As I wait with bated breath at the side of a road, a few feet ahead, way above me, I can clearly discern the comforting blob of red light. But then the knowledge that most of the puffing, whirring bodies ahead of me cannot see the same is not reassuring. So I look left....right....and then again continue with my repeated glances before I put my first tentative step forward in an attempt to cross the road. And suddenly....I narrowly miss a scooter which threatens to and almost succeeds in running over my leg. When I look over to the coveted platform that temptingly lay across the ocean of vehicles in front, I catch the mocking eye of the green walking man in the black box of the traffic light, just moments before he gives way to his red, murderous looking roommate. Long before the entry of the red man, the vehicles had already started whizzing past me, making futile yet another one of my brave attempts at crossing the city roads.
I cannot predict how many of you have gone through an account similar. But if you were in a busy city way before your licence took birth (or that of your elder sibling's), and prior to when your first weapon of murder with a shining new coat of paint and two brand new pair of wheels came to your proud possession and preceding your decision to pledge your allegiance to the 'torturers' while staying firm in your decision to betray the 'victims', there must have been rainy days when you cursed those 'lucky' people who splashed water on you as they stayed in their comfortable four cornered chamber of luxury and warmth.
These incidents, a constant challenge to the normal citizen, can be said to be a direct reflection on the education system of the place. Immediate laws need to be enforced in order to strengthen the kindergartens around here which teaches the colour 'red' to the future drivers of India, because I am convinced that a lot of the people in the present, controlling wheels have missed this phase of their learning. A better language instruction might help those out there who are yet to understand completely the meaning of the word 'stop'. It is startling to note that the challenging communication needs required to survive in the city hasn’t helped these unfortunate victims of poor studying techniques. With the country lamenting about the deteriorating quality of science in India, probably the Physics education should shoulder the blame for playing a large part in the traffic problem because it is obvious that the drivers of today were never taught properly the concept of 'zero velocity'. The people dealing with physics were responsible to teach the then to-be drivers that 'zero speed' means that your speedometer rests on zero and not remain fluctuating above it, while your vehicle is to remain stationary behind the zebra crossing till the countdown above the red light goes to a zero. Well good education definitely cannot describe the reasons as to why the vehicles move ahead with a speed just a few units below the normal city road limits, while the countdown has just reached fifteen.
Immaterial of whether the kindergarten, English or the Physics departments are to be blamed, I am still stuck with the daunting task of getting to the other side. While I continue to manoeuvre through my way, I leave you guys to think about this deteriorating situation. While the luckier ones among us can now reach out for the keys and take a long drive while thinking, I take the liberty to ask the rest of my friends to remain indoors or at least away from the roads while doing their part in the contemplation of the issue.
