Last evening at 6.15, I left from my office. After a 30 minutes drive, I hit upon a big traffic jam. It’s very common in cities like Bangalore. The next miserable thing to see was an ambulance next to me. It was on emergency, trying its best to save someone’s life. I was just wondering that how this ambulance shall pass through this heavy traffic. I asked my driver to stop the vehicle on left side so that the ambulance can move to its destination and can save one life. But the driver was just unable to move a single step as the jam was too congested. Even the traffic police were unable to clear it. It was heartbreaking to see the patient inside the ambulance who was on oxygen and looked half dead. This was such a horrible moment for me. Just due to some un-professional driver this traffic jam happened and I am also part of this traffic, but can't do anything. I was just praying that some how the ambulance should fly or some miracle should happen so that the patient gets hospitalized soon.
After couple of minutes’ struggle, the ambulance driver got some way to escape from this traffic jam. But I was still worried about the patient who was on oxygen.
This was not the end! In the next part of the story, while this ambulance got some way to cross the traffic, a youth on bike started chasing this ambulance. I was just wondering what will happen, when this youth on bike shall overtake the ambulance and again this ambulance will have to face another traffic jam. It is indeed a bad experience to see situations like this! I can’t understand what can be more important than a person’s life.
I kept asking this question to myself, why these bikers do ride in such ways? Why the traffic police are not doing anything? Why do other people just watch this like a movie?
The final answer was just a silence! These questions were getting on your nerves to such an extent that I was just unable to sleep that whole night. Only thing that repeatedly bugged me is ‘where is the loop hole?’ Might be the system, because once we are applying for driving license there is hardly any strict driving tests. If at times proper driving test is taken, then the test doesn’t take care of situation like the one mentioned above, or some other kind of emergencies.
In countries like Europe or US, they are very strong in this case. Their system is good and strong. I do remember when my few college students came from Netherlands and told me some of their experiences. They told that getting the license over there is so tuff, that though he stayed there for almost 8 years and applied for Driving License for more than 7 times but none of time he could pass. Some times he forgot to give indication 500 meters before turning at other times some or the other things were overlooked, which hardly matters in India. He told that there is a huge celebration when a person successfully procured Driving License. They hug each other and are jubilant as if they got million dollars. It sounds interesting, but in India it is just the opposite. It is very easy to take any state’s Driving License. You just need to look out for an agent and spend around 1000 – 2000 bugs. That’s it, yup, congratulation, now you are a Driver, you can drive.
Just give a thought to this process prevailing in India; aren’t we digging our own grave? When such unprofessional drivers come on road they create a real havoc doing lots of crime and making big traffic jams. Then they blame the government and/or we blame the infrastructure of city, like what people are doing in Bangalore and cities alike.
Print and Television media should take some steps to solve this issue, but they are too busy to cover marriages of celebrities. It's very common now days on any news channel they want to cover only glamour or celebrities. I think they have forgotten their moral duties & principals.
I would really like to request all those reading this article to give some time to and think about the gravity of the situation. Please treat every one like a human. Do not overtake ambulance. If you see something unethical around you, do raise your voice. This is over country and we don't want to spoil it. Out country is still great and we are the people who can make this greater. Fight for yourself, fight for the rights.
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