Aasai arubadhu naal, mogam muppathu naal- This is usally said to denote that the fancy of love/lust/marriage dies quickly, a max of 90 days. I think it applies to all. Even blogging. I started it few months back and now I dont seem to get a chance or mindset to post something regularly as before. Why start then? People always want to try something new when there is no loss/harm in trying. So did I. Why do people blog. These are few things I could come up with. Maybe others can add
1. They are bored and got nothing else to do
2. They want to share information
3. Voice their opinion( you dont have to worry if any one is listening. so convenient)
4. Avoid debating as a consequence of 3. Moderate or remove comments
5. Bring out the writer in them or test writing skills
6. Portray they're net savvy - am the Gen X Y Z Z1 Z2 Z3 group( I wonder why they started with X..maybe the one who coined it thought the world would disappear in three to four decades from then). Or is it something I am not aware of.
7. Connect with the rest of the world
8. Can write better than talk.
9. Just for fun
10. Get no strings attached companions.
I sqeezed my brains so hard and could comeup with nothing more.I , btw, belong to category 1.
Having noted that my posts are way too long mostly and that its the age of "Twittering" I am going to try to convey more in less. That again sounds convenient for now. Not sure if it will work out for me
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
To help or not to
One of my friends recently narrated this incident that happened in the bus and how bad he felt for not being able to help a woman who fell down flat on her face when the bus braked suddenly. She was standing next to him. He could have prevented her fall if at all he had held her while she was falling. I asked him why he hadn't. He said he was afraid to be mistaken. Now, is a fall embarrassing or a man holding you ( which means physical contact)to prevent the fall.
I was at the chennai station a little too early for my train and was waiting at the platform. A man not the conventional " decent looking" type came to me with his luggage- few blankets, a big shopper and another bag and asked me if I could watch it for him when he went out to do/get something. When I hesitated he said " just five mins". I accepted. And then all the worrying started. I looked at the bags and was wondering what was inside them. I tried finding reasons to justify my decision which only made it worse. He was actually seated earlier next to a North Indian family and it would have been easier for him to have asked them. Why me? Every minute seemed like hours and he hadnt turned up even after ten mins. I forgot the bags ( including mine) and started gazing around and far to get signs of him coming and/op look for some help. I realised that many of them had worn similar color combination dress like him. I started wondering if I need to tell someone about this and saw a cop. Thankfully before I I went to him this man came back. He showed me his ticket and said he was not able to make the coach number because of the poor print. It looked anything similar to S5 S3 S8 and S9. He had gone searching the charts for his name. I tried to look at other numbers printed, matched it and told him it would probably be 8 or 9. How nice it would have been if he had told this to me earlier.
Few months back, a lady came to my house for a survey. She informed me that she is doing a survey on consumer behavior patterns on behalf of AC Neilson. Having worked for Call centers and in outbound calling for more than two years, I usually try to be nice to these people. I felt a fully filled survey form is definitely going to fetch her some money. Why shouldn't I help her. I started answering the questions and it took more than half hour. I brought her inside the house as it started raining mid way.
After she left I went over the questions she asked. There were some very suspicious ones
1. Who are all the earning members in the family
2. What time does your brother come in and go out( She said as per her sampling , she was supposed to question the third member ( as per age) in the family and that will help her more
3. What brand TV, Fridge, Washing machine, computer, phone do you have
4. What brand shoes do you buy
5. How often do you watch movies and where you go and when you go
6. What time does everyone watch tv at home
She asked a lot many questions and I had also refused to give her some.,.ex, salary range, phone numbers however I had given her enough info to find out when there will be people in my house and what items we have, their value. Next few days I wasnt able to sleep peacefully and would wake up at the slightest sound.I still dont know if what I had done was right or not.
