Dear all,
Bendakaluru/Bangalore and now Bengaluru has its influx of outsiders to due to the concentration of IT powerhouses and support houses in a short span. Short enough not to wake up the administration to act timely, forget proactively.
This is the first step towards a disaster.
The residents of Bengaluru were used to their style driving/riding since there was not much traffic and almost everyone got away with 'U' turns, quick starts, sudden stops, lane cutting etc all w/o signalling. Now with the traffic population on the road exceeding limits and no change in driving/ riding styles, there is going to be questions/eyebrows raised from people not used to this style.
But no one can blame residents only. There have been instances discussed on this forum where laptop/bagpack carrying IT proffesionals on 2 wheels have shown little concern to follow rules regulations and care for other road users.
Traffic police in Bengaluru and everywhere are pretty much the same. Like I said elsewhere, when I was new to this city, I was stopped by an old-ish traffic cop who jumped on to the road with arms extended and did not fine me. He infact educated me that this is a no entry and which road I should take. I had MH plates then. So we cannot generalise. We must remember that it is not only examination results and physical fitness that makes a traffic cop pass onto our roads. There is a stiff competition there as well and they are hell bent to recover that investment first, then give a rats *** about traffic woes. It is everywhere mind you.
In my home town, when I was in college I was whistled by a traffic cop for getting into a no entry when I was barely on the no entry zone. I had just entered it and realised soon after and stopped. Got down off the bike and manually reversed the bike as a correction. The cops at the junction saw this and started in Hindi. They thought I was from outside. I did not know the 'importance' of the local language and they kept on 'flirting' with me thinking of me as an outsider. They would not collect a fine nor let me go. I started thinking it would have been better if I had broken a rule instead of being subjected to such torture. There were no mobile phones then.
Suddenly a laid back pot bellied cop comes in to join the fun and asks the other 2 ragging cops what was the party about, in Marathi. Aaaaah! I was enlightened and I spoke in the most fluent Marathi ever. Ever. The cops immediately asked me to leave w/o any more hassels. So it is the same everywhere.
Underpaid ??? There is a reason for you being underpaid sir. Everyone knows what is your real income and what is spare change. Exceptions excused.
Every metro, city has a history and related culture and subsequent upbringing of the sons of the soil. I personally feel and sorry for not scratching everyone's back, some uneducated folks are a rough. There might be some exceptions. Some daily wage workers from outskirts who have come to work in the capital city but from KA along with the locals of Bangalore are a deadly combination. As it is a win win for both to earn money from people who are not aquainted with the language. Lets take an example of Rishie on some other thread.
Forget him, my wife hit a guy in her zen who was on the green TVS moped on the wrong side of the road to avoid a 5 minute drive to the nearest space in the divider for a 'U' turn. The number plate and the bumper cracked and the right side headlight went in a few mm. The guy was on the road but not bleeding. He accepted it was his fault and called his 'friend' to help him clear the clutter on the road due to his fall. His friend came to the spot and started yelling on top of his voice in front of a lady. My wife called me up and all thanks to the Almighty I had just finished my prayers at 'Ala and was chatting with some of my friends. When we came to know about this incident near 'safal fresh' store, we rushed to the spot and the man changed his tone and possibly his gender after finding so much support for my wife.
So most have come to earn and earn they will by hook or crook. Paisa aye, jaise bhi aye.
I find it hard to negotiate and communicate with some vendors and people of daily interest when they do not understand, English, Hindi or Marathi. (BTW our domestic help understands Marathi and I am thankful to the Almightly for the same
)
So I find it necessary to learn a little bit of Kannada to solve this problem of mine.
Yesterday itself I conversed in Kannada with a soft coconut vendor with
Eshtu (how much), Erdu Yellir kud bidi(give me 2 coconuts ), ithpad mooru (INR 23) and thats it, done. I was happy with the yellir and went away in peace.
So whats the big deal in learning the local language if it helps you. I hope to get more conversant as time progresses enough to make the cops realise that I am indeed the son of the soil.
I meet many Kannadigas who have lived in amchi Mumbai and earned and come back to KA. They too speak to me in broken Marathi for fun and the tickle of it.
Coming back to the topic of cops, they are the same breed everywhere. They are a lot of duties and politics they have to deal besides on the road activities. I see some performing their duties well, and the others not so well.
I have seen as bad traffic and management in Kolkatta, Mumbai, Delhi and now, Pune. If it is in Bangalore, so what ? I make it a point to educate individuals who I think might pay heed and thats it. I do my bit of some gyan and rules following.
So it is upto everyone who feels for his country and fellow citizens to act responsibily and try to educate whenever possible. There have been mistakes from me and possibly they will. Who hasn't ?
The attitude of 'not my city', 'why bother' is not going to help anyone.
Since most of the car owners are from educated backgrounds, IT, Law, Business, it would be good for companies to educate about traffic sense and not just build expressways for thier convenience only.
Lastly, if someone says that traffic and its management is bad and the richshaw drivers are xyz in Pune, I will not feel bad because I know and I can accept. If some one tells me that people are bad, then I know it is not true and just because of some bad example one cannot generalise.
Thank you.