[Abhijat]

Here are my very honest opinions about Indian Roads and the people who drive on those roads.

1. I feel we are in some kind of imperial age there is so much disparity among the rich and the poor.

2. There is nothing but brute force car muscle thats used to make way, break lanes and honk.

3. When i see people drive and a lot of them are wrong by choice or fate, i just pity the people who drive on the roads (me included, hence i just keep away from driving as much as i can).

4. I just feel very uncomfortable when someone honks repeatedly something i am now getting over.

5. I myself do not know till how long these symptoms of staying away from driving are going to last with me.

6. I have also seen people scratch (with a stone) and intentionally bump/hit our 2 family cars.

Last but not least i just love my country India and everyone i know here, its my home.

I feel proud, how almost every super car is becoming available in India from the nano to the bentleys, it gives me great pride in what Tatas have done (nano to land rover).

What i am saying is very simple no matter the advances we might make as an economy, i seriously doubt our growth as a society.

I also read some of the other guys here on the forum feel similar if not the same level of irritation in their every day street experiences.

My question is simple do you feel anything is ever going to change? and exactly how?

[speedmiester]

Welcome to the team, buddy!!

This is India, this is how it is and you have to go by it(sadly)
Well what can you expect if every TD & H can get a license to drive in our country just by bribing a few officials.

With lack of basic common sense and traffic rules, the situation is not going to improve anytime in the future. Till then, keep ur fingers crossed, pray to every god you know and drive safely.

[aaggoswami]

I feel that nothing is going to change. Before 20 years, truck drivers were the worst, but now they have shown improvement ( at least in Gujarat they have shown ). But as far car diving and car owners are concerned, nothing is going to improve. It will be just getting worse. Its not that someone does not have the right to drive, but then disciplined driving is important wheather one is in 800/Nano or Safari or CRV.

When it comes to discipline, the things look down. Almost no one has any driving sense. I could end up writing up long post about the incidences and criticizing them, but it has no point.

The precise answer as per me is that things wont improve. Never, and they will get worse than what we have today.

[vikram_d]

Things will definitely improve but this will happen only when cops are paid enough by the government and they dont have to depend on bribes. And also when there are enough cops.

[anupmathur]

Originally Posted by vikram_d

Things will definitely improve but this will happen only when cops are paid enough by the government and they dont have to depend on bribes. And also when there are enough cops.

Since this is NEVER going to happen in our great democracy, I agree with the following:

Originally Posted by aaggoswami

The precise answer as per me is that things wont improve. Never, and they will get worse than what we have today.

[greenhorn]

unfortunately, the more things change, the more they stay the same......

[shankar.balan]

Hi Abhijat,
I appreciate all that you have said in your post and completely empathise.

To change things around us, we all have to contribute actively in some measure.
If we ourselves, as members on this Forum, were to adopt best practices while driving, I do believe, over time it would help change matters.

This might seem futile because we may think what difference is it going to make etc.
However, while it is also true that each of us is individually only one drop in an ocean, if we all make a silent pact with ourselves and practice this, then collectively we will make a difference.

Its easy for all of us to criticize - but just stop for a moment and think what we personally have done to make things better - however small the effort may seem and however futile, lets just try and do it - and lets see the difference over some time!

I also feel deeply about the disparities which we see every day around us - maybe for some of us here buying a new 8-12 lac car is not a big deal, but when we stop to think about the other less fortunate people around us who may not have even the funds to buy a bicycle to transport their whole family, then it makes one sit up and get real.

Since Charity begins at home, it would be nice if all of us on the forum were to try in our own small ways, to look after the people we come into contact with daily, at our homes and our offices, in the form of those who serve us in various ways. Our maids, domestic help, office attendants, security guards, less fortunate people around our neighbourhoods, etc etc.

This may seem a little idealistic and like preaching etc etc, but I do believe strongly that we can make a difference - all it needs is that we all do what we can or feel capable of doing, to make things around us just a little better.

Just for a moment or two each day, lets stop thinking solely of ourselves. Thats all it takes IMHO!

[diabloo]

Are Salary & Corruption related? Does higher salary mean less corruption?

Originally Posted by vikram_d

Things will definitely improve but this will happen only when cops are paid enough by the government and they dont have to depend on bribes. And also when there are enough cops.

One up coming minister had declared 3 crores of assets in 2004 election. In 2008, his assets jumped to 100 crores . I guess 3 crores was less money. Lets wait till next election, even 100 crores would be less

[esteem_lover]

Probably take a million years for us to evolve. A lot of us talk, but never do. this is where we are doomed.

[shankar.balan]

i agree
lets make that silent pact with ourselves and DO rather than talk then!

Originally Posted by esteem_lover

Probably take a million years for us to evolve. A lot of us talk, but never do. this is where we are doomed.

[aaggoswami]

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

Hi Abhijat,
I appreciate all that you have said in your post and completely empathise.

To change things around us, we all have to contribute actively in some measure. ...
Thats all it takes IMHO!

Originally Posted by esteem_lover

Probably take a million years for us to evolve. A lot of us talk, but never do. this is where we are doomed.

What you guys are talking about is this: Putting a drop of ink in a ravaging ocean. It has no meaning at all. Accept a reality that the things wont improve and will get bad.
An example:
At a jucntion there wasnt any cop but signals were working. AFter spotting a red signal, I stopped ( I was doing 20kmph on Bajaj Spirit ). Someone on Unicorn rammed into my vehicle.
Why ? Generally people dont stop if the signals are woking but there isnt any cop in sight. I followed the rule and ended up repairing taillight and silencer. So now I avoid that route and dont stop if others dont stop else I cant afford to everytime repair the vehicle at own cost.