Similar confusions happen when I pay beggars( especially after watching Naan Kadavul). There are many who ridicule/scold me for paying them. " Kai kaal iruku la..ozhachu sambathikalam thaanay". This statement fills me with rage. Why the hell would someone resort to begging if they had other options to live. If its about being lazy, is begging as easy? Would you resort to begging at any point to save physical or mental strain?. But then, you never know. I finally decided that anyways I would pay them. Firstly, I try to buy them food if hunger is the problem else pay. Where it goes and how its used is not my problem. Even if I paid hundred of them and 99 cheated, its worth " being fooled" for the sake of one.
Many of us might have reasons ( genuine enough at times) for not being able to help. However at most times, we just look for excuses. Other than the fact that I am an AR fan, I love this song "Pray for me brother" for this one single line coined. - ARE YOU SEARCHING.. FOR A REASON.. TO BE KIND..
I was at the chennai station a little too early for my train and was waiting at the platform. A man not the conventional " decent looking" type came to me with his luggage- few blankets, a big shopper and another bag and asked me if I could watch it for him when he went out to do/get something. When I hesitated he said " just five mins". I accepted. And then all the worrying started. I looked at the bags and was wondering what was inside them. I tried finding reasons to justify my decision which only made it worse. He was actually seated earlier next to a North Indian family and it would have been easier for him to have asked them. Why me? Every minute seemed like hours and he hadnt turned up even after ten mins. I forgot the bags ( including mine) and started gazing around and far to get signs of him coming and/op look for some help. I realised that many of them had worn similar color combination dress like him. I started wondering if I need to tell someone about this and saw a cop. Thankfully before I I went to him this man came back. He showed me his ticket and said he was not able to make the coach number because of the poor print. It looked anything similar to S5 S3 S8 and S9. He had gone searching the charts for his name. I tried to look at other numbers printed, matched it and told him it would probably be 8 or 9. How nice it would have been if he had told this to me earlier.
Few months back, a lady came to my house for a survey. She informed me that she is doing a survey on consumer behavior patterns on behalf of AC Neilson. Having worked for Call centers and in outbound calling for more than two years, I usually try to be nice to these people. I felt a fully filled survey form is definitely going to fetch her some money. Why shouldn't I help her. I started answering the questions and it took more than half hour. I brought her inside the house as it started raining mid way.
After she left I went over the questions she asked. There were some very suspicious ones
1. Who are all the earning members in the family
2. What time does your brother come in and go out( She said as per her sampling , she was supposed to question the third member ( as per age) in the family and that will help her more
3. What brand TV, Fridge, Washing machine, computer, phone do you have
4. What brand shoes do you buy
5. How often do you watch movies and where you go and when you go
6. What time does everyone watch tv at home
She asked a lot many questions and I had also refused to give her some.,.ex, salary range, phone numbers however I had given her enough info to find out when there will be people in my house and what items we have, their value. Next few days I wasnt able to sleep peacefully and would wake up at the slightest sound.I still dont know if what I had done was right or not.
Similar confusions happen when I pay beggars( especially after watching Naan Kadavul). There are many who ridicule/scold me for paying them. " Kai kaal iruku la..ozhachu sambathikalam thaanay". This statement fills me with rage. Why the hell would someone resort to begging if they had other options to live. If its about being lazy, is begging as easy? Would you resort to begging at any point to save physical or mental strain?. But then, you never know. I finally decided that anyways I would pay them. Firstly, I try to buy them food if hunger is the problem else pay. Where it goes and how its used is not my problem. Even if I paid hundred of them and 99 cheated, its worth " being fooled" for the sake of one.
Many of us might have reasons ( genuine enough at times) for not being able to help. However at most times, we just look for excuses. Other than the fact that I am an AR fan, I love this song "Pray for me brother" for this one single line coined. - ARE YOU SEARCHING.. FOR A REASON.. TO BE KIND..
