Solutions to Traffic Woes?

Posting after a long gap, I am deviating from the themes already started (and I confess pending completion) and attempting to throw some light on why India has such chaotic traffic.

In fact this has been prompted by another blog post by a good friend (http://sanjaymehta.me/2009/11/07/legacies-of-a-shortage-economy/) who attributes these woes largely to the genetic programming governed by generations of a shortage economy. He has described, rather convincingly and creatively, how the need to "grab what is in front of you, because it may not be there later" has led to the attitude on the road as well. While I would tend to agree that past programming may be the genesis, the solution does not lie in waiting for the legacy to be lost from our genes.

Several other factors have led to sustain, or even aggravate the chaos on the roads. Among them are :
- substandard road conditions leading to low average speeds prompting motorists to makeup time wherever possible. Good roads will automatically reduce the stress of driving and make motorists more tolerant. Given a choice most drivers would rather drive without breaking rules. Ofcourse there will a section of errant drivers (see next point)
- lax emforcement of traffic rules. Apart from a few cities like Mumbai, the traffic police in most places dont exert authority and often treated with contempt. If you see others breaking rules and getting away, there is little incentive for you to do so
- lack of knowledge of traffic discipline among motorists. This is a serious issue. A look at the casual process of giving the driver’s license is testimony to the lack of attention given to traffic rules.

A combination of carrot and stick can improve matters considerably.  Given good road conditions to enable people to drive well… and combined with a stringent check on errant drivers can make a big difference. There are other countries as well which have had a turbulent past.... most of the Middle East countries until the 1940s... were not exactly evolved economies. In fact they were even more chaotic. But the UAE has much better traffic discipline - and one of the factors that helped was the strict tests required to get your driving license.

We do see small improvements every time the Mumbai traffic police has its periodic enforcement drives - against drunken driving, honking, jaywalking, etc. How one wishes that these are not just periodic drives, but continuous enforcement!

Best Drives in India....1

India offers a wide range of driving conditions and surrounding natural beauty. You can zip through the desert in Rajasthan, or navigate the winding turns in Sikkim, coast the plains in MP or feel the rugged terrain in Leh... never a dull moment!

I would recommend the following 5 best rides (in no particular order):

1. Gangtok to Lachung : Its a 120 km ride of breathtaking scenic beauty and takes about 5-6 hours. The road, like most roads in North Sikkim, is constructed and maintained by the Border Roads Organisation - which does a great job given the rugged terrain and difficult weather conditions.

The route goes via Mangan (65 km) and Chungthang (95 km). From here the road bifurcates. The road to the left goes to Lachen and the road to the right reaches Lachung.

On the way there are lots of waterfalls, lush green forests and beautiful views of the Teesta river. Notable among these are the 'Seven sister waterfalls' (32 km from Gangtok). Also visible are quaint houses (shown here) which look straight from toy models. The view of the mountain tops on a clear day is just fantastic. The picture shown here was taken at 5.15 am in May.

Lachung (height of 8000 ft) is the entry point for the Yumthang valley (25km from Lachung). You find strawberries growing by the side of the road in the right season! (Road maps at http://sikkim-roadsandbridges.gov.in/). The picture in the background of the title 'Roads and Rides' is also from Lachung.

The other great journeys are :
2. Munnar to Thekady
3. Manali to Rohtang Pass
4. Bhandardara Lake
5. Almora to Kausani
(More on these in the next post)

How to drive in the city without losing your sanity!

It is not uncommon to have a conversation about the traffic in the city and more so the outrage over the frustrating driving experience. By the time, you are through with the week, the combination of bad roads, errant taxi drivers, long traffic jams, jay walking pedestrians, morchas and processions, prove to be a lethal cocktail which knocks you out for the weekend. Is there a way to combat all this and yet keep your cool? Can you drive in the city without driving yourself insane? Probably....

I wish I could say that the God of driving revealed to me the five magical solutions in a resonant, well-modulated voice! No, its not that dramatic. These are five ways that have worked for me. Here are the first two (in no specific order) :

1. Have faith in Darwin : Have you ever noticed how incensed we get when some other driver cuts our lane? We just want to overtake the driver and 'teach him/her a lesson'. Do we now? Are we really interested in teaching that errant driver? why take all that trouble and improve his driving? (especially if he has cut your lane!). Nah! Just let them be. I believe in Darwin's Law of Natural Selection..... people unfit to drive, will wind up losing their right to drive one way or another. So just smile and wish him good luck. Don't interfere with that process and try to upgrade their skills.

2. Select your Music : If you love music, your problem is half-solved. If you don't have an ear for music - develop one! Music has the power to influence one's mood - so selecting the right music is also important. The best option is to burn a CD or make an appropriate playlist on your iPod/MP3 player. FM stations tend to have a lot of chatter and less music.... some attempts at humour are actually counter-productive (observe the shenanigans of Ghanta Singh). Keep two playlists - one for easy listening (for tight traffic conditions) and other for when your mood is upbeat and you are on a clear road maintaining a good speed. I have a list of recommended songs for both lists for listeners preferring Indian and Western music. (Surprise find : AIR FM 107.1 has less chatter and more music - its just that the selection can be rather erratic)

Next 3 Tips follow soon......

The Genesis

There are many facets to Roads and Rides. The issues concerning the conditions of roads in cities, are starkly different from the pleasures of riding on the picturesque road from Gangtok to Lachung. Technology to build Autobahns and the issues governing the policies of speed limits at 180 km/hr, is a totally different ball game from the slippery mastic asphalt roads built over Mumbai's eastern express highway leading to speed limits of as low as 40 km/hr on some parts. So, what is this blog about? Well, it does concern Roads and Rides, but will focus on city roads and issues to start with.

Living in a metro implies that one would spend a lot of time travelling - whether on work or personal matters. For several years now, I, like many other city dwellers, spend over a couple of hours travelling to work and back every day. And this journey is on the road. i.e. if we agree that it is worthy to be called a road. Time and again I have wondered whether this is the best we can hope for. Everyday I have seen fellow travellers on the long road (I travel 36 km to work) - some driving and some driven - patiently drudging away, negotiating all kinds of obstacles on the way. Some of us travel much more than this and face greater difficulties and hats off to those who have been bearing these appalling conditions - and have managed to retain their sanity.

This blog is a forum to share our issues, experiences, knowledge and techniques to ultimately improve the hours we spend on the road. Will it make a difference? Will things improve? As long as it makes a difference in the lives of few travellers, the purpose is well acheived. Read on.....