Safe-Pedestrians still un-safe during Traffic...

9am at Marathahalli, past the outer ring road overpass...I am on my way to work after dropping my son at school. I am pleasantly surprised at the brisk pace of traffic this morning.

Normally my first big bottleneck is at the Marathahalli junction when I turn towards the Airport Road coming from the outer ring road. I drive past the famous outlet stores where one third of the road is dedicated for the people waiting for BMTC and Corporate buses and the rest for free flowing traffic.

It is common to see pedestrians using the hand signal to stop traffic and weave past the many different vehicles to cross the road. There are many types of hand signals and so much that it can reflect personality traits.

The Shy - slightly hidden hand signal, hands close to the body with wrists and palm close to the thigh showing the stop sign
The Confident - walk briskly with hands stretched out at shoulder level for an authoritative stop sign
The Arrogant - a high hand signal and cannot but bang the car boot as they walk past and
Of course
The indecisives - step down from the median and back a few times before taking the plunge

The one I noticed this morning introduced a new category - call him the confident safe pedestrian. A guy in white kurta, pyjama and with a black helmet using the confident jay walker shoulder level stop signs. We were not moving too fast as it was a stop and go traffic at 9am. I was thinking to myself that this must be Bangalore's most safe pedestrian. I guess he had the bike on the other side of the road and walking across for something. His outfit, helmet and hand signals caught my attention and introduced a new category of jay-walkers. He drew my attention for sure, went past my car, the next one and now to the last lane where cyclist and bikers use the best maneuvers to get past other vehicles.

As he approached the last row a bike runs into him - Two wheeler skids and now there are 3 helmeted heads on the road. The fall was not too serious. The biker blinded by other bigger vehicles did not see Mr.Safe pedestrian crossing and applied the breaks. Of course the hand signal posture did not help the Pedestrian to balance as the bike skids just in front of him. The bike skids, hits the pedestrian and they all fall down.

If someone did not notice the kurta pyjama helmeted pedestrian earlier, they would have mistaken this for the safest triple riding accident ever recorded - 3 helmets getting off the road. I move past and cannot but keep looking at my rear view to confirm if one of them was actually the safe pedestrian.

His white kurta pyjama with black helmet was a dead give-away.

Winner of the safe pedestrian award.

Cars, Cabs and Cellphones

Yet another traffic episode...

Here I am driving today to work...I lost my chaffeur privilages. Reminds me of "I got a new car this week...my wife will use the new one and I will be relegated to the old"...This is typical when couples in the US get their second car.

My situation after moving back is a little different. We finally decided to get a second but smaller and an automatic model to suit Bangalore traffic.

I am now using the new car (reminds me of guys driving a scooty) until she gets used to the Bangalore roads and traffic. It is only natural that I will be relegated to the old car soon.

Back to traffic story for today...

On the santro to work...during the commute, I notice a vehicle too close for comfort in the rear view mirror. A Qualis SUV Cab, literally stuck to my little Santro's bumper. As if that werent enough, the Qualis driver wanted to ensure that I notice his flirtations with the santro bumper by honking and flashing the headlight.

Well...that is it and he had it...Or may be not. I parked my instincts when I set in to drive a toy car. So my rage has turned into resignment. I religiously put my left indicator in frustration, wait for the next opportunity to move out and give way. Of course as a responsible driver I had to wait before I moved out. But our Qualis Cassanova cant wait...more honking. Finally I cave in, allow him to pass. He moves in front of me, narrowly squeezes past a couple of other cars and moves forward - looked more risky than his stunts with my car.

Well...he is now stuck in traffic and I am in his blind spot. We are not moving. I notice that this is a Cab and it has a note on rear windshield that reads, "If you notice rash driving, call...". And you know what happens next

Now I am busy dialing this number from my cell and at the same time maneuvering my way as the signal changes green...I get through first shot - must be my lucky day.

"Hello...Helli...evaru (Who is it)"
"I am calling to report rash driving of one of your vehicles..."
"Elli...(Where)"
"Marthahalli overpass...Driver is rash and has been getting close to many vehicles and cutting across lanes when there is no room for movement. Vehicle number is ..."
I have to write the reply I got in English.
"No...I was driving quite ok..."

I see our Qualis stud who is now right in front of my vehicle, talking to me from his cell phone.

So much for rash driving report...I guess the sticker should have said,
"If you notice rash driving, call the driver to discuss"...

I hang up...laugh out loud and move on.