Its their age: Keen observation and striking intelligence
A decade back it was the day of the youth.Nowadays,its their kids'.. kids upto the age of eight are now leaving the youth behind. They intelligent than us, learn quickly through keen observation and an open mind which doesnt exist in the elders as it gets corrupted by experiences in life over years. The exposure they get and the easy access to information has made the difference. Todays Parents,the youth of yester years put all their love, care and intelligence in bringing up their kids, gave them all they had wanted from their Parents but failed to get. However, these kids have left them wondering if what have done is right or wrong. They border lines of overconfidence, so sure about what they want and dont look for advice and neither listen.Tricking them is almost ruled out but there is great possibility of them tricking us. Is this intelligence for good is what we need to be thinking.
My neighbours son who is two years old, was having a chocolate. when I asked him if I can share a bite ,, he says " Yeh Devayi hai" ( This is medicine). He must have learnt it from someone else. Only that this time he applied it to his favor.
When I took my sisters kid who visited us for her vacation for purchase, she just wontstop showing me pieces which she felt would definitely look good on me. Two mins after I enquire the attendant about a piece on whether its cotton or not, she pulls up another one and asks him " Is this cotton or metal? My periyamma doesnt want metal" She probably heard "material" as metal and was testing the knowledge she just gained. The attendant laughs " Metal a ??". She doesnt want to give up says " yeah.. dont you know metal.. Pithalai" I had to pull her out of the conversation when she got this response " Paapa pathira kadai poyichu pola inga vara munnadi" ( kid probably went shopping for vessels before coming here ).
My 4 year old neices' favorite pass time is Role play. Her name is Niranjani
Niranjani: Amma.. you are Niranjani and I am amma
Her mom: Ok
Niranjani: Niranjini.. how long its been since you woke up.. brush your teeth.. NOW
Her mom: OK
Niranjani: Oh Amma. Dont spoilt it. Do I say yes. I say No
Amma ( laughs): No mummy.. I wont
Niranjani: I am going to be angry now.. you better brush..
She gets bored at this point and comes to my Dad
Niranjani: Thatha. I am the chef. You want food. Ok?
Thatha: mmm...
Niranjani: What tiffin do you want?
Thatha: ( pretends not to understand intending to irritate her..) What?
Niranjani: Thatha.. What "TIFFIN" do you want? ( with little more volume and stress on the word Tiffin)
Thatha: What???
Niranjani: Oh thatha " What mum mum do you want?"
I can use this as an illustration for " paraphrasing " technique on call when training my team on phone etiquette. What we have to train adults to say and do, these kids know and do it naturally and by default.
All these sound good and nice still there are a lot of things to worry about as well.
My colleagues daughter wants her mom to wait until the hero/heroine undress before changing channels. If at all her Mom dares to, she says " they still have their clothes on .. why do you have to change the channel.. am enjoying watching it"
My sisters kid comments on catching me singing.. " Why do you always sing melody- ..You look so sad.. I feel sorry for you.." I asked her what then would make her feel that I am happy. She goes " sing nakka mukka or kathazhe kannalay". Thats the effect TV and media has on them.
My 12 yr old cousin doesnt want her mom to go to Parents teachers meet without straightening her frizzy hair. That is the importance they give to external beauty. I recently saw an ad where this girl says that she is ready to clean her room or worse even do dishes (!!!) if God can make here pimple vanish before the DJ night. Here cleanliness is about being without a pimple. Kids who are 8 or 9 yrs get waxing done on body hair. Hygiene, health and beauty are confused with one another. If clean skin has to be fair and flawless, where would all the dark skinned or pimpled population go
Talking about ads, Virgin mobile ads irritate me to the core. The entire value system is questioned and made fun of. Many of them expect me to see the humor and ignore it, what about the kids who grow up watching it everyday? Generation gap? I dont know.
Well, I started somewhere and deviated to these topics. Getting back,Are we going to feed their intelligence with something good or let them turn into a bunch whose values would be nothing but materialistic and fake? What about their life after their thirties when the charm and intelligence starts to fade, life becomes lonely and monotonous?
My neighbours son who is two years old, was having a chocolate. when I asked him if I can share a bite ,, he says " Yeh Devayi hai" ( This is medicine). He must have learnt it from someone else. Only that this time he applied it to his favor.
