Wednesday, July 28, 2010

A Note to..

...all pedestrians, motorists, auto-rickshaw drivers (I have to address them separately), all those who think the whole world is a parking lot and many others.... from a fellow pedestrian, ex (for the time being) motorist and one among the rest.

-Thank you for staring at me , but that does n't mean you can flash lights on a broad day light, indicating me to move to my right when there is hardly any space to stand.
-I've struggled with a heavy bag on one shoulder and a kid on the arm and no auto would stop. Why is it that only when I don't need one all the auto rickshaws slow down and make walking harder?
-Neel Metal Fanalca is doing their bit to the city by stationing their huge garbage bins on the road turnings. But the motorists cast an angry glance at me when they turn sharply at a very high speed. I can only manage to stand a few inches farther from the bin...not any closer.
-Every time I look at the road, I get confused. When did this become a parking lot? One can walk (or try to) on the pavement, but is how is one supposed to drive a car or ride a two-wheeler between a car parked haphazardly and the electric post?
-Dear sirs (assuming sirs, by the bikes parked), I am unable to hold my umbrella straight when your bikes are parked like they were straight out of a modern-art picture frame even as the branch of a tree, lying low sways precariously as I struggle on the so called pavement, trying to avoid being splashed at by a bucket of dirty water from the nearby tea-shop. Not to mention the oncoming traffic to whom people on feet are invisible.
-And lady... I understand you want to take the right- from your car indicator that flashes 'right'. But why do you have to swirl to your left, take a u-turn (almost) on the road that is on your left, indicating right all the time? Wrong.
- To all the others who make life on the roads, a roller-coaster ride/walk/drive for many like me... It is very hard to learn one's lesson in a hospital. Take care and thank you for letting me live long enough to write this.

10 comments:

LIFE_REFACTORED said...

he he.. நீங்க ஊருக்கு புதுச்சு . போல.. எங்க தமிழ் நாடு வழக்கமே . left'la indicator போட்டுண்டு ... right'la கைய நீடிண்டு .. .straiiiiiiight'a வண்டிய விட்ரதுதாம்ம்மா ... நோக்கு தெரியாதா?

எங்களுக்கு ஒரு விஷயம் ரொம்ப புடிக்கும் .. daily நாலு பேர் மேல ஏறியாவது . நாங்க பருப்பு'நு prove பண்ணிப்போம் .. அப்பதான் சாப்பாடு எறங்கும்.. உக்கும்

Correct'a School time'la NMF van road'ல பாதிய அடசிண்டு நிக்கணும்.. அப்பதான் சகுனம் சரியா இருக்கும்..

இந்த மாதிரி தமிழ் நாட்டுல ஊடுருவி இருக்கிற பல நுணக்கமான விழியங்கள் இருக்கு.. இதெல்லாம் உங்க ஸ்கூல்'ல LKG'லையே சொல்லி குடுதிருப்பான்களே.. மறந்துட்டேங்களோ

Jayashree said...

Well said, Hema. What about those biggest offenders of all? The MTC buses? They usually are at the right most end of traffic, have their right indicator switched on and then, before you know it, they've moved into the left lane and turned left.

Hema said...

LR-Correetu pa...Naan intha vishayathula 10th fail:)

Jayashree- If I even begin to think of MTC buses my blood boils. They need a separate blog.

Anonymous said...

Superb post,wish all those addressed,reads this post.

Ambulisamma.

Lavanya Sriram said...

well written, Hema :)
LOL @"left'la indicator போட்டுண்டு ... right'la கைய நீடிண்டு .. .straiiiiiiight'a வண்டிய விட்ரதுதாம்ம்மா ... நோக்கு தெரியாதா?"

MTC buses, lorries, tankers - yellaam termed as "Yaman" in our house hold !
Yamn varaan. Vazhi vidu is what my dad says normally!

Vidya said...

Good one Hema! Share the same pheelings' like Jayashree on MTC! And have you experienced standing inside the moving bus? A real 'crash' course in applying brakes and in the art of 'balancing'!

Hema said...

AA- I wish so too!
Vidya and Lavanya- Same here about MTC buses. But I particularly wrote about these because ALL happened within the 10 minute walk from home to V's school-one way!

Homecooked said...

I guess all cities have traffic problems :) Your post was a lovely read!

Hema said...

HC-True:)

Mama - Mia said...

tell me about it! and replace MTC buses with BMTC! and absolutely horrid auto guys!!! gah!!