit is a dangerous experience. But each time all manner of folks would stop their car and wave to me to cross over. What humility. And I am certain half these folks were not as educated as our gentile in Bangalore. Few folks go to college in the US.
In Bangalore the abusive horns of our motorists seem to shout at high pitch, "move out, or be run over". What a shame.
I have aged and cannot move out fast. I am not angry, but I feel sad. My wife keeps reminding me to look out. And I even have to do so for cyclists.
Recently I was in one of the developing countries on a lecture tour. And I saw quite a few signs put up by the police telling motorists, "Stop. Give right of way to Pedestrians". And one sign was most touching. It said, "Wont you please slow down. My father is working on the road renovation project. We need him to come home".
Can or will our schools and colleges send a message on this civic sense? Can or will Bangalore Police do something? Can or will older generations like us appeal to our children?
My beautiful Bangalore, when will you let Pedestrians have the right of way first?
COMMENTS
mbnataraj - 20 May, 2010 - 22:25
Pedestrians rights should be paramount. They are not pumping in 1500 tonnes of petroleum POLLUTANTS- almost 25 percent of the 6000 tonnes per day- into Bangalore's already polluted air, every time they go out. It is the two wheelers who snake and sneak in and out of traffic that are a major hazard.
I hear a lot about driver education and creating awareness. It is rubbish. I have known horrible drivers crib about others doing exactly what they theselves do, fail to yield to pedestrians, jump redlights, make sudden left/right , u turns without signals and from the wrong direction, violate sarcosanct one way rules, honk their heads off etc.
I have seen similar behavior in Newjersey a state with heavy Indian, hsipanic population.
It is the mindset. Rules are made to be broken is one I hear often. Rules are for others,the ones who donot know any better- which is you can get away with breaking it!
or go to the extent of bribing the official 50 percent of what the fine is and boast about it as an accomplishment.
Lack of enforcement- strict ,sure, or quick is the reason. If they were mercilessly fined then they would learn their lessons. Drivers are misusing a privilege provided by the society. It does not have to permit. It does as a concession, because it pays a heavy price in terms of pollution, congestion, health, heavy damages from loss of lives accidents etc.
Improve enforcement with citizens involvement- deputize them to issue citations as special police officers- if need be.
silkboard - 22 May, 2010 - 17:03
Srivathsa and I were talking today after Mr Sood meeting, that we probably need a project to isolate the "gene" that may be missing in our race. Why is it that we are in perennial rush, yet are mostly know to be "late" people. Why, in general, we are not considerate to people around us?
Strict enforcement is not why people behave better on roads and with pedestrians. It is something else about us which can't be just fixed by police and enforcement. Jumping queues, talking loud, losing temper in public, etc etc - all these probably come from lack of or presence of that same 'gene' that causes our shameful behavior on our roads.
cant wriggle out of every jam..
srinidhi - 23 May, 2010 - 02:13
We grew too fast and that could be the reason the gene remains dormant..yesterday near Basavanaudi there was this traffic warden tryin to do her best managing a junction in the evening drizzle..
She had an altercation with an auto guy who violated her signals makin the jam worse..by the time he wriggled out of the jam..he was giggling with his passengers about the lady warden...
Yesterday it took few min to get out..soon that will be many minutes and probably thats when the gene will become active and some order creeps in..
Btw amongst all these jams..pedestrians are some what safe as the menacing vehicles are stuck badly and stationary!
Gene maybe, but tolerant environment more likely cause
mbnataraj - 23 May, 2010 - 02:56
Pedestrians out number motorists
psaram42 - 12 May, 2010 - 04:07
I had a similar traumatic experience when I was back from my first and the last visit to the United States in 2002. It took me almost 6 months to return to my normal feeling being in India. Bangalore being touted as a beautiful garden city has the best of its localities comparable to the Mexican neighborhood in the US.
US and other developed countries are far ahead of the standard of living in India. But there is no need to despair. We are trying to catch up. Here in India Pedestrians out number the motorists. Motorists will have to pile up to allow pedestrians the right of way in a busy traffic. At traffic signals pedestrians do get a chance to cross safely most of the time.
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