[prasadka]

While driving to Coimbatore from Bangalore, I stopped for breakfast at Adyar AnandaBhavan on the highway. I had a driver next to me- I was driving (from one of those agencies that contract drivers in Bangalore), who said, let us take a right turn it is only hundred metres. I flatly refused and spoke to a gentleman at the restaurant on where is the next "u turn" - he says " saar summa right thirumbi ponga saar 100 metre dhaan onnum aagaadhu" roughly translates to - "dont drive all the way round, just go on the wrong side of the divider it is only 100m".

I left wondering, if I can drive 350km from Bangalore to Coimbatore,can I not drive an extra 2km?

I think this is where complacency begins, people somehow have a feeling that a mistake done for a short duration, is alright, because, "hopefully" there will be no mishaps.

I somehow was thinking that it is awareness that was lacking, when people do such mistakes, but I somehow have a feeling that it is laziness, that is causing us to break rules. The bloke who advised me to drive on the wrong side of the road, knew perfectly well that it was incorrect to do so, but still advised me. I am certain that if he had a car/any other vehicle, he would have simply driven the hundred metres, on the wrong side of the road.!

Thanks
Prasad

[prince_pervez]

^^ Actually there are people like you who go the extra mile to take that 'U' turn since you want to stick the rules and play safe. And there are people like me who do it because they are **** scared of what might happen if today is not my day. People have got balls I tell you, but at the wrong place. We should send them to the border.

[jassi]

Originally Posted by prince_pervez

^^ Actually there are people like you who go the extra mile to take that 'U' turn since you want to stick the rules and play safe. And there are people like me who do it because they are **** scared of what might happen if today is not my day. People have got balls I tell you, but at the wrong place. We should send them to the border.

Completely agree - now if every traffic violator was sent to the border for a period of time directly proportional to their size of b*lls (read type of violation), we'd have nice safe empty roads and very secure borders

[prasadka]

Mates,

Unfortunately, it is not (blind) courage that sends people taking such risks, it is the confidence that they will not be charged or can get away. If you ensure that people part with money, and a lot of it, then such intentional misbehaviour can be prevented. I know what you've said was in jest, however, if people are lazy to go an additional 2 km, they wont have the mental makeup to survive in the border, against hostile enemy, weather and terrain.

So, I think they are better off paying fines instead

[benbsb29]

After a vacation in Kerala, i am back to driving along the streets of Bangalore. Since the past 2 days, i havent had any need to complain or rant while on my way to work or back.

I am not sure whether to attribute it to the fact that a lot of people are away owing to the long weekends coming together, or if it is because i am more relaxed now back from a vacation. If only this was always the case... with the beautiful weather as well, the city feels really good.

[lohithrao]

My friend its all because of the long weekend/vacations
Just see how things change from next week onwards

Originally Posted by benbsb29

After a vacation in Kerala, i am back to driving along the streets of Bangalore. Since the past 2 days, i havent had any need to complain or rant while on my way to work or back.

I am not sure whether to attribute it to the fact that a lot of people are away owing to the long weekends coming together, or if it is because i am more relaxed now back from a vacation. If only this was always the case... with the beautiful weather as well, the city feels really good.

[prince_pervez]

Originally Posted by prasadka

Mates,

Unfortunately, it is not (blind) courage that sends people taking such risks, it is the confidence that they will not be charged or can get away. I know what you've said was in jest, however, if people are lazy to go an additional 2 km, they wont have the mental makeup to survive in the border, against hostile enemy, weather and terrain.

So, I think they are better off paying fines instead

Ohhhh! Believe you me sir, it is not the fact that nobody is going to catch them doing the illegal act. But they also carry a risk somewhere in their mind that they might land up in an accident. But they still do it. That is why that 'border' thing came up. If they are prepared to drive with their lives on their palms then they can better brave jawans at BSF. Atleast they'll get a medal and loads of appreciation for it.

[Nitin]

Its just a sad thing to see people make such mistakes and then end up taking the lives of innocent individuals.
No wonder most people have the opinion: Wrong-doers should be shot! Survivers should be shot once again!
God help us all!

[ajmat]

Visited Bangkok after 20 years. Believe me- Bangalore is like Bangkok 20 years ago and Bangkok is like Bangalore 20 years ago !

