There Is'nt a Way out of our Traffic Problems!!

Some of my friends asked about a way out to the rising and pending Traffic problems in our country in general and metros' in particular. Some even suggested effective implementation of traffic rules will be a solution. Yes implementation is vital after a thorough project proposal is made. But, I know I will be a devil's advocate here being a pessimist rather an optimist.

Lets look at the scenario from the traffic rule violator, First pops out is our own, Auto Wallah, isn't it? This guy is known to break every rule written in a Traffic Regulations book. Here are some snapshots as to how they behave/violate traffic:

• When no passenger is available he snails the auto in the middle of the road
• When ferrying passengers he barges into every available space on the road
• Parks his auto erratically at bus-stops
• Slows down suddenly at his own whim
• Cuts through traffic as if he is on a DO-NUT performance Stint
• Does not care a damn to honking of horns from behind

Now we see this regularly, what we don't see is why he behaves this way, take a look:

• Most of the Auto's are hired on a daily basis for more than Rs 350/- a day
• Gasoline/Motor Spirit charges extra
• Has to pay Mamool(Bribe) to traffic police in his area to run his auto
• Has to earn as much as can in the 12 hour stint on the road which is very difficult
• Unless he makes Rs 500/- per day he cant earn a meagre Rs 3000/- a month
• Has responsibility on his shoulders too, which adds to his erratic traffic behaviour
• Too many Auto's plying in a limited area makes competition cut-throat to survive

Lastly, He is not Well-Educated, we see 7th pass, 10th Fail, Inter discontinued drivers mostly. Very few are graduates and they are very few to count.

Others who violate the traffic rules are

• Road Transport Bus drivers
• Teenagers who zip through traffic
• Non-Licence holders driving vehicles on borrowed basis include(servants of shop owners, staff of service providers like financiers, money lenders, plumbers, mechanics,carpenters,flower merchants, vegetable vendors, electricians and other petty businessmen)
• Girls, Women - Yes Majority of Girls who drive Scooty+, Activa, drive without a helmet and without proper driving skills which makes their driving dangerous for them and fellow commuters
• Truck drivers - We omit them here because they are not allowed to ply between 6 a.m through to 11 p.m in city/suburbs

Now having said this, Effective implementation of the traffic rules need to be addressed. But How? We have answers but do we have a implementation mechanism in place? The answer is Straight NO!

Under powered Staff of the traffic department. On an Average a traffic cop at a busy junction has to control 1000 vehicles per hour for 8 hours. Pedestrians excluded! Apart from manning traffic and regulating it, he also has to book cases on account of helmet-less, licence-less,RC-less, Pollution Certificate-less, Insurance-less violators who come into his junctions' jurisdiction at the same time be freely available to breathe Carbon Monoxide Gases, Nitrogen Oxides emanating from Vehicles and get prone to respiratory disorders at a later stage of his/her life.

How about Awareness to individuals plying on the roads? Can we do that? Still NO!!

Perhaps no one told us that if we are pedestrians we are also liable to abide by the rules of the Road! Huh, How many are even aware that walking on the road is a Right too! Roads are owned by the Government, Roads and Buildings department. Now who will go and explain a pedestrian that he/she should only cross the road when the signal is green for him/her to do so and Not erratically crossing the road even when the vehicles from the opposite direction are coming onto him/her? Who will implement a Common Minimum Program sort of a rule to all the Road Users barring emergency services like, Ambulance, Fire Brigade, Police, VVIP’s Vehicles that they have to strictly follow the rules or face severe penalty coupled with punishment of losing the licence/ seizure of the vehicle etc., We have come across some novel mechanisms from the Traffic department that violators will have to attend compulsory classes on road sense and traffic behaviour, but how much is drilled down into his/her head after the class?

We all know that if we are caught, we can do away with our offence by paying some penalty either through negotiation or through proper channel(e-seva), but is the penalty big enough from barring us committing the same offence once again? Take a look:

• Rs 200/- for driving a vehicle with temporary number plate
• Rs 100/- for Helmet Less Travel
• Rs 150/- for travelling without proper documents
• Rs 1000/- for not having a licence and registration papers

Among these entire offences look at the penalty involved. Today I pay, tomorrow I manage to escape is the attitude of many offenders. Moreover you can ask to pay in cash and not need a receipt and get the penalty amount to a paltry Rs 50/- and get away with the offence.

If the Tree is Rotten, finding fault with the fruit is not the answer.

Lets contribute and figure out how???