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The rules of the road
IT WAS one of those parties where the crowd drifted in well past the stated hour. And, as usual, the traffic in the city was blamed and conversation, as has become usual these days, turned to the chaotic state of affairs on the city's roads.
In one group, I discovered there was another storyteller present too. And he recounted what he had recently heard when a DIG of Police replied to a question on road chaos in the city. The police officer had pointed out that in the West — and countries where similar road use standards are maintained — order came through self-discipline; in those countries, 80 per cent of the road-users obeyed the rules of the road (not to mention other civic rules) and only 20 per cent broke them. The tragedy, the DIG went on to narrate, was that a large number of the law-breakers on the road were an educated, affluent part of the population. The party broke up. It was around 10 p.m.
Half a dozen cars from the party followed each other on to the main road and found at the junction a red light. The first four cars, chauffeur-driven as well as owner-driven, paid no heed to the light and drove right through it, presumably having seen the road was empty. My wife, who loves the law and who was driving the fifth car, stopped for the light, ignoring the blaring horns behind. As the light changed and she started pulling out, the cars behind overtook her and as one gentleman-driver passed her, he shouted, ``Women drivers!"
So much for the educated elite and the rules of the road! No wonder there's chaos on our roads! And indiscipline everywhere!
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