[shankar.balan]

There is no need to look at things with so much negativity pal.
You might find it is better to live with a little hope rather than condemn everything out of hand.
Agreed it is frustrating and terrible and all that - after all I go through very similar situations almost daily.
But we have to start somewhere, sometime if we are to make a difference!
Its a bit like the great indian middle class/ professional class not bothering to exercise their right of franchise thinking it is never going to make a difference.
All I say is, lets make a small effort to do our bit. No harm in trying one's best, whether it makes a visible difference in this lifetime or not.

Originally Posted by aaggoswami

What you guys are talking about is this: Putting a drop of ink in a ravaging ocean. It has no meaning at all. Accept a reality that the things wont improve and will get bad.
An example:
At a jucntion there wasnt any cop but signals were working. AFter spotting a red signal, I stopped ( I was doing 20kmph on Bajaj Spirit ). Someone on Unicorn rammed into my vehicle.
Why ? Generally people dont stop if the signals are woking but there isnt any cop in sight. I followed the rule and ended up repairing taillight and silencer. So now I avoid that route and dont stop if others dont stop else I cant afford to everytime repair the vehicle at own cost.

[aaggoswami]

@shankar.balan:
I am ready to start and infact i had started right back on June 29, 2002 when I got my first vehicle, bajaj Spirit.
But the sheer cost of making a difference is something we cant afford.
The indian middle class does want to exercise their right, but in India, they have to pay a price which they cant afford.
I am one of them, fortunately or unfortunately, its upto you.


OT: When I park my bike at college, I make it a point that I must park with the headlight facing the road and not fence. This is so because I can easily and safely take out bike and ride. But again people here would mess up with my RVM ( most of the two wheelers dont have RVMs ) if parked in this manner. I ended up parking like common man becasue I cant afford to every time adjust the RVM ( which possibly offer very least vision and are difficult to adjust for getting the optimum vision. ).

So I now cant afford to go agianst the flow. I am now not myself when I am on the road, so I have reduced travelling and driving car. I used to ride 1000km in city, now its 200km. Stopped driving car.

[Sam Kapasi]

I COMPLETELY agree with shankar.balan.

At the risk of sounding like I'm preaching or that I'm holier (I'm not) - Gandhiji said

Be the change you want to see.

I'm not waiting for India to change. I'm busy changing myself and the things around me. For example

1. I feel we are in some kind of imperial age there is so much disparity among the rich and the poor.

Yes, we are a new country and we have a lot of people and some get rich and money begets more money. We have loopholes in taxes and no social security.
That just skims the top of our problems.

But you do your bit. Pay all your taxes, don't cheat anyone and take out a little time and money to help those who don't have any. Maybe a few more will do it and that's a huge step forward isn't it?

2. There is nothing but brute force car muscle thats used to make way, break lanes and honk. - Fine then. Don't join in and don't give in. Keep your sanity and your calm. Drive like a gentleman, no matter what happens around you.
Maybe a few more will do it and that's a huge step forward isn't it?

3. When i see people drive and a lot of them are wrong by choice or fate, i just pity the people who drive on the roads (me included, hence i just keep away from driving as much as i can).
Why pity the people that drive on the roads? Working, living, eating, driving to work - all are choices, aren't they?
I mean we could all sell our homes in the cities and go and live in a small village with hardly any cars, couldn't we?
We could find alternate means to driving can't we? You exercise your choices too. You CHOOSE not to drive right?

We choose to live the way we do. Don't pity the people. Just hope that they can change the way you want to.

4. I just feel very uncomfortable when someone honks repeatedly something i am now getting over.
Yes. I do understand. My girlfriend finds it annoying and rude and unnecessary.
I don't entirely agree.

Unlike the developed nations in Europe that have had cars and proper designated roads for decades, fewer people and a more stable, even economy, we are very underdeveloped and new in comparison.
When there are no more cyclewallahs, stray dogs, children playing cricket on our roads and bullock carts delivering ice wrapped up in sawdust and pedestrian crossings and subways are in abundance, then we can start of having horn free driving. Otherwise, I like my horn. Honk honk.

5. I myself do not know till how long these symptoms of staying away from driving are going to last with me.
As long as you choose for them to.

6. I have also seen people scratch (with a stone) and intentionally bump/hit our 2 family cars.
Yes, I believe this is a mixture of envy, (since most people that vandalize your cars can almost never afford them) boredom (since most people that vandalize your car almost have nothing else to do at the moment) and a general sense of civic disdain.

It's unfortunate and I'd hate it if someone purposely vandalized my car. But at the back of my mind, I know why it's happening.

I'm going to park my car in the best possible places and take the best possible care of it. And hope that that there are other people like me who are busy changing themselves and the life around their micro universe.

I don't want to sit around and wait for India to change. Who will it change for? Me?

What you guys are talking about is this: Putting a drop of ink in a ravaging ocean. It has no meaning at all. Accept a reality that the things wont improve and will get bad.

Fine my friend. This is your opinion and we must respect it.

And let us hypothetically assume everyone here accepts your opinion that India is hopeless and things will not improve and will only get worse.

Then what?

[jango]

Originally Posted by vikram_d

Things will definitely improve but this will happen only when cops are paid enough by the government and they dont have to depend on bribes. And also when there are enough cops.

Completely agree with Vikram. As long as the Govt sector employees are under paid, corruption will still be in our system..

In most developed countries cops are the ones who are higly paid. Imagine in india a constable has to maage his wholle family with a sal of 7-10K every month. what else can we expect out of him ??