Test Driving! Absolute Freedom Behind Wheels

Driving in India is not easy, in fact, it has always been dangerous, but the recent statistics show that Indian roads are getting worse. The number of road accidents and the fatalities are rising steadily. In this article, Dr Elsa Lycias Joel discusses the mindset of an average Indian driver and what needs to be done to improve the situation.

- Dr Elsa Lycias Joel

One of the greatest joys of driving or riding on Indian roads is to psychologically and physically try to figure out what the driver or rider or pedestrian in front, behind, or beside is planning to do next. In India, we not only enjoy the freedom of thought and speech, but also the freedom to drive however we want. Right or left, a forward or reverse, all that counts is our mood, the machine we own, and its horsepower, and not the vehicle that is ahead or behind or beside us. Unfortunately, a bad lesson I learnt on the road is not to stop on seeing anything red, lest the one trailing behind crashes into me. Thus, amber means foot on the accelerator and red is a signal to speed away. Traffic lights give me a nightmare because of the ‘ifs’ and ‘buts’ that speed through my head and heart when I see them change from green to amber to red. As responsible citizens of the country, we need to change this collective behaviour.

Sidewalks and Highways—Not Meant To Be