Stop this carnage!!

Crashes; reckless driving; road rage; deaths and injuries on road; congestion; air and noise pollution...it seems we just cant get enough when it comes to 'Traffic on Roads'. The irony is, it just keeps on growing with no possibility of cessation anywhere. The number of road fatalities and crashes is enormous, and so is the loss financially, physically and emotionally.
The following video "I don't want to die on the road", has been put together by the NGO 'Behtar Dilli', working for the betterment of India's capital, New Delhi. This video focuses exclusively at the scenario prevalent in Delhi where at least four people die on roads everyday!

For more information on 'BehtarDilli', log onto http://behtardilliblog.wordpress.com/

Confession of a Road Rage VICTIM!!

It was just another day...a routine drive back home from University..abiding to traffic rules, minimal horn honking,, enjoying the monsoon not-so-dreary weather..trying to be a civilised driver until the moment I hear an emergency siren and up goes my awareness level!!
What the...Am I blocking an Ambulance path...Is someone loosing on its Golden Hour. It was just an audio signal and without looking back in my  rear-view mirror, I accelerated past a bus hurriedly to clear the way for the vehicle behind me, which I thought was an ambulance, and help it carry the unfortunate person who might be at a critical stage of his life. Lo and Behold, soon i was overtaken by a Maruti with a bogus siren.
I was shocked more than surprised to see this guy who's unlawfully using the aid of an 'emergency siren' only to get across.. was he REALLY asking for a way?
I had a fleeting glimpse of a headphone totting youngster, swearing at me with enraged expressions. Then suddenly he pulled up in front of my car slowing down much to my amazement. He tried to block my way for quite sometime, and when I managed to overtake him, he tailgated me, honking and at time, coming by my side, and pleading with folded hands to me to stop.
This was completely bizarre...on one hand he was trying to shout at the top of his voice verbally accusing, and at another instance trying to request to stop for him. I could not understand his behaviour.
I decided to play cool and keep my calm avoiding any direct eye contact with him, and at one stage, did think of reporting him to any traffic police or PCR but there wasn't any on way.  This ten minute ordeal seemed like ages, and at one stage, I did think of stopping, coming out and thrashing him. That would have been another case of road rage. However, I decided otherwise, and was able to dodge him and reach my destination...safe and sound.
Many of my friends often reported such incidents, but for me, this was my first experience of road rage and stalking.

Bumper philosophy!!

People have unusual ways to express themselves...and when on roads communicating through pictures and text on car bumpers makes interesting readings.  Surprisingly and very aptly these slogans either painted or stuck on the rear glass or bumpers are public announcements of their inner self...their attitude...and in a way, what they think.  That is also possibly the way they drive.


The sticker on the car (above) says "Only Death Can Stop Me".  This man (or woman) would definitely go far. Or is he saying, beware, I'm a dangerous driver!

There are others who reign in their own 'fantasy' world and feels glad to share their imagination among strangers in a public territory (roads)

The word 'Venom' itself symbolizes negativity, anger, hatred..and that is not a good sign esp. when on roads..

Some trying to communicate of 'who they are'...Well, are they really 'the ones'?

While some in a bid to flaunt their image land up being mocked at for their 'spelling errors'

There may be variety of reasons why people put up stickers and other accessories on their cars. But it has also been observed that these expressions on the cars portray the driver's or owner's personality.  A research study by William Szlemko of Colorado State University firmly believes that drivers with stickers and decals are far more likely to use their vehicles to express rage. This phenomena can be traced back to the concept of 'territoriality'. 
A social scientist Szlemko defines territorial spaces of three kinds.  Home or one's bedroom can be categorised as personal territory. The secondary territory is one's office or work station, the space which an individual temporarily owns. Third is public domain like park benches, cinema halls, and roads.  
But, I feel that, one's vehicle, especially a car is another very very personal territory of the owner, who uses it on the public territory i.e. road, and knowingly or unknowingly is very possessive of his/her territory, including the public space of road occupied by the vehicle. And some of the outspoken would define their territory very vehemently by putting up special stickers, and personalized markers and accessories, and any attempt to violate this space can result in aggression. 

