Waah re India! — Traff.i.cking

So here I was on my way to have one last Brunch at Shyam before Uttarayan. The place is nearly half a mile away from where I stay. It takes around 3 minutes to reach there on bike but those 3 minutes can give you a taste of what “Indian” driving is all about!

I averted two accidents because it was their fault and they averted three because it was mine.

Neither the other civilians nor me gave a fuck about traffic rules. But on that day, the routine was about to change. At the last turn to the destined point, I saw four traffic policemen standing by the road side. They were instructing civilians to park their vehicles properly and it seemed the aura spread to the shop-keepers as well for they too were instructing their customers to have their vehicles parked accordingly. It became pretty certain when Mukeshbhai (to whom we act as customers almost daily) gave us a *do-as-they-say* for *they’ll-be-gone-very-soon-don’t-worry* look. So for a change, we parked our vehicles properly.

But then as we sat having our Brunch looking at how animated Mukeshbhai was as he directed a few more incoming customers to act their role of being good civilians today, I felt real sick about me and all the other Indians not following traffic laws. It seemed India can be like any other country in following traffic guidelines if policemen gave enough shit. And on that day, they were giving enough shit! They did impact a small lot of shop-keepers and us by their presence alone.

The question is, why don’t we keep doing it consistently and be responsible civilians? Be responsible drivers instead of being someone who uses Driving License more as an Identity Proof? What is it that keeps us away from laws and vulnerable to accidents? Why is that when a policeman acts honestly with you and tells you to do something, you don’t respond back with honesty?

Here I was asking myself all these questions looking at a policeman who acted honestly with me! He had his gaze on a man driving a scooter who was talking on his mobile phone while driving — clearly a law was broken. When you see such a driver who has his mind somewhere else rather than where it should be, you get a feeling that an accident is about to happen. But it was not going to happen on that day because there was an honest policeman who was about to stop him and fine him for his recklessness. He was probably waiting for the man to reach to his duty point. I also noticed the law-breaker slowing down. By then, he must have realized that he was in big trouble and obviously didn’t want to get into more! And finally he stopped next to the policeman because he told him to. I was about to witness the first honest act by a traffic policeman but then something ordinary happened, something that I witness everyday! The law-breaker hopped down and greeted that policeman — an action with which the booming responsible Indian inside me also greeted to death. I got all my answers and reasons about Indians being poor at obeying traffic laws.

Honesty without equality can not really be called honesty!

The policeman being honest with me just because I wasn’t one of his relatives is simply unacceptable! It’s about being consistent and about putting his country, the traffic laws, his job above everything else and in that order.

So here I am once again on Jan 26, 2012 — the Republic day and as I scribble these words, I’m on my way to Railway Station in an auto-rickshaw. The driver cleared 8 km in 10 min through heavily trafficked area of the city averting a head-on hit at every turn because I am in a hurry!

Waah re India, Sorry re India !_!