The High and Mighty Get Away

by Manoj T
(Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, India)

There have been several instances of road rage in India, in which sons or important politicians or scions of big industrial houses have been involved and more often than not the police are unwilling to take action against them. If the media is attentive and focuses its attention on the incident, the police are forced into action, otherwise they just turn a blind eye.

Road rage often occurs because of impatience. People are in a hurry. Their nerves are frayed. They have no patience to tolerate delay. I have seen that often when there is a traffic jam, people keep honking their horns. Some even resort to blaring their sirens to show that they are important people and have the right of way. What can be done when the traffic is jammed? If there is a vehicle stuck some 500 metres ahead, how is the guy ahead of you responsible for the blockage? Why should you vent your anger on that poor guy by honking your horn? I have seen people getting out of their vehicle and getting into fist fights with people just ahead of them as they are not moving. They have to realise that the problem lies elsewhere and there is no use starting a fight just because you are getting late.

When using the public utilities, everyone has equal rights. Some people feel that they have priority over the utility and that leads to the problem. People have to learn to be patient and tolerant. A person will swerve ahead of you. A pedestrian will suddenly cross in front. These things will happen. You have to adapt to it when you drive. Keep your wits about you, listen to some light music while driving and stay cool.