Chennai: The reason that Chennai witnessing too many accidents these days is because people do not follow or rather do not seem to know what signs are and more importantly how to use them.
Take for example roundabouts. It is astonishing how people do not seem to know how to navigate around them. It’s as if crossing the roundabout is like solving a complex trigonometry case for many. The reason? lack of road sign knowledge.
It is the similar case when it comes to indicating. If your scooters’ blinkers have gone bust, all that one has to do is show hand signs. Point your corresponding arm towards left to go left and vice-versa. And importantly, point towards the direction some 30 metres before you turn rather than after turning. Most accidents can be avoided if people indicate properly.
One rather futile and reckless trend that people seem to follow is expecting others to understand that they are going to take a turn if they turn their head. This way is not mandated by the government or taught at any driving school. The worst part is that amateur drivers who follow other drivers and their mannerisms, pick these frankly dangerous tactics and meet with accident.
All they have to do is not follow idiots on the road and look up for Indian road rules on the Internet.
Kali Yug is quite an interesting time to live in, for most accidents occur to those who follow traffic rules. For instance, there I was waiting at a signal for my turn to take right. A scooter rider overtook me and went on her merry way, not giving a pint of respect to traffic rules. There were cameras fitted, but the chances of her being caught by the police are slim. If they did however, well done you officer.
Because of her crossing the road without heeding traffic rules, another rider who was on her merry way had to brake hard, she had been signalled green by the way, and eventually ended up falling down. It was no mistake of hers. She fell down because some person decided not to give a hoot to rules.
Four people, including me, rushed to her aid, gave her water and found that fortunately she had escaped with mere scratches. Had there been a heavy vehicle coming behind, like say a water tanker, the chances of her surviving would have been slim. I might be taking the worst case scenario here, but we have to look at the bigger picture. Had a life been lost who is to blame?
Yes, cops are supposed to be more active and must catch anybody without a helmet or those flouting rules. But to those who don’t follow the rules, hear me well, just do. Why? Look about it this way, would you be able to sleep knowing the fact that a life was lost, human or animal, because of your inability to not signal appropriately or wait at the lights for a few seconds?