When I took my sisters kid who visited us for her vacation for purchase, she just wontstop showing me pieces which she felt would definitely look good on me. Two mins after I enquire the attendant about a piece on whether its cotton or not, she pulls up another one and asks him " Is this cotton or metal? My periyamma doesnt want metal" She probably heard "material" as metal and was testing the knowledge she just gained. The attendant laughs " Metal a ??". She doesnt want to give up says " yeah.. dont you know metal.. Pithalai" I had to pull her out of the conversation when she got this response " Paapa pathira kadai poyichu pola inga vara munnadi" ( kid probably went shopping for vessels before coming here ).
My 4 year old neices' favorite pass time is Role play. Her name is Niranjani
Niranjani: Amma.. you are Niranjani and I am amma
Her mom: Ok
Niranjani: Niranjini.. how long its been since you woke up.. brush your teeth.. NOW
Her mom: OK
Niranjani: Oh Amma. Dont spoilt it. Do I say yes. I say No
Amma ( laughs): No mummy.. I wont
Niranjani: I am going to be angry now.. you better brush..
She gets bored at this point and comes to my Dad
Niranjani: Thatha. I am the chef. You want food. Ok?
Thatha: mmm...
Niranjani: What tiffin do you want?
Thatha: ( pretends not to understand intending to irritate her..) What?
Niranjani: Thatha.. What "TIFFIN" do you want? ( with little more volume and stress on the word Tiffin)
Thatha: What???
Niranjani: Oh thatha " What mum mum do you want?"
I can use this as an illustration for " paraphrasing " technique on call when training my team on phone etiquette. What we have to train adults to say and do, these kids know and do it naturally and by default.
All these sound good and nice still there are a lot of things to worry about as well.
My colleagues daughter wants her mom to wait until the hero/heroine undress before changing channels. If at all her Mom dares to, she says " they still have their clothes on .. why do you have to change the channel.. am enjoying watching it"
My sisters kid comments on catching me singing.. " Why do you always sing melody- ..You look so sad.. I feel sorry for you.." I asked her what then would make her feel that I am happy. She goes " sing nakka mukka or kathazhe kannalay". Thats the effect TV and media has on them.
My 12 yr old cousin doesnt want her mom to go to Parents teachers meet without straightening her frizzy hair. That is the importance they give to external beauty. I recently saw an ad where this girl says that she is ready to clean her room or worse even do dishes (!!!) if God can make here pimple vanish before the DJ night. Here cleanliness is about being without a pimple. Kids who are 8 or 9 yrs get waxing done on body hair. Hygiene, health and beauty are confused with one another. If clean skin has to be fair and flawless, where would all the dark skinned or pimpled population go
Talking about ads, Virgin mobile ads irritate me to the core. The entire value system is questioned and made fun of. Many of them expect me to see the humor and ignore it, what about the kids who grow up watching it everyday? Generation gap? I dont know.
Well, I started somewhere and deviated to these topics. Getting back,Are we going to feed their intelligence with something good or let them turn into a bunch whose values would be nothing but materialistic and fake? What about their life after their thirties when the charm and intelligence starts to fade, life becomes lonely and monotonous?
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Women and travel
Two recent incidents, one involving a close friend of mine and another to which i was a silent spectator has made me give a lot of thought to this...
One of my friends who traveled from chennai to cbe in the night train alone had a tough time with a co passenger.Based on what he was talking over the phone she was able to make it that he was disturbed.. He took her water bottle and gulped it down fully without even bothering to ask her.. spilled food all over her seat and on top of it offered a 1000rs note when she complained about the water later. In addition he kept talking nonsense. And the climax.. to avoid facing him further.. she retired early only to catch him taking a snap of her using his mobile.. the rest of the passengers in the coach were immersed in themselves ( two were honeymoon couples on the way to ooty probably is what she said). When she complained to the TTR about the snap he brought in policemen and they said they cant do anything unless she files a complaint.This man was still behaving funny but the police wanted her to prove that he had indeed taken a snap of her.The other passengers in her coach were indifferent and couldnt/ didnt want to come forward. luckily a man from the press insisted that they take a look at his mobile.. even then they could make nothing but a blurred image ( obviously) and finally matched it to her face and dress somehow.Now.. the TTR arranged to give her another seat and the police gave a word to protect her. Still, she was alone when she got down at cbe.. what if the man followed her???If not anything else , she had lost her good nights sleep, peace, felt vulnerable and would never again be comfortable travelling alone in the night.
