Editor,
When a traffic signal is red, vehicles from both sides of the intersection are generally required to stop. A red light signals that all traffic must halt before the stop line or pedestrian crosswalk and wait for the signal to turn green before proceeding.
Ironically, in the land of khushi khushi, things are different. It can be seen that only one side of the traffic halts when the signal is red. For example, vehicles going towards Ganga from Bank Tinali stop for a minute near The Arunachal Times office traffic point, whereas vehicles coming from Ganga to Bank Tinali do not stop despite the red light.
Once, I was crossing the pedestrian walk when the light turned red. A Scorpio, running at high speed, stopped just a few inches before hitting me. I saw my life flash before my eyes in those few seconds. A man in his 50s, wearing a kala chashma, lowered his window and said, “Areey bhai, dekhke chalo tho.” I thought he was the one who really needed to look out. They do not seem to see the traffic signal and have little traffic etiquette. I felt as if those big SUVs owned the road – and that even crossing the road was an obligation towards them.
Vehicles also tend to change lanes without any indicators. It poses a great risk to themselves and to those who are staying in their own lane. Just like Shashi Tharoor said, “Everyone’s in a rush, but no one’s on time.” Our people do not have patience. If there’s incoming traffic, they suddenly change their lane without signals. It elevates the rate of accidents, especially for two-wheelers.
Those big SUVs honk in traffic as if their horns have the magical power to make vehicles in front disappear. What’s more tragic is that people seldom make way for ambulances. The ambulance driver has to cut through traffic like a maze runner. And on top of that, there would be a long line of cars following the ambulance, as if they were relatives of the patient and genuinely concerned.
We all need to follow traffic rules and regulations. It will save everyone’s time. There’s a line from a song by Elvis Presley: “Wise men say, only fools rush in.”
Let us be wise and not rush as if there’s no tomorrow. Life is precious. One act of carelessness can turn our life into a red light.
We can be late, but let us not be late.
Debia Tugu