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Namma Auto (awareness program for auto drivers)
Written By veeracb - 7 February, 2009
Traffic Bangalore Autorickshaw Roads Awareness education Safety Action Namma Auto
Namma Auto is a community project to bring awareness to auto drivers about the traffic rules and regulations and road safety, this will be the first to create safe roads in Bangalore.
Garden city Bangalore has become the vehicle city with lot of vehicles plying in road more vehicles are being added to the roads which is causing a chaos in the road. Many commuters are violating the traffic rules, causing a lot of accidents and traffic jams. Because of this more lives have been hurt, nearly 20-30% of accidents are caused by not following traffic rules.
If this chaos of not following simple rules of traffic continues for another 5years, we will see nearly three fold increase in traffic jams and accidents. Government will have to spend more money towards taking care of accident victims, increase of road rage and will create an unhealthy environment. Bangalore might become a city of chaos and will lead in the list of accidents caused by road rage, people will be stressed.
There is an urgent need to address the violation of traffic rules, reduce the amount of traffic jams to nearly 40%, reduction in accidents caused by violation of traffic rules. This will eliminate the road rage, allows Government to work on more development activities, and most importantly reduces the stress of people and increases quality of life.
We as a community should start address this issue, since it is difficult to bring awareness to all community. I thought of starting from Auto drivers, which is one of the large community uses the road.
I have planned to arrange a continued traffic awareness program to Auto drivers, through the help of auto union and the community. This will be an opportunity for us to make a difference to this city and also to bring some order to our life.
If you are interested to participate or work with me in making this project a great success request you to contact me.
COMMENTS
asj - 7 February, 2009 - 13:14
Hi! Great initiative.
I suggest you browse www.driving-india.blogspot.com
You can have a look at the 17 driver education videos available here + a FAQ that goes with it.
I am based in UK but you may arrange to a get a DVD with all 17 videos from a group working towards improving road safety in Pune. I will pass on more details if you wish, let me know. The DVD is sent out on a not-for-profit basis.
In Pune the DVD has been played in mute and used to train drivers of IT companies, including Wipro. An NGO in Punjab has picked up 40 DVDs (2 for each district). Recently an RTA officer has arranged to show the DVD in waiting room of the RTO in Hazira (what a unique but simple way forward). Pune bus transport drivers are also to be trained using the DVD (17 minutes out of 60 are translated to Marathi).
Good luck with your project.
ASJ
mcadambi - 8 February, 2009 - 06:57
Details of How to get a copy of the Driver Education DVD
asj - 8 February, 2009 - 08:32
This link will provide all details.
http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dcmq89nq_11gkghnr9n
If any one has difficulties, please do get in touch with me and I will do all I can to resolve the issue.
Please do look up the FAQ that goes with the DVD as it looks at number of myths like - Western roads are more disciplined because they have less population, less cars, these rules do not apply to India, these videos apply only to cars and not two wheelers.....all wrong dogmatic beliefs which need to be challenged by one and all.
Anyone dealaing with RTA/RTO - there is also a 170 question interactive road safety quiz designed with the idea that we start mandatory driving theory test. The test needs to be downloaded separately and works off-line.
ASJ
narayan82 - 7 February, 2009 - 10:53
VeeraCS - its a very commendable idea. I think the whole approach of "reduce" as opposed "Increase" is what we are in a dire need of. Right now the govt. is only increasing (Road Widht, busses, autos, cars....etc)...but what we really need is to "reduce" all these.
To me, Auto Drivers seem less forthcoming. I would hope I am wrong - but somehow its very rare to see a courteous and willing auto driver (I have experienced a few.) To me, changing this can change a lot in Bangalore. In fact, why not introduce "Share" autos - where if more than one person wants to go to Say M G road - the auto driver can take 3 passengers instead of 1 - sharing the cost.
I've always wanted to do an experiment and I am still game. I would like to dawn the job of an Auto Rickshaw for 1 day ( 9 am to 9 PM) and hopefully I will be joined by others, so we can actually findout how much an Auto Driver spends/earns in one day. One wouldnt be sufficient we would require a team operating in different parts of the city to get a fair idea.
Narayan Gopalan
User Interaction Designer
Bangalore
Namma - Auto - how to reduce pollution?
javajee - 7 February, 2009 - 12:35
Please let me know how I can get involved. Here is my dream:
Auto customers should get air and noise pollution free ride and professional treatment, at the same time the drivers get a professional treatment. In short: get the damn silencer working, cover the 'em on both sides and treat 'em fair.
Where can I find details on autorikshaw regulations issued by dept of transport? Some day an entrepreneur will nail the problem like an young entrepreneur has done in Bihar:http://coolbihari.blogspot.com/2007/02/cycle-rickshaw-project-samman.html
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