Traffic Bites

Being a traffic cop can have adverse consequences. Literally. One is quite familiar with the marshal getting knocked down by a car or a two-wheeler in a bid to stop the violator. Chandigarh had quite a few of such incidents. At here is the latest. They also get  bitten in the process.
Just a few days back a city cop hailed down a women talking on her mobile while driving. Chandigarh Police is known for its strict enforcement.  She stopped and the moment cop reached  inside in order to  turn off the ignition of her car, the woman sprang into action and bit him. As one could see in the newspaper reports, she was remorseless. And so were many others, as later in the evening in a party, many women appreciated the woman's 'biting' act.  Another party guy smilingly said, "the cop asked for it."
Well, so much for our traffic cops. Their image has literally taken a beating.  But what about our woman driver?  Was she angry? Or did she find the cop's hand intruding into her car to switch off the ignition as an affront and an open intervention into her very personal domain? Surely that must have been one of the reason and a lesson for the traffic cops indeed to understand the personal psychological domain that a driver of a vehicle carries around him/her.
At the same time it also shows an open defiance to authority, a complete expression of hostility and 'road rage' of a different dimension, that requires to be looked at with deep concern.
You can read more on:
http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-04-23/chandigarh/29466066_1_head-constable-challan-om-prakash

Raging Road Rage

"Thus it happens all too often, as an outlet whether of a permanent or temporary state of mind, that sitting behind the wheel a person's whole attitude changes as if the period of driving were not part of real life, but some stage between episodes of real life. Many think only in terms of 'other cars' not of 'other drivers', and thus forgetting all consideration assume a dangerously competitive or even aggressive attitude towards those other cars. The motor car offers man a tremendous increase of power, and by identification it becomes the driver's own power and will which are thus multiplied. The greater this uncritical self-exaltation, the greater the irritation when it is obstructed."
J.J. Leeming, Road Accidents: Prevent or Punish? (1969)

The above quote very explicitly focuses on the human ‘psyche’ that is vulnerable to the personality disposition it carries. I wrote this article to draw attention towards the horrendous acts people indulge in, deliberately on roads.

‘Road Rage’, each one of us knows about it, have read it or probably encountered the same. Although this term was first coined in the USA in the 1980s, it has been prevalent in our society ever since the driver took control of the vehicle.But ever since several citations of road rage in newspapers world over have existed from that time and place, for example, this from the St. Petersburg (Florida) Times, 2nd April 1988:

"A fit of 'road rage' has landed a man in jail, accused of shooting a woman passenger who's car had 'cut him off' on the highway."

Road rage is an escalated form of aggression. It has been definedas an "assault with the intent to do harm arising from the use of a motor vehicle’. The word ‘intent’ is of prime importance here and clearly demarcates the Road Rage from Aggressive driving.Aggressive driving does not rise to the level of criminal behavior. It includes tailgating, abrupt lane changes, and speeding etc. These potentially dangerous behaviors are traffic offenses, but are not criminal behavior. However, aggression is often observed to be a predisposition leading to road rage.

One such horrific incident occurred recently in the city of Porto Alegre in Brazil. There was a peaceful demonstration going on by young bicyclists to spread forth the message of reduction in the number of cars on the streets.Out of nowhere a speeding black Volkswagen comes andrams nearly 100 cyclists injuring at least forty people. The driver fled the scene of incident but was later arrested by the authorities.

This video will give you some insight on this dreadful attack

The perpetrator identified as Ricardo José Neis, 47 years old was said to be mentally unstable. The reason that was given by the accused - that cyclists were scratching his car while he waited for them to ride by.

Was the reason big enough that led him to commit such a heinous act? Was he really mentally unstable? Where is the role of enforcement in preventing such avoidable acts?

Whatever the case may be, it does not justify the murderous attack as it was deliberate and consciously done. This is just one incident out of hundreds that occur every year all over the world, some are reported others go unnoticed. I would just like to end this article with a thought….

"When involved in a road rage incident, take a deep breath and ask yourself if the actions are worth your life." ~ Grant Boles