What I learnt in one metro ride that I couldn’t in 9 years!

A possible solution to make odd-even work without paying any monetary fine

The picture above taught me something very simple about a human behaviour. Though we are obsessed about tracking calories at every meal and the next-in-fashion - health bands, we are driven by laziness and not by a healthy lifestyle. When given a healthy and a lazy choice without any immediate fear or loss (money or goods in hand), people always opt for lazy choice.

The odd even formula clicked because of fear of fine and not because people really care about the environment. Car pooling or taking a public transport is not a lazy option! If people really cared about environment, they would continue doing it voluntarily.

A behavioural change can only be brought when something comes for free or when an activity is repeated for a number of days (I have heard it takes 66 days on a trot to inculcate a habit! However, my view is that until it becomes part of subconscious mind, it remains a forced activity!).

I am a fan of the odd-even formula because it is the immediate solution to save the degrading environment. For the first time, there has been an action by the government than a number of conferences to reduce pollution. I always wonder why did RK Pachauri’s Institution win a Nobel Prize!

But it has not at all been easy for me and I haven’t liked it. One day, I am comfortable getting ready for work while the next day I am rushing to reach before 8am. My discipline has gone for a toss and I dislike it to the core. FYI, I live far from the city where neither car pool nor Ubers & Olas operate!

So what could be a possible solution to bring a behavioural change without any financial implication, considering odd-even is continued. Let only odd numbered vehicles on the road for first 15 days of the month (or the whole month) and even numbered for the rest (or next month). It’s easier to have one routine for a fortnight than switching routines on alternate days!

For violators: Any violator caught must drop the car on the spot and collect his car after 8pm (the time when the odd-even formula relaxes for all the cars) from the police station (WITHOUT PAYING ANY FINE). Paying a fine sets you free of the guilt and it doesn’t let the purpose.

Why: To bring a culture of using public transport!

Might be I am selfish to bring a discipline in my life, but if it were to continue I propose the above. Let me know what you think. Let’s talk.