“So, how far is your office from home?” asked my cousin from Gurgaon. I said “it takes me 1.5hr to 2hrs to reach my office”. He smiled back at me and quietly said, “Why do you’ll speak of travel in time and not in distance. I have never heard a Mumbaikar saying, my office is 10km or 15km away. Reply has always been 1hr or 2hrs.”
That got me thinking; why is it so? Why do we Mumbaikars relate to travel in time and not in distance? Outside Mumbai its always about distance. Being a Mumbaikar it is so ingrained in us that we don’t realize the difference.
Three reasons come to my mind:
1. Traffic
2. More traffic
3. More and more traffic
The way I see it, traffic is also of 2 types – circumstantial or people created.
Circumstantial traffic due to infrastructure issues is something we can’t fully control. Yes we can surely bring it to the notice of our authorities but it continues to remain beyond our control.
I feel a good percentage of aamchi Mumbai traffic belongs to latter category – people created.
Ever noticed how the car which has to take the extreme right is always on the left side of your vehicle and vice versa? Or the F1 racer who speeds all the way when the signal is about to turn red?
Breaking signals, taking improper turns, dodging other vehicles, even parking on wrong side does affect us in long run. Sometimes we are at receiving end or sometimes we are the culprit. Taking wrong turns and moving vehicles from all directions will create more fights and signals, accidents are needless to mention. Some of us have no respect for an ambulance as well. We move ahead of ambulance without giving way so we can pass through the traffic. Few of us drive right behind the ambulance so that we can get a free pass!!
Does this happened in other countries? Would we drive the same way there? Maybe not.
Even the less qualified people travel abroad for professional work would follow the country regulations abroad but not in India.
Everyone can’t be the authority but we can help each other. We won’t realize it but helping our city can keep the smile on for all of us. We love tension free parents, smiling husbands, reaching early don’t we. Lets reach safely. Lets reach without any accidents. Driving should excite us and not stress us further!!! Why add, when it already exists in plenty?.
Take care and keep smiling.
So true Maanu….but in Mumbai, people follow traffic rules better than other Indian cities.
Really liked the three reasons for measuring distance in hours;)
Traffic sense in our country is completely missing. Even if you use indicator to take turn, people ignore and overtake you from that very side. Horns are being used without a second thought. Bike riders consider themselves as a John Abraham version from the Dhoom movie, giving a little thought to traffic rules and other drivers.
I can go on….It’s time that things change on Indian roads.
Loved reading and sharing here
I truly agree to what you said… Wish people became more sensitive towards others
Let’s hope so. 🙂
🙂
Increasing traffic is a huge concern and more scientific solutions can only help that.
Ya Anindya… but people show follow also.. educated people behave so weirdly how to tackle that?