Road Sense & Traffic Management in India It was in 1977 that I got my first car driving license at Nairobi, Kenya. In India I had a license for twowheeler, which was nothing but recognition of the fact that I could ride a bicycle. In Nairobi, I joined the driving school run by Automotive Association (AA) of Kenya. With extremely methodic and stringent application of driving rules the teaching was no less than the one they would have in UK at that time. The foremost concerns while teaching driving were safety of others on the road, the strict adherence to “Right of Way”, and ensure that you do not cause inconvenience to others on the road. If you go to any African country you are likely to see this being followed more than anywhere in India. While we may be somewhat concerned about safety on the road we just do not have the sense of “Right of Way” and inconvenience to others is certainly not on our agenda at all. “Me first” is the motto on the road. I am reminded of a lady inspector of RTO of Nairobi who made a caustic remark to me while taking the driving test. After seeing a truck coming from a long distance, I thought it was safe enough by Indian standards to join the road. I failed the test first time with a comment “You Asians, you do not allow anybody to go ahead of you. You should have let the truck pass.” I can never forget that. I was fortunate to have learnt car driving in Nairobi. Everyone can not be. We have all the rules of British era on paper as in case of the British ruled African countries. But we do not observe any of them virtually. Forget the citizens; even our traffic police are likely to be unaware of some of the rules. Police and municipal corporation vehicles coming head on going in wrong direction on the road is very common sight in Pune. We have utter chaos on the roads and if one has to start changing any of that it is difficult to pick the starting point. But here is an attempt to suggest the top priority actions which may reduce indiscipline on the road and take care of most flagrant violations on the road. Ten Commandments on the Road: 1. Define Major Roads: We have no definition of a major road and cross or side road. Fundamentals dictate that while joining the main road from side road, one has to give way to traffic coming from right and enter the road
only when it is clear and safe. At such joints there is a solid white line across left half of the road till the centre line and clearly written “STOP”. In Africa also this is followed religiously. This enables the traffic on main road move speedily without unexpected hindrances from left side. It is for traffic & roads department to identify and draw such lines and educate people about it. This is to be done everywhere in the city and not just a few main roads. Bangalore has well laid out colonies with main roads and cross roads very well defined every where. It will be very easy to implement this in Bangalore. 2. Right of Way: We have hardly any definitions of “Right of Way” as seen on the road. The traffic on the main road, vehicles in the round about, vehicles going up the hill, vehicles on junction box, pedestrians at designated places, any one ahead of you and lots of other situations are clearly stipulated to have right of way in the rules and regulations which are either unknown or unpublicized for educating public. In Pune, suddenly so many junction boxes have been painted with crossed yellow strips at huge costs. But no body has bothered to tell public what is the purpose. In some places whole “chowk” is full of yellow crossed strips making a mockery of purpose. As per my little knowledge, these junction boxes signify that do not enter the box if there is already a vehicle in the box, or enter the box only if it is clear. This avoids any accidents. This is impossible to follow in huge sections of the roads, and junctions with high traffic density like in Pune. It should be made more meaningful and feasible to follow. 3. Road Markings: Educate public about single solid line, double solid line, left line broken and right line solid, right line broken and left line solid running though the center along the road. Confused? Theses line define the right of way and when followed would avoid head on collisions during overtaking. Even with a solid line running through the middle of the road, we take right turns crossing the line! 4. We Encourage Indiscipline: In four lane roads, extreme left and right lanes are always fully occupied by the road side vendors, haphazardly parked tempos and hand carts, buses, auto rickshaws etc. In the absence of adequate number of openings for Uturns, these extreme lanes are also used for driving in wrong directions to reach destination faster. So the extreme left and the extreme right lanes have twoway traffic in each of them. This leaves effectively only two central lanes for twoway traffic. Even cars are driven in wrong directions in these extreme lanes. There is nobody to
challenge them. We take pride in jumping rules & signals! In Pune, there have been cases of assault on policemen who caught people flouting rules. 5. Pedestrians Only: Pedestrian crossings are also used by cars and two wheelers to drive across the road posing danger to the people. Two wheelers and cars also cut across the road at unauthorized places posing danger to the main stream traffic violating their right of way. 6. Clear the Views: The solid yellow line on the curb indicates no parking along that portion. However, at signals and turning points vehicles are parked at such places blocking the view for taking turns. 7. Signal Culture: Car driver’s signals to turn left or right are simply ignored by two wheelers who simply zip past without caring for themselves and others on the road. Some give a signal without looking at traffic from rear and go ahead without any consideration for traffic coming from behind which just can’t stop or slow down as they have right of way. 8. Hazardous Drivers: Cars as well as two wheelers take a sudden Uturn on the road unmindful of the traffic on the road. Overtaking from left is very normal. Two wheelers push through narrow passage between cars and the median on the road making car drivers & themselves very vulnerable. 9. Parking Systems: In high density traffic, it is better to have flush parking instead of angular parking which occupies more lane space. People comfortably park angularly even in areas designated as flush parking. There is no education in this aspect. 10.No Entry in Reverse: One should not drive a car in reverse from a side road into the main road. This is neither understood nor followed in India. Some of the above are of mandatory nature but we do not recognize or follow in practice. There are many other rules & regulations in fine print. International tourists, therefore, are not very fond of traveling within India by road, as they do in developed countries and yes in Africa too. “This happens only in India”…. There may be many more situations worth the mention here. But if we can take care of these important regulations we would be better off on the roads which are pathetic in any case. Want to make a Shanghai of Mumbai or Bremen of Pune? Aha!!!
Watch out for this space on what can we do about this. Vijay M. Deshpande Corporate Advisor, Strategic Management Initiative, Pune September 04, 2009 Scroll down for my other blogs Or visit www.strami.com