Sunday, July 12, 2009

Origins of Amdavadi Traffic Sense

A typical Amdavadi driver is not used to driving on straight roads and sticking to just one lane. Contrary to the popular belief, Ahmedabad was not always a city, like Mumbai, Delhi, Calcutta or say even Bengaluru.

The people of Ahmedabad always lived in pols which has very narrow lanes meant for walking. They were never designed for the movement of vehicular traffic. But soon, Bajaj scooter came into being and people in pols took to it like seagulls take to flying and black pomfret take to swimming. The pol lanes are multi purpose. Kids play, old folk plod around, one has to dodge cows feeding on left overs disposed off from the houses. It's a free world out there. You can stop any time and start walking any time. This applies to humans and domesticated animals.

Hence the Amdavadi driver is used to honking everytime for moving an inch forward, driving zig zag in order to find a little space, stopping anywhere to say hello to a friend or picking up vegetables from a vendor. The concepts of wide roads, lane driving, no honking, no stopping anywhere but the side of the road, giving a side signal etc are alien to him.

When Ahmedabad became a city, the roads broadened but not the traffic sense. So, please excuse the drivers.

HORN EVERY 2O M, OK PLEASE

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