Thursday, October 11, 2007

The flip side of the IT-boom... RoadToHell

The flip side of IT-boom in Bangalore

1. Roads inundated with chartered vehicles or the so called office cabs. Always in a hurry for no apparent reasons, with absolutely no road sense, these cabs are a BIG headache for fellow road users.
  • Solution:
  1. Recruitment procedure should be very strict.
  2. Deterrents for errant drivers in the form of temporary or permanent cancellation of license.
  3. Deterrents for the agencies providing the cabs in the form of black listing.
  4. Well maintained vehicles.

2. Untamed exuberance of youth. When software engineers (like us) are out of colleges and away from the eyes of parents, with load of money; bike becomes the ultimate symbol of virility. And faster the better.
  • Solution:
  1. Steep fines. When salary is Rs. 50,000 per month, a fine of Rs. 100 sounds ridiculous.
  2. Even a fine of Rs. 100 is not imposed if the rider agrees to give Rs. 20 or 50.
  3. Strong enforcement of road laws.

3. Roadway buses. They stop anywhere and everywhere.
  • Solution:
  1. Drivers to be fined if bus is stopped at non designated stops.
  2. Let the bus driver concentrate on driving. Multitasking like vending tickets, keeping track of coins, along with an eye on the road is an explosive combination.

4. Jay walkers who think a highway is just an extension of the home corridor.
  • Solution:
  1. Dissemination of information. Pedestrians should be made aware of the hazards of jay walking.
  2. If caught let them attend a one hour coaching. For nonvolunteers this can be a real headache.

But last and certainly the least too... who cares

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