Me and Abhilash were in JC Road some days back and Abhilash vanished into a cycle shop looking for an el-cheapo bicycle that he can buy. You know the hard time his heart had when he went into a Firefox shop (as in the bike, not the browser) on CMH Road.
Well, I digress here. I met a Pradeep from Mapunity in the shop. If you have not checked out this site, now is the best time. These guys actually do some great work with Traffic Information Systems. He told me that they have recently introduced live traffic feeds on the site with cameras mounted in some traffic hotspots in Bangalore. I wanted to write this as a scoop, but alas, I did not find the time and now I see that everyone knows about it. But still, check out the traffic pics from these locations. Who knows, you might get to watch something interesting.
BTIS
Showing posts with label Traffic. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Traffic. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
How can we improve the traffic condition in our city?
Ok, I should have blogged about this on the 20th as the topic for the day in the ongoing Blogathon. Didn't get time and thought I'd write now. Right now.
I have written about traffic problems before on my caustic look at Educated fools. I am writing about traffic problems now. I will be writing about traffic problems in the future. Cause it is going to be PERENNIAL!!. Unless we change our mindset about a lot of things, we cannot really change the traffic problems. In fact, I believe that the roads are not the only problem. Its the attitude. But hey, what isn't?
But its quite insane when you look to see that a distance of just 8 kms sometimes can take you an hour!!. I travel by company cab and my drivers are either Schumachers or guys who should be driving bullock carts on dusty dry roads in some village somewhere. There is this particular driver who sits without his back touching the seat, haunched and ready to run!!. He literally takes turns like one does when in a go-kart. I really do feel that I will get killed or maimed one day for sure. But the point is, I make sure that he does follow traffic rules whenever possible. And its good to know that he is actually following them - atleast when I am there.
One thing that I have noticed or something that is rather obvious is that everyone is in a damned hurry. To get to where, nobody knows. I doubt if the guy realises that cutting lanes and all that is not going to shave more than a couple of minutes. By the way they drive, sometimes he might not even make it. Crazy idea, but I think I have a small solution. Cabs/cars that make insane turns etc have to be stopped. No tickets, nothing. Just lock the car tyres and let the driver/passengers steam for a while. Then let them go. But for this, we need more cops. Ok, we need more honest cops. And for that, we need people with good attitude in the first place. Err, isn't that where we started?
I have written about traffic problems before on my caustic look at Educated fools. I am writing about traffic problems now. I will be writing about traffic problems in the future. Cause it is going to be PERENNIAL!!. Unless we change our mindset about a lot of things, we cannot really change the traffic problems. In fact, I believe that the roads are not the only problem. Its the attitude. But hey, what isn't?
But its quite insane when you look to see that a distance of just 8 kms sometimes can take you an hour!!. I travel by company cab and my drivers are either Schumachers or guys who should be driving bullock carts on dusty dry roads in some village somewhere. There is this particular driver who sits without his back touching the seat, haunched and ready to run!!. He literally takes turns like one does when in a go-kart. I really do feel that I will get killed or maimed one day for sure. But the point is, I make sure that he does follow traffic rules whenever possible. And its good to know that he is actually following them - atleast when I am there.
One thing that I have noticed or something that is rather obvious is that everyone is in a damned hurry. To get to where, nobody knows. I doubt if the guy realises that cutting lanes and all that is not going to shave more than a couple of minutes. By the way they drive, sometimes he might not even make it. Crazy idea, but I think I have a small solution. Cabs/cars that make insane turns etc have to be stopped. No tickets, nothing. Just lock the car tyres and let the driver/passengers steam for a while. Then let them go. But for this, we need more cops. Ok, we need more honest cops. And for that, we need people with good attitude in the first place. Err, isn't that where we started?
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
Educated Fools and Traffic
Damn, have been looking to write on this for a really long time. I have recently been riding a lot in Bangalore. And I ride a RE Thunderbird. So if you live in Bangalore, you will know how much of a pain it is to ride one of these beasts in lousy traffic. What I really get tired by is just riding the bike. Blame it on traffic and the other fuckers on the road. I mean, its such a fucking pain to hold the clutch for hours on end and at the end of the ride, you are left with one aching palm!. Other observations - too much traffic, lousy roads and the lousy bastards who ride on them. I mean, why the hell do you, when you see traffic moving in only one direction and the other direction free, go and park your vehicles all across the road?. Do you realise that you are blocking traffic both ways now? This is not a fucking race!. And we have the balls to call ourselves educated!!. Bookish knowledge and perhaps we can ace any written or oral exam on the fucking planet, but educated - we are not!!. No fucking way!!!.
