Unethical parking..

Chennai is buzzing with big traffic these days and we can't escape the clutches of congestion irrespective of the ways we take to reach our destinations. There has been a common voice among the people of the city that has started sounding louder lately against the Traffic policemen, who, in an attempt to make Chennai a traffic-free city, took exactly the wrong course and made Chennai a city full of one-way roads. Thus, if you are a Chennaiite and if you wish to travel from Guindy bus stop to Adyar malar hospital, it is no more an easy task like what it used to be few months back. You are not supposed to take the straight road that connects these two places. Instead, you are required to travel straight towards Saidapet and take a right turn, which would bring you back to the straight road that connects Guindy junction to Adyar. This means instead of followin one edge of the triangular path, you would be diverted to take the longest route from one point to the another on this triangular setup and this incurs you loss of time, fuel, energy and most of all, health. If you have the heart to put a halt for piling up disheartening facts which have been given room by improper planning process carried on by the traffic policemen and consider the imperfectionists within ourselves, we can design so many ways to evade the traffic problems that are posing extreme discomfort to the public. I happened to catch the view of a bike that was parked right at the middle of the road parellal to my street last night. It was one of the busiest roads in the locality that has dedicated all its space for residential complexes. Initially, I thought it belongs to a policeman since the rules had been changed (AGAIN) and the street had been turned into a one-way. Indian policemen have the habit of using their bikes, registered to Government, as barricades to prevent the entry of vehicles into certain streets. Later, I realized it belongs to a man who was so sincere to the person who called up to his mobile phone. While this man was busy with his conversation over the phone, I found 3 cars standing one behind the other, waiting for this mobile man to show some generosity towards them. After having a glance at the chaos that was about to be created at that place, he turned away to concentrate more on the conversation. After few seconds, there was a complete congestion on the street because of the blockade dropped in by these 3 cars in the front. As a result, the adjoining main road suffered a big congestion that led to a big inconvenience to all those who decided to pay a visit to the area. Thus, a small irresponsible act could lead to a big hassle in the environment surrounding the cause. Thus, being responsible isn't a choice. That is the rule to be followed by not only the policemen but also by every single person who is called a citizen.

Road behaviors become rude behaviors..

Driving has become a tough job for those who regularly take on the roads of Chennai. With more than 65 million vehicles, the roads in Chennai have become completely cramped and even motorcyclists can't make a way out of the congestion. Traffic police department of Chennai is struggling a lot to bring the increasing traffic under control and their desperation is blatantly reflected by their action of making two-way roads into one-ways. But, the purpose is not served yet. This attempt of the police department has in fact become another reason for the city's traffic to grow bigger. While that is the part of the policemen in adding inconvenience to the society, some people also have bigger roles in building up the annoying congestion, especially when working people are hurrying up to their workplaces in the morning. It was 9.30 A.M and went to an ATM to check my balance in the savings account. After my job was done, I came out and found the far end of the street getting too congested, as you can see in the picture above. It wasn't a one-way and thus, vehicles giving ways for those on the other side of the road isn't a big problem though the road appeared quite narrow. But, that wasn't the cause for the congestion. It was a 2-way and the maroon car was being driven by a moron, who lacked even the basic common sense and parked the car right at the middle of a narrow 2-way road. I had all the time in the world to wait there to watch the other vehicles honking their horns like never before. My mobile phone wasn't too busy and I used it to make a permanent record of the scene that was going on in front of my eyes. As soon as I completed the photo session, the driver came out and pulled the car to the roadside. Just take a look at the maroon car to the righ in the picture. The driver had almost occupied half the width of the already narrow road to park the car. Doesn't it appear like a 3-lane road with a red car trying to break the congestion and enter the street while the moron's maroon car stand right at the middle of the road and the black car was parked at the place where it was supposed to be parked? If an insensitive idiot could cause such a congestion even in a street that is comparatively smaller than the other busy roads in Chennai, I couldn't imagine the impact of such irresponsible brutes who proclaim to be drivers, on the busier streets of the city which is building fast upon its traffic everyday. If these people can understand the basic driving rules and the sense of making the roads traffic-free by following proper lane disciplines, a major part of the traffic in Chennai can be avoided. I don't wish to take the policemen to the task all the time. I want to point to the part of mistake that lies on the side of the public. Either the policemen should be efficient and strictly follow the rules of the department or the people should understand the basic needs to avoid congestion. Situations on the roads of Chennai with people steaming under the hot sun for hours together due to heavy traffic would be the result if the policemen are totally inefficient and incapable and the people are hesitant to stay closer to the rules.