I had always dreaded night travel after having heard terror stories from other women and friends..of men brushing against.. putting their hands " accidentally " on you while passing by.. men smoking/ standing near the toilets etc..
Forget about the public acting/reacting/ helping women in such cases, the second incident shows how they wont even acknowledge the problems but make fun of it. I had to travel by bus to bangalore recently and could get tickets only by KPN. There was a girl who took the window seat next to me and her uncle/ dad had come to see her off. The man was little bit concerned about her travelling alone and kept advising her. He went to the driver then to enquire where the bus would make stops for food or refreshment.. the driverwent on to say" whenever needed". The old man insisted asking.. but dont you stop regularly at some place.. the driver says " We cant.. How can I find out when your daugther needs to piss.. she has to come and inform and we will stop ( the translated version looks less ugly.. these were his exact words " unga ponnuku eppo onnuku varum nu enaku eppidinga theriyum".. ) and laughed. He was so impressed at his quick wits that he repeated the same aloud so that the entire bus can hear it.The oldman couldnt retort obviously as his daugther still had to take the bus. I really havent known any woman travelling alone go to the driver and ask the bus to stop at some place... except for ones very old.. Even if they do.. how safe and convenient is it for them to attend to the natures call in such places.. This may sound cliched however would the driver like someone talking to his mom/sis/wife in the same manner.
Not only these,, its quite common to see men occupying " magalir mattum" seats in the bus. The conductors dont bother either even if someone complains. There are sarcastic comments passed sometimes " you say you are equal to men.. why dont you stand n come?".I dont expect them to give their seats away to healthy and young women.. cant they do it at least for the elderly women/ men.
Further,freedom/comfort in terms of dressing is also misunderstand..I am little conservative with respect to skin show however dont mind wearing clothes that are comfortable and fit the occasion n place. Still it doesnt mean that a man can comfortably rub against me while sitting next to me in the train just because I sport a jean. I have seen a very different behaviour when I wear a salwar which has that traditional look.. Modern dressing( even if decent) is considered as a sign of " accesibility" and different value system.
Still, in spite of all these inconveniences women manage to travel to work and earn. Working women MIGHT have financial freedom but it hasnt come in the easy and convenient way as it seems to be.
One of my friends who traveled from chennai to cbe in the night train alone had a tough time with a co passenger.Based on what he was talking over the phone she was able to make it that he was disturbed.. He took her water bottle and gulped it down fully without even bothering to ask her.. spilled food all over her seat and on top of it offered a 1000rs note when she complained about the water later. In addition he kept talking nonsense. And the climax.. to avoid facing him further.. she retired early only to catch him taking a snap of her using his mobile.. the rest of the passengers in the coach were immersed in themselves ( two were honeymoon couples on the way to ooty probably is what she said). When she complained to the TTR about the snap he brought in policemen and they said they cant do anything unless she files a complaint.This man was still behaving funny but the police wanted her to prove that he had indeed taken a snap of her.The other passengers in her coach were indifferent and couldnt/ didnt want to come forward. luckily a man from the press insisted that they take a look at his mobile.. even then they could make nothing but a blurred image ( obviously) and finally matched it to her face and dress somehow.Now.. the TTR arranged to give her another seat and the police gave a word to protect her. Still, she was alone when she got down at cbe.. what if the man followed her???If not anything else , she had lost her good nights sleep, peace, felt vulnerable and would never again be comfortable travelling alone in the night.
