Increasing traffic raising peoples’ tempers

Increasing traffic raising peoples’ tempers
Vijay Times

Bangalore: Increasing traffic in the City is finally taking a psychological toll on Bangloreans, if one considers the increasing instances of road rage.

With the number of vehicles on City roads constantly on the rise, the problem has now assumed alarming proportions. Bangalore adds amongst the highest number of vehicles, almost 3 lakh, added to its roads each day. It is imperative it is leaving a psychological impact! Dealing with traffic problems is adding to stress levels of people in the City. Common people, the cops and others are increasingly falling prey to the new phenomenon.

Road rage is a term, commonly used to refer to dangerous or violent behaviour on roads, which is prone to cause harm to other persons due to heightened levels of impatience and anger. It may manifest in common forms such as speeding, jumping lanes and signals, incessant honking and so on.

In extreme cases, road rage also leads to violent behaviour by motorists, such as verbal or physical abuse and in some tragic cases, even fatalities. Fortunately, there have been no reported cases of deaths as a result of road rage in the City, as in North India.

Eminent psychiatrist Dr Swaminath G, speaking to Vijay Times, opines "The number of people suffering from anger disorders is on a rise today and road rage is a contributory factor. Anger, at a very high level, is exhibited in different ways under different circumstances." A person needs professional help for such anger and not convert frustation into road rage.

"Road rage is a stress-induced state of mind. It can be prevented by following the most simple and basic steps such as time management, stress management through yoga and meditation and by implementing stringent traffic rules," adds Dr C R Chandrashekar, department of Psychiatry, NIMHANS.

He also explains, it is a trivial anger managment problem comprising of anger and irritabilty as its main symptoms.

Despite the problems not being recognised as a major ailment in itself by experts, people, who bear the daily brunt of it, think otherwise. However, there are no reported cases till date in the City of people seeking help for it. However, increased frustation is taking a toll on the lives of daily commuters and the problem needs to be addressed, opine medical experts.

Traffic experts are not surprised. It is imperative in a City whose infrastructure can cater to a maximum of 35 lakh population and 8 lakh vehicles. Contrast this with actual figures -- a mind-boggling 75 lakh population and 25.8 lakh vehicles.

"A possible solution (or hope), to reduce anxiety on roads is by adopting self-discipline," says M N Sreehari, chairman, Traffic Engineers and Safety Trainers (TEST), who is also a traffic advisor to the State government.