Have been driving quite a bit since I arrived back home in Hyderabad since the last week. Having been driving in the UK for the last two years, being on the road in Hyderabad really feels a bit weird. Not only has the traffic grown, the drivers have grown more crazy!
Beside the occasional (unguarded!) road works and wonky u-turns, our roads have all the same aspects of the UK roads: speed signs, painted lanes, traffic lights, even round abouts (I don't remember seeing them before). However, perhaps the only difference is that none of the above make any difference to the drivers, riders, pedestrians! None at all! Pedestrians walk across the road as if they're on a stroll in the park. But I've to admit there are hardly any pavements! Two wheeler riders and auto-drivers sneak in the least available space. Forget the lane discipline, there's no indicating or giving way. Each one is convinced he or she has the right of way - no matter where you are coming from, where you intend to go! Even if I stop to give way to someone crossing a busy road or a vehicle passing by, the one behind me gets restless and keeps honking till I move.
And yeah, the honking! The first thing I noticed as I stepped out of the airport was the honking! I think, if the horn does not work, none would take their vehicle out on the road! That's the 'importance' - felt need - of honking while on the road! The round-abouts are just a 'waste of space'! I'm sure that's the opinion of most people around here. Parking is another adventure: one can park anywhere one wants. The difficulty is when everyone wants to park around the same space. Then the road becomes the parking space!! The condition of roads is another story. Add to that condition the heavy rain we were blessed with last night. It's called 'icing on the cake'!
Beside the occasional (unguarded!) road works and wonky u-turns, our roads have all the same aspects of the UK roads: speed signs, painted lanes, traffic lights, even round abouts (I don't remember seeing them before). However, perhaps the only difference is that none of the above make any difference to the drivers, riders, pedestrians! None at all! Pedestrians walk across the road as if they're on a stroll in the park. But I've to admit there are hardly any pavements! Two wheeler riders and auto-drivers sneak in the least available space. Forget the lane discipline, there's no indicating or giving way. Each one is convinced he or she has the right of way - no matter where you are coming from, where you intend to go! Even if I stop to give way to someone crossing a busy road or a vehicle passing by, the one behind me gets restless and keeps honking till I move.
And yeah, the honking! The first thing I noticed as I stepped out of the airport was the honking! I think, if the horn does not work, none would take their vehicle out on the road! That's the 'importance' - felt need - of honking while on the road! The round-abouts are just a 'waste of space'! I'm sure that's the opinion of most people around here. Parking is another adventure: one can park anywhere one wants. The difficulty is when everyone wants to park around the same space. Then the road becomes the parking space!! The condition of roads is another story. Add to that condition the heavy rain we were blessed with last night. It's called 'icing on the cake'!
No comments:
Post a Comment