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I agree with Photoyogi that unless we have to be the change that we want to see.  For starters all of us at Praja can make it a point to follow rules. 

• Don't jump lights whatever the time of the day or night or whether you think it safe as no cars on either direction.  Everyone's "judgement" on safety margins is different and chaos happens. 
• Drive at about 50 kmph (the average speed in Bangalore is 13-15 kmph!) - no point racing from one signal to another. 
• Give way to traffic on your right at roundabouts
• Give way to pedestrians at crossings - it takes no more than 5 secs (those 5 seconds are likely to be spent at the next red light anyway). 
• Drive in lanes. 
• Don't use the high beam at night.  It is hard enough with candlelight sort of streetlights and all sorts of obstacles.

Nothing very exotic.  But can make a big difference to the stress levels on the roads. 

Srivathsa

 

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For example, on airport road command hospital junction, I stopped at the red light to into Cambridge Layout. A santro behind be insisted honking to let me know I was in his way. Finally he swerved around and then mentions "Why cant you PARK on the side." - so I yelled back syaing I wasnt parked and was at a red light - he cursed and he sped away.

People dont reason with the law - they can't understand the basics of stopping for a red light, and letting others stop for red light. I make it a point, not to budge if it is a red light - even if there is a might bus behind me. It slowly is working- people either give up or a give a sheepish smile.

I belive that this standing up to the law is the only way people will learn.

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PhotoYogi,

Great thread to start - I think this one was overdue.

I think that there are other important elements also to consider here - Ethical standards, Integrity & Discipline of people, all of which are very, very poor. These are very difficult to cope with or change, & may likely take several decades. Photoyogi’s example highlights that even with those having well-paid jobs, these are still problem areas, not to mention people with poorer incomes, who form the bulk of the populace in this country.

All classes of people cut through any & all laid down procedures or rules to get their work done “more quickly” or “easily”, or “cheaply”, & misuse of public facilities is also rampant – we are all well aware & know this.

We can bring in barriers (as in the example), but can we have mechanisms to keep monitoring every move at every step by everyone ? Traffic signals are flouted as soon as the cop turns around, & the resultant jams are routine. Building violations, even in sophisticated & well-planned BDA layouts by the well-offs is a matter of great concern since ethical standards of the upper rungs are equally questionable.

My point here is that unless we aim at trying to improve these values of people, we would not have had a total victory in the battle. Enforcement will help play the major role in shaping this, but the war would still not be won until the day when all that the authorities need to do is just post a sign & all folks implicitly follow it !!

 

Srivathsa - great thoughts, & I already follow all of these, except the high-beam because of a mishap (I had earlier mentioned this - the commencement of the road divider had no reflector, & cud not be spotted in time to avert a contact, & I had crashed !  So, now, I use hi-beam as a routine, & dip lights only when vehicles are coming from ahead).

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Driving being the most visible activity where we observe our disregard for rules, this post will tend to discuss our pet topic - traffic. But no harm.

I told this weird rule I follow to Rithesh the other day. Each time I head out, I tell myself to be courteous six times during the drive. It started as "at least" six times, but has become "exactly" six times now.

I created this rule to be at peace with myself. Till about 2 years ago, I used to be an angry young reformer on the roads - fuming at dis-courteous folks, purposefully making life difficult for the rule breakers (like not letting the left-side overtaker go, blocking way of the wrong-side driver etc). During this phase of my driving career, I 'argued' with lorry and bus drives, I thought I was trying to educate them, have tried Gandhigir style stunts (got out of car, bowed my head and gestured a zen or a octavia to lead ahead).

All this ended when two things happened. 1) A yellow plate qualis driver showed me a knife for blocking his progress on the wrong side of the road. 2) I realized that by not behaving the way most drivers do, I cause more problems on the road for others (stopped to let pedestrians cross, guys behind overtook from left instead of stopping behind me, and almost knocked down the passing pedestrians - this happened a few times).

Summary of all this? 1) Reforming others on the road - can't do it 2) can't be a perfect follower of all rules, not possible, I am no super patient swamiji here 3) can't see myself being as bad as those nasty call center cab drivers as well.

So "let six go" is my formula for being at peace with above realities . I sort of keep a count of - let a "waiting to turn right" vehicle cross, let pedestrians cross, avoid tempting overtaking situations from the left, and stuff like that. Having been good six times on a drive, I feel less guilty being forced to be just-like-the-others the rest of the time.

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First there ought to be a huge shift of focus from just widening roads without due consideration to road signage and markings which are vital (no one in Pune has ever seen a Give way sign).

Secondly, like a pulse polio campaign there has to be a sustained campaign for couple of years covering all rules of the road.

Third, empower citizens - let the police allow digital images of offending vehicles and drivers to be sent to them. We can't have a policeman on every street or junction, but we will have law abiding citizens everywhere with the mobile phone camera's - so let the police empower the citizens. This way, every one parking in no parking zone, riding wrong way, riding on footpaths, etc can be nabbed.

The penalties should be stiff - UK is contemplating 6 spoints for speeding, which means two strikes and out as 12 points leads to revoking of license.

Police have their hands tied up with having to use IPC, but local corporation can pass its own Act to stop encroachment of public property and have its own traffic wardens.

ASJ

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