I had always dreaded night travel after having heard terror stories from other women and friends..of men brushing against.. putting their hands " accidentally " on you while passing by.. men smoking/ standing near the toilets etc..
Forget about the public acting/reacting/ helping women in such cases, the second incident shows how they wont even acknowledge the problems but make fun of it. I had to travel by bus to bangalore recently and could get tickets only by KPN. There was a girl who took the window seat next to me and her uncle/ dad had come to see her off. The man was little bit concerned about her travelling alone and kept advising her. He went to the driver then to enquire where the bus would make stops for food or refreshment.. the driverwent on to say" whenever needed". The old man insisted asking.. but dont you stop regularly at some place.. the driver says " We cant.. How can I find out when your daugther needs to piss.. she has to come and inform and we will stop ( the translated version looks less ugly.. these were his exact words " unga ponnuku eppo onnuku varum nu enaku eppidinga theriyum".. ) and laughed. He was so impressed at his quick wits that he repeated the same aloud so that the entire bus can hear it.The oldman couldnt retort obviously as his daugther still had to take the bus. I really havent known any woman travelling alone go to the driver and ask the bus to stop at some place... except for ones very old.. Even if they do.. how safe and convenient is it for them to attend to the natures call in such places.. This may sound cliched however would the driver like someone talking to his mom/sis/wife in the same manner.
Not only these,, its quite common to see men occupying " magalir mattum" seats in the bus. The conductors dont bother either even if someone complains. There are sarcastic comments passed sometimes " you say you are equal to men.. why dont you stand n come?".I dont expect them to give their seats away to healthy and young women.. cant they do it at least for the elderly women/ men.
Further,freedom/comfort in terms of dressing is also misunderstand..I am little conservative with respect to skin show however dont mind wearing clothes that are comfortable and fit the occasion n place. Still it doesnt mean that a man can comfortably rub against me while sitting next to me in the train just because I sport a jean. I have seen a very different behaviour when I wear a salwar which has that traditional look.. Modern dressing( even if decent) is considered as a sign of " accesibility" and different value system.
Still, in spite of all these inconveniences women manage to travel to work and earn. Working women MIGHT have financial freedom but it hasnt come in the easy and convenient way as it seems to be.
Monday, January 5, 2009
No Honk please
Most of us have been victims of noise pollution thats been on exponential increase in the last few years but there is very less thought we give to it. Rather, we hardly react. What is with noise, todays gen and their obsession with it?? It has gone so far that we need a Guru to come down and show us how much peace and happiness can be felt at heart if we can just remain quiet for sometime and listen to nature talk... I thought about this a lot during my visit to Dhyanalinga (Isha). The volunteers even asked the ladies to remove their anklets or other jing bang stuff they usually wear as accesories. All that you have to do is sit down, remain silent in the hall when you get to hear the sound of waterfall and some mild music. One way, I am glad someone came up with this. On the other hand it saddens me that we expect another person to show this to us.. Do we have to be " taught" all these?
I am a person very sensitive to sound. Unlike most music lovers, I have always listened to songs with optimal volume and the same applies when I watch TV. My mobile ringing volumes are mostly at the average level. I go with cotton in my ears to watch movies these days because of the "DTS effect" and needless to mention most tam movies villains and heroes keep screaming Aye! Aye! for no reason..
Though all the above can be countered in some way or the other and the entertainment part of it compensates for the trouble, something I just am not able to cope up with is the sound of honking..
While there are times when honking is absolutely necessary, I can say that about 90% of the times its not. As against need, It is done out of habit ( few drivers just cant take their hands of the horns), frustration,anger,fear, impatience, hurry or just to irritate someone and enjoy, eve teasing ( oh yes) and few for pleasure !?!? As I am sitting in my room writing this.. I can hear the honking outside in the road. I live in a residential area where traffic is comparitively less and so is the need for blowing horns to this extent.