And women - I have a lot of respect for you. But why is it that when you are behind a steering-wheel or hold a handlebar, become insane? Do you lose your head when you see so many men around you or is it so much traffic?. I agree, there are so many men who are lousy drivers out there but to the percentage of women who ride/drive, a large percentage are lousy drivers and make dumb-ass mistakes on the roads. Why do you suddenly (and this applies to the male population too) take turns without looking at the rear-view mirrors? What the fuck is a rear-view mirror for?? I don't remember it ever being put on a vehicle for cosmetic purposes. Damn, how much fucking long is it going to take to just flick your eyes to the rear-view mirror and get it back on the road?? Is it that hard to judge what to do based on that?
And why the hell do we use the horn so much? Is it some god-or-whatever-being-given weapon that we can use without any concern for human-kind? It so fucking pisses me off when people use it on the road with so much aplomb. Traffic is jammed up. Its not moving. Its gonna take some time. Or the signal is red. There is no way anyone can move until it turns green - or in most cases, yellow. But still you want to use the horn. I ask - what the fuck for? And another piss-off. Why the fuck do you want to move before the signal counts down to zero? I mean, are we getting there faster if we move out before that? Do we reach earlier?
And why use the cell-phone while driving? Its a fucking crime to use it when driving a car. But I have seen some jokers on bikes use them!!. I mean, do you write a fucking will and final settlement every time you leave the home in the morning. Fucking hell, atleast do that before you leave. I am sure your wife and kids will be happy about that!. They'll have a future once you lose yours!.
Like rear-view mirrors, I also think that signal-lights are not put on vehicles for cosmetic purposes. They have a fucking use. When you want to turn right, you flip on the right indicator. When you want to turn left, you turn on the left indicator. Its kinda simple. All it takes on a bike is a flick of the thumb and on a car - go figure!. Notice that I said "when you want to turn". Cause I see so many people use the indicators, but only just before turning. Voids the need for fucking indicators I think. Damn, we should have been blessed with fucking ESP.
Damn, driving in traffic sure pisses me off and in fact, I do give a piece of my mind to every fucker who fucks up on the road. So the next time you hear someone scream and call you names on the road, it might just be me!! Fucking educated fools!!.
On a happier note, was very happy to come across this site called Bangalore Transport Information System through Metroblogging Bangalore. It aims to make it easier for the common man to locate directions to parts of Bangalore and even provides information on the auto rates for that distance. Good effort I must say and they are looking for feedback, so please do give it to them.
And women - I have a lot of respect for you. But why is it that when you are behind a steering-wheel or hold a handlebar, become insane? Do you lose your head when you see so many men around you or is it so much traffic?. I agree, there are so many men who are lousy drivers out there but to the percentage of women who ride/drive, a large percentage are lousy drivers and make dumb-ass mistakes on the roads. Why do you suddenly (and this applies to the male population too) take turns without looking at the rear-view mirrors? What the fuck is a rear-view mirror for?? I don't remember it ever being put on a vehicle for cosmetic purposes. Damn, how much fucking long is it going to take to just flick your eyes to the rear-view mirror and get it back on the road?? Is it that hard to judge what to do based on that?
And why the hell do we use the horn so much? Is it some god-or-whatever-being-given weapon that we can use without any concern for human-kind? It so fucking pisses me off when people use it on the road with so much aplomb. Traffic is jammed up. Its not moving. Its gonna take some time. Or the signal is red. There is no way anyone can move until it turns green - or in most cases, yellow. But still you want to use the horn. I ask - what the fuck for? And another piss-off. Why the fuck do you want to move before the signal counts down to zero? I mean, are we getting there faster if we move out before that? Do we reach earlier?
And why use the cell-phone while driving? Its a fucking crime to use it when driving a car. But I have seen some jokers on bikes use them!!. I mean, do you write a fucking will and final settlement every time you leave the home in the morning. Fucking hell, atleast do that before you leave. I am sure your wife and kids will be happy about that!. They'll have a future once you lose yours!.
Like rear-view mirrors, I also think that signal-lights are not put on vehicles for cosmetic purposes. They have a fucking use. When you want to turn right, you flip on the right indicator. When you want to turn left, you turn on the left indicator. Its kinda simple. All it takes on a bike is a flick of the thumb and on a car - go figure!. Notice that I said "when you want to turn". Cause I see so many people use the indicators, but only just before turning. Voids the need for fucking indicators I think. Damn, we should have been blessed with fucking ESP.
Damn, driving in traffic sure pisses me off and in fact, I do give a piece of my mind to every fucker who fucks up on the road. So the next time you hear someone scream and call you names on the road, it might just be me!! Fucking educated fools!!.
On a happier note, was very happy to come across this site called Bangalore Transport Information System through Metroblogging Bangalore. It aims to make it easier for the common man to locate directions to parts of Bangalore and even provides information on the auto rates for that distance. Good effort I must say and they are looking for feedback, so please do give it to them.
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