|
Friday, July 31, 2009
Rants & Raves - Maniacs on the roadsSo, well, the website is up and running. You can certainly dispute
the "running" since there is hardly much stuff on it. But then like I say in here, "it will grow by fits and
starts"...
Very well then. So what do I talk about? There are of course topics by the dozen, genres by the
bucketfuls... Politics? Films? Books? Travel? Finance? Life, maybe? Okay, here's what: I will get to better, more uplifting
topics later. For now, let me hold forth on one of my pet peeves--pouring molten lead: the unmitigated disasters that
drive on the roads of Delhi... no, make that India.
Most drivers on the roads of our dear nation haven't a clue
about driving--their skill being very categorically limited to starting up the engine, pushing the clutch, shifting the gear
and letting go after that. The likely response from these worthies, when pointed out, would run something like these:
"Indicators? What are they? Lanes? Eh? Where on earth are these things? Traffic lights? What do you mean, 'traffic
lights!'... oh, you mean one has to go by their changing colours? I always thought they were bad copies of disco lights...
and hey, why should I go by what others tell me? India is a free country. And listen, do not tell me about high beams and
low beams at night! I need to see where I am going... what do you mean by saying my headlights blind drivers
coming on the opposite track? They have to fend for themselves, and in any case, such wimps can wear dark glasses! And don't
go on and on about 'right of way'! I haven't heard of this thing in my life and moreover, there is no need for me to know
either. So there!"
Well, there you are. That's the attitude rife on our roads. But you take one of these urban
souls and plonk him on the roads of a country like, purely as an example, Singapore, and see him transform. Bloom, literally.
He will mutate before your very eyes into a paragon of driving, following each rule meticulously, obeying the law of the land,
with no random creativity streaks hampering such compliance. Why? Of course, you know that: He knows deep inside, that a rule-break
will be costly, and that there is no escape.
Meandering along, this leads us to implementation of the law. It is
not that we do not have laws--we have plenty, perhaps more than we need--it is just that we know--know--that we can
get away with it most of the times.
There is of course plenty more to say... but time, that constantly moving ticker,
has moved on and so do I need to... but there will be more. Till then, adios.
Fri, July 31, 2009 | link
|