As always, I was complaining about this one day while waiting near the signal,listening to the people honking incessantly ( come on.. there is a red signal and we cant move.. do you want us to break it? aaaaarggggggggggggghhhhhh) Thats when I got this what you can call an idea.. its kinda ridiculous but I felt so much peace to event think of how it will be if implemented.. Idea is a Manual honk... Provide all drivers with a whistle which they have to blow if they need to honk.. Wow.. will any driver honk unnecessarily therafter.. the effort that the task will take will stop them from doing it unnecessarily.. if they honk ( whistle) at the same rate they do currently.. their lungs will explode .. I think the traffic regulatory board ( or whatever it is called) should think about this..
It seems highly stupid and kiddish but the kinda irritation I have been thru and headache it has given has made me think in these terms.. I remember an ex boss of mine mention during his visit to India from US that he must have hardly used the horn twice in his life time. He was 54 that time.. Even if that seems too good to be true cant we minimise it to 2 times or when in need (whichever is higher) on a days drive??
As against the usual Horn Ok please sign I read that No honking day stickers were seen on vehicles on April 7, 2008 which is was observed as No honking day in Mumbai. It is Jan 1st this year in Delhi. But this is not about a day, isnt it? How many of us even know that unnecssary honking is an offence? I was surprised to read this "Blowing of horns unnecessarily, especially in silence zones, at signalised junctions/intersections, using multi-toned horns, pressure horns are illegal and punishable under section 177 of the Motor Vehicles Act 1988, attracting a fine up to Rs 100,". Instead of the fine, the Whistle option should work out better. We learn our lessons the hard way.
I am a person very sensitive to sound. Unlike most music lovers, I have always listened to songs with optimal volume and the same applies when I watch TV. My mobile ringing volumes are mostly at the average level. I go with cotton in my ears to watch movies these days because of the "DTS effect" and needless to mention most tam movies villains and heroes keep screaming Aye! Aye! for no reason..
Though all the above can be countered in some way or the other and the entertainment part of it compensates for the trouble, something I just am not able to cope up with is the sound of honking..
While there are times when honking is absolutely necessary, I can say that about 90% of the times its not. As against need, It is done out of habit ( few drivers just cant take their hands of the horns), frustration,anger,fear, impatience, hurry or just to irritate someone and enjoy, eve teasing ( oh yes) and few for pleasure !?!? As I am sitting in my room writing this.. I can hear the honking outside in the road. I live in a residential area where traffic is comparitively less and so is the need for blowing horns to this extent.
As always, I was complaining about this one day while waiting near the signal,listening to the people honking incessantly ( come on.. there is a red signal and we cant move.. do you want us to break it? aaaaarggggggggggggghhhhhh) Thats when I got this what you can call an idea.. its kinda ridiculous but I felt so much peace to event think of how it will be if implemented.. Idea is a Manual honk... Provide all drivers with a whistle which they have to blow if they need to honk.. Wow.. will any driver honk unnecessarily therafter.. the effort that the task will take will stop them from doing it unnecessarily.. if they honk ( whistle) at the same rate they do currently.. their lungs will explode .. I think the traffic regulatory board ( or whatever it is called) should think about this..
It seems highly stupid and kiddish but the kinda irritation I have been thru and headache it has given has made me think in these terms.. I remember an ex boss of mine mention during his visit to India from US that he must have hardly used the horn twice in his life time. He was 54 that time.. Even if that seems too good to be true cant we minimise it to 2 times or when in need (whichever is higher) on a days drive??
As against the usual Horn Ok please sign I read that No honking day stickers were seen on vehicles on April 7, 2008 which is was observed as No honking day in Mumbai. It is Jan 1st this year in Delhi. But this is not about a day, isnt it? How many of us even know that unnecssary honking is an offence? I was surprised to read this "Blowing of horns unnecessarily, especially in silence zones, at signalised junctions/intersections, using multi-toned horns, pressure horns are illegal and punishable under section 177 of the Motor Vehicles Act 1988, attracting a fine up to Rs 100,". Instead of the fine, the Whistle option should work out better. We learn our lessons the hard way.
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