Eyes Closed

(Day 35 of 112)

One thing I’ve realised after traversing the roads in Bombay after a long time has been that while the traffic has gotten worse and the roads an even bigger disgrace than they were, one thing that has not changed is the attitude of the people.

Nobody trusts anybody on the roads. They see an opening and 20 vehicles aim to get through it. It doesn’t matter that they are cutting lanes and making a bigger mess of the traffic. All that matters is that they get through to the other side before the old sod in the bigger car on their left. If only people trusted each other to follow road etiquette and believe that if they just show a minute’s worth of patience everyone will get through. But that’s too much to ask. If someone is sensible enough to stay in his place and not add to the already terrible jam, the moron in the gigantic car behind him will take it as a sign to rush forward and add his two bits to the big pile of mess.

And if this not enough, the use of brakes seems to have become illegal in this city. Or so I believe. After all no one uses them anymore. And so cars, buses, trucks and rickshaws all swerve and sway and literally scrape through by the skin of their teeth. But no one stops. That’s against their pride and religion apparently. And of course if they stop the result is generally an orchestra of honking from all sides. Then there is the unspeakable humiliation, of having that lady-driver on your right overtake you. Not done you see.

The only thing to do on the roads of Bombay now (and it seems like most drivers are already doing it) is to keep your eyes closed when travelling (but not when behind the wheel). I know I do (again, not behind the wheel). My heart and blood pressure cannot stand the stress of expecting the sound of metal against metal accompanied by a huge shouting match anymore. I must be getting old. Or careful.