[sabynag]

Originally Posted by prasadka

While driving to Coimbatore from Bangalore, I stopped for breakfast at Adyar AnandaBhavan on the highway. I had a driver next to me- I was driving (from one of those agencies that contract drivers in Bangalore), who said, let us take a right turn it is only hundred metres. I flatly refused and spoke to a gentleman at the restaurant on where is the next "u turn" - he says " saar summa right thirumbi ponga saar 100 metre dhaan onnum aagaadhu" roughly translates to - "dont drive all the way round, just go on the wrong side of the divider it is only 100m".

I left wondering, if I can drive 350km from Bangalore to Coimbatore,can I not drive an extra 2km?

I think this is where complacency begins, people somehow have a feeling that a mistake done for a short duration, is alright, because, "hopefully" there will be no mishaps.

I somehow was thinking that it is awareness that was lacking, when people do such mistakes, but I somehow have a feeling that it is laziness, that is causing us to break rules. The bloke who advised me to drive on the wrong side of the road, knew perfectly well that it was incorrect to do so, but still advised me. I am certain that if he had a car/any other vehicle, he would have simply driven the hundred metres, on the wrong side of the road.!

Thanks
Prasad

Indians, in general, always think short-term. Whatever we think or do is based on the foundation of this short-termism. We are always ready to take unusually high risks for an ultra-short duration but are never willing to take even a moderate risk for a slightly longer duration. We want results NOW. This is why we have more traders than investors in every walk of life - more service companies than product companies, more stock-traders than investors, more people chasing job-oriented courses than research-oriented programs, aam admi prefering lottery tickets to create wealth than to invest, people violating all sorts of civic rules thinking what difference does it make if only I follow the rule etc. etc.

In game theory, there is a very simple explanation for our behavior. Consider this - if all of us are determined not to break the law and maintain high level of civic senses, then all of us will benefit equally from a much better place to live. But if all of you follow the rule while I continue to behave as before (unruly, no civic sense) then I am better off than the rest of the society - I not only get a better place to live but also enjoy a no-compromise lifestyle - my pay-off is much better than yours at your cost. So, it makes every sense for me to break the rule assuming that you are there to follow it. Unfortunately, all Indians are as smart as I am - so everyone follows my path creating this chaos called "India".

When we curse about any civic problem (unruly auto-drivers, stinking garbages everywhere, potholed roads etc. etc.), how many times we also think about a possible solution and how many times we find ourselves as a contributor to our own proposed solution ? Chances are that we never find ourselves into the "solution framework" - We always assign the solution job to someone else, be it govt, police, civic bodies, basically anyone but ourselves. Again the same attitude - what difference can I make ? Do you think govt, police and civic bodies think any different ? After all they are manned by people from us only.

There is a solution for every single civic problem that we Indians are facing today. It is just that we need to be a little less smart for us to implement these solution. Until then, chaos rules !!

[sudharma]

Originally Posted by KRRaj

A biker going in the wrong direction .

Watch this picture of a guy driving in the opposite direction in a one way road because he did not want to go about 100 Mtrs. to take an underpass to the opposite side.

[abhinav.s]

Originally Posted by sabynag

..... In game theory, there is a very simple explanation for our behavior. Consider this - if all of us are determined not to break the law and maintain high level of civic senses, then all of us will benefit equally from a much better place to live. But if all of you follow the rule while I continue to behave as before (unruly, no civic sense) then I am better off than the rest of the society - I not only get a better place to live but also enjoy a no-compromise lifestyle - my pay-off is much better than yours at your cost. So, it makes every sense for me to break the rule assuming that you are there to follow it. Unfortunately, all Indians are as smart as I am - so everyone follows my path creating this chaos called "India".....

Very well put and totally agree with the above. Unless everyone follows the rules and is not as "Smart" as the offenders, we will all have a better place to live in.

[sudharma]

A few of pictures of how we follow traffic rules.
For information purpose only. No offence meant.
Sorry for the quality of pictures taken with Mobile Phone Camera.

[balajird]

What is wrong in the first picture? is it a no parking zone?

[lohithrao]

Originally Posted by balajird

What is wrong in the first picture? is it a no parking zone?

I think that is meant for people to cross the road and am sure parking is allowed on that