by Mehnaz on Dec 13
Driving on Indian roads could be one of your most terrible experiences. Being a driver is a curse in India. It hardly matters whether you are in a Mercedes or Maruti 800. When the roads are jam- packed and filled with chicken-headed people, it really doesn't count on which Ac car you are traveling. Here I am not talking only about the Delhi roads or for that matter other metro cities', roads in UP, Bihar, Haryana etc. apart from few states in north-east states, too are horrible.
There is a subject called Civics which is taught as a part of Social Science in schools. I am damn sure these lot have never ever flipped the pages or attended any class of this particular subject for they consider roads as their drawing rooms. They will try to overtake your vehicle from whichever sides they want to especially the bikers as if they are professional racers (which unfortunately they aren't). In a bid to show off their bikes, yes, the ones with superbikes will surely speed up in a zig-zag manner. They think that with this stupendous act (actually, a stupid one), they can easily impress girls. Well, let me take this opportunity to announce on behalf of all the girls' community that we fully detest these savaged riders from the core of our hearts. Yes, we do!
Honking is another habit which we Indians are proud of. And 'Don't Honk' is the popular tag one must have noticed on most of the vehicles especially on trucks and buses. Nevertheless, the ones whose vehicles flaunt this tag are the ones which indulged into high-decibel honking. I don't understand why these people press their vehicles' horns so brutally when they know that the red light is still on. Perhaps, they don't know the symbolic meaning of red light or is it some other reason, I can only wonder.
I am so used to listening this honking that I asked the taxi driver in Shillong (in my recent visit there) that if there is a ban on honking. He laughed out heartily and told me that patience is the key. Yes, actually, he was right. Unlike people in this part of the country (Yes, Shillong is a part of India that lies in northeast region. And it is the capital of Meghalaya), people in Delhi are so impatient and restless, they are always in a hurry to reach their destination as if they are Obamas, Manmohan or some other VIPs. While in Shillong, people even though stranded in a massive traffic jam, they would never honk or indulged in verbal fights. They are so disciplined that sometimes I am forced to ponder that if these lot are really Indian! I saw a glimpse of disciplined drivers in Bangalore also though I must admit traffic there in miserable. But at least, they are unlike Delhi drivers who start mother-sister gaalis if someone slightly hits their vehicle. The same scenario I witnessed in Bangalore but minus gaalis, they dealt the situation very calmly after parking their respective vehicles on the roadside (Actually, I was expecting spats and blows plus gaalis, however, to my utter surprise, it never happened!)
Well, I learned driving when I was in VII standard. My then instructor would always tell me that drivers should not lose their temper though I am highly short-tempered a person. He would tell me that patience is the word you should always remember. However, when you are in a place like Delhi where people lack civic sense, I hardly can be patient. I get irritated when I see someone driving rashly or breaking traffic rules. But those golden words of my instructor would always struck my mind then I would switched on the Ac at its maximum level and put on some soft music and I would drive on. Thinking that I have to go miles before I sleep, I would tell myself that roads are full of fools and I should not turn into one !(Period)
Driving on Indian roads could be one of your most terrible experiences. Being a driver is a curse in India. It hardly matters whether you are in a Mercedes or Maruti 800. When the roads are jam- packed and filled with chicken-headed people, it really doesn't count on which Ac car you are traveling. Here I am not talking only about the Delhi roads or for that matter other metro cities', roads in UP, Bihar, Haryana etc. apart from few states in north-east states, too are horrible.
There is a subject called Civics which is taught as a part of Social Science in schools. I am damn sure these lot have never ever flipped the pages or attended any class of this particular subject for they consider roads as their drawing rooms. They will try to overtake your vehicle from whichever sides they want to especially the bikers as if they are professional racers (which unfortunately they aren't). In a bid to show off their bikes, yes, the ones with superbikes will surely speed up in a zig-zag manner. They think that with this stupendous act (actually, a stupid one), they can easily impress girls. Well, let me take this opportunity to announce on behalf of all the girls' community that we fully detest these savaged riders from the core of our hearts. Yes, we do!
Honking is another habit which we Indians are proud of. And 'Don't Honk' is the popular tag one must have noticed on most of the vehicles especially on trucks and buses. Nevertheless, the ones whose vehicles flaunt this tag are the ones which indulged into high-decibel honking. I don't understand why these people press their vehicles' horns so brutally when they know that the red light is still on. Perhaps, they don't know the symbolic meaning of red light or is it some other reason, I can only wonder.
I am so used to listening this honking that I asked the taxi driver in Shillong (in my recent visit there) that if there is a ban on honking. He laughed out heartily and told me that patience is the key. Yes, actually, he was right. Unlike people in this part of the country (Yes, Shillong is a part of India that lies in northeast region. And it is the capital of Meghalaya), people in Delhi are so impatient and restless, they are always in a hurry to reach their destination as if they are Obamas, Manmohan or some other VIPs. While in Shillong, people even though stranded in a massive traffic jam, they would never honk or indulged in verbal fights. They are so disciplined that sometimes I am forced to ponder that if these lot are really Indian! I saw a glimpse of disciplined drivers in Bangalore also though I must admit traffic there in miserable. But at least, they are unlike Delhi drivers who start mother-sister gaalis if someone slightly hits their vehicle. The same scenario I witnessed in Bangalore but minus gaalis, they dealt the situation very calmly after parking their respective vehicles on the roadside (Actually, I was expecting spats and blows plus gaalis, however, to my utter surprise, it never happened!)
Well, I learned driving when I was in VII standard. My then instructor would always tell me that drivers should not lose their temper though I am highly short-tempered a person. He would tell me that patience is the word you should always remember. However, when you are in a place like Delhi where people lack civic sense, I hardly can be patient. I get irritated when I see someone driving rashly or breaking traffic rules. But those golden words of my instructor would always struck my mind then I would switched on the Ac at its maximum level and put on some soft music and I would drive on. Thinking that I have to go miles before I sleep, I would tell myself that roads are full of fools and I should not turn into one !(Period)
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