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| When will we learn?
All of us have been through this mess everyday in our life and I see no change. Our country is becoming modern, but I see the same state of affairs on the road. We all want to blame the government, civic authorities, police, etc. for all the mess. But how can we shy away from the mess that we ourselves are creating. Traffic on the roads in not a problem in India alone. Look at this photograph in Japan...
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| Tokyo traffic
Why is that driving is so stressful on Indian roads? The reason is because of chaos. Reason given, "There is lot of traffic. So do any jugaad and reach where you have reach" You will drive on wrong side. You will cut lanes like crazy. You will shout at some else trying to follow traffic rules. You will ride your bike on footpath. In fact, you will be uncouth, arrogant and rude when you are on the road. I feel this is because we have a cultural aberration which has occurred over last many decades and now it has become the norm. Way you drive shows your culture. If you look at the photograph of this road in Tokyo you can find enormous traffic. But all cars keep the lane, leave gaps between them and show patience. That shows you are respecting others. You are accepting others have as much right to have a safe journey on the road as you have. In India we completely lack this. Respect for others is completely absent. Fact of the matter, this was not our culture. We were a far more disciplined lot . So people blame on population. Fact of the matter is population is not the reason. Population density of Tokyo is 6200 per sq.km where as of Bangalore is 4400 per sq.km.
What do we lack on road?
Indian roads have become a night mare because of reasons I have stated above.
Discipline
We lack discipline. I find same people who have lack of discipline in your home land, very religiously follow traffic rule and are disciplined on the road else where. They will praise that nation, but fact of the matter is he/she does not show the same discipline in his/her home land. Discipline is something which has to be en-grained within everyone. I feel initially this will require a stick behind you. There need to be penal action for lack of discipline on the road. Law enforcement is a weak area in India and this needs to be given utmost importance.Government is trying to take steps in right direction(https://www.news18.com/news/auto/post-amendments-in-motor-vehicle-act-heres-what-the-new-fines-for-traffic-violations-are-1277862.html). But penal code amendments will not help unless there is meticulous law enforcement. It is not number of vehicles on the road which is making driving stressful, but it is lack of discipline. Anyone may come on wrong side, will jump the signal, will cut the lane appear suddenly for no where, etc.
Respect of fellow citizen and civic sense
Everyone is so engrossed in their own goals, they fail to respect a fellow citizen. Civic sense is nothing but social ethics. Let us accept that we are completely devoid of civic sense. Civic sense comes out of consideration for others in the society. It is not just about you. When we lack civic sense, we end up in a cow boy land where by using hook or crook you can get your things done. I see so many fights and arguments on the road, which shows that our unending egos and prejudices are being showered upon others. When will we learn to respect a fellow citizen. He is also an Indian, just as you are. I see children slogging out learning equations and formulas, and God knows what all. But nobody is teaching them civic sense. What are your duties as a citizen, what is social ethics that you have to follow as a citizen. I was going through an article on Japanese Education System and came across this Japan’s Education Ministry says its goal is to “cultivate student’s morality, including moral mentality, judgment, engagement, and attitude” through all the educational activities in school. This includes orderliness, mindfulness, hard work, fairness, harmony, – in relationships and with nature" It is responsibility of every parent, school teacher and elderly citizens to inculcate social ethics and morality. But sad part is Indian society is training their next generation for a race where social ethics andegalitarian thoughts are given least importance. If somebody is expecting discipline on road to be fixed in isolation, without fixing the root cause which is to make citizens understand what is civic sense, we are getting it wrong.
Value your life and others life
See the link below on statistics of fatal accidents
I feel statistics is appalling and we all need to be ashamed!!!
I see many driving without putting helmets. Drive on wrong side because they want to avoid taking a U-turn. Over speed on congested city roads. For all of this there is only one explanation. We are not treasuring our lives. Neither do we treasure others lives. Reason given is again population. Tokyo has high density of population but everyone treasures their life and others too. When will we stop blaming and start acting.
Understand that we are lacking discipline, civic sense, social etiquette and hence our nation is in such a bad state. Each and every one of us are responsible for where we are as a nation. So let us stop getting away blaming politicians, government, etc. All these are representatives of same society we all belong to. When society has better values politicians will have better values. Change needs to happen ground up, for which we have to accept first of all that we lack discipline, civic sense and many other attributes which a good citizen should have.
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