Here in the ‘City of Biryani’ everything is okay except the Traffic. I have traveled in Delhi and in its outskirts a lot earlier. Likewise in Hyderabad too I spend almost two hours of my daily life on my bike. Alas’ I am stunned with the traffic sense of people here! Interestingly, all my Hyderabad colleagues and friends are also having the same opinion! Then, who are the real culprits here? And where the core problem lies? Can we change this?
90% of the Hyderabad road users do not abide by the traffic rules. I found traffic violations in Delhi as well, but it is not this much pathetic. Reason is, most of the Hyderabad people do not even know the basic traffic rules. One does not require to know the total RTA Acts, but, some of the basic rules are mandatory for accident-free driving or riding.
For example, before taking turns, one has to first see the mirror to make sure that he is not disrupting any vehicle movements and then he has to show the indicator well before 100 meters of the turn. On the contrary, what people do here is just after giving the indicator they will take the turn instantly not bothering other vehicles’ movements. This is absolutely a dangerous situation! And if we engage in a fight there, they will confidently say that, they had shown the indicator then what’s the problem! To them the rule is just showing the indicator only! 70% of the two-wheelers do not use mirrors properly some of them even turn them inwards for fancy purpose!
Another instance is before entering to a main road, we have to stop or slow down the vehicle so as not to disrupt the movement of the vehicles already plying on the road. But, people here will enter main road and will take the turn wherever they want without bothering to slowdown or look both sides of the road for the oncoming vehicles – Another accident evoking instance.
Overtaking: Whether the road view ahead is clear or not they will overtake. In Hyderabad, most of the roads are two ways, though government is taking some efforts to make one-ways now. Last week, I read about an accident in the news paper involving a truck and an alto car wherein the car over took a truck and rammed on an on-coming truck. Here the driver of the small car would not have seen the road ahead being behind the big truck. In such case, he should not have gone for an overtaking. All the travelers in the car(a full family) killed in the accident. Now, what the people will do, they will beat up the truck driver, whereas it is not at all his mistake!
Bulls run seeing Red, so as Hyderabad vehicles cross Red-lights!
Usage of high beam light: This is really another typical problem of Hyderabad road users. Most of them only use the beam light whereas it is only meant giving signals.
Helmet and mobile usage: 60% of two-wheelers do not wear it. A few will carry the helmet with the helmet lock, but will not wear it! I don’t know why they do like this? Also, using mobile phones while riding and driving is on the raise. Nobody bothers to stop the vehicle before using mobile.
They spit on the roads without respecting the other road users - very bad!
Road users in Hyderabad think that “what they know about the traffic are the actual rules”! They will do the mistake and then will start quarrelling with us as if we have done the mistake and not them. Instances written above are only a few examples to support this fact.
Rash Driving: Surprisingly, rash driving is not seen much in Hyderabad that of Delhi. Yes nowadays, percentage of rash drivers has surely increased due to the mixed city culture and too much BPO taxi drivers.
The roads are very bad. The most disturbing factor as far as the quality of roads are concerned is people indiscriminately cut the roads for lying cables for personal uses. And the result is very bad roads irrespective of newly laid or old one. Another problem is dusty roads - result of bad maintenance. Cement roads are on the raise! In most places, they nowadays construct cement roads. Though the built quality is good, it is very much prone to skidding.
Wrong Diagnose: Yes, if you are diagnosed for headache when really suffering from stomach ache, what will happen! The recent news paper reports on the Hyderabad police findings for the increase in the accident rates support this in its totality. They say it is because of the absence of street light, they say it is because the two wheelers are not painting the half portion of the head light and which is disturbing the on coming vehicle, whereas, two-wheelers are on the receiving side due to the bright lights of cars and trucks. Next finding is Trucks and auto rickshaw drivers are the main culprits. With my five years of Hyderabad traffic experience, I could clearly say that the lions share is coming from two wheelers & cars only for the above reasons.
Road rage: This is a common practice everywhere. The onlookers will not bother to see whose mistake it is and they will beat the person(whoever has received less injury or survived in the accident) to death. Even a person who is rushing for some interview or some important matter will also join the crowd to beat the poor person leaving all his urgencies - very unfortunate!
Corrective actions: We need to educate people. In Hyderabad, watching movies being the main hobby of people, we can make use of this opportunity to an optimum level. A documentary on the basic traffic rules can be prefixed as news item in all the theatres to all shows. This will surely have a good impact, I think. Government has to initiate rather than beating around the bush. The police are only interested to catch two wheelers for improper documents and that too only for filling their pockets. Other traffic violations are always overlooked. Traffic Police force requires young and energetic men for a developing city like Hyderabad and in adequate number. One by one, they can show ads on basic rules on TV as well.
For getting Driving License, RTA is focusing more on the track test and not on the theory part, whereas, they should realize that driving or riding skills can be enhanced by way of experience, but never the Basic Traffic Rules.
Each one of us has to contribute whatever we can to wipe out this cancerous and callous attitude of people with respect to traffic laws.
Sure I am, a change in this Traffic Culture will place Hyderabad in the list of Prettiest Cities in the world!