Beware of night riders

Beware of night riders

[Click To Enlarge]
W hat’s worse than being stuck in a traffic jam is to have people flout every single rule in the book and blatantly violate traffic norms. In Bengaluru, this has become a way of life every single night post 10 pm.

Surprisingly, no cops are found at most prominent signals. This is the cause of many accidents which happens on our roads especially at night.

Anup Baben, a marketing executive complains, “The Koramangala 7th block area has a one way which runs into the 7th main road. At night the traffic is haphazard and nobody follows any signal. Traffic moves both ways making it dangerous for us. The traffic police are nowhere to be seen and when they are around, some of them demand money for drunken driving.” The traffic police are not the only people who are blamed.

Auto drivers too are a cause of safety concerns for people.

Topzor Bhutia, a professional in an MNC says, “After 10 pm most of the auto drivers break signals. Autos and bikes ride on the M.G.Road pavement.

Nobody says a thing to them.

Honking at the signal also causes a lot of frustration.” Jigme Dorjee Sherpa feels travelling on the Silk Board and Maruthi Nagar roads at night is very risky. His suggestion is, “Give the traffic police extra facilities to work whole night.” Traffic experts feel that people are breaking signals because of impatience.

According to Mr. M.N.

Shreehari, Chairman of Traffic Engineering and Safety Trainer, “Road rage is the result of waiting endlessly in a jam. People need to plan their journey ahead and have a proper route plan.” His suggestions for the authorities are, “Switch off the signals after 11 pm in commercial areas like Brigade road and 9 pm in residential areas.” The authorities have a different view. Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic), Mr. Praveen Sood feels that commuters have an attitude problem. He says, “People think that there are no rules at night. They get into ‘No entry’ regions and jump signals which cause many accidents.” On being asked the reason for the absence of traffic police from the scene of crime he replied, “We can’t put traffic police everywhere for 24 hours a day. We would need 70 lakh traffic police then. Laws are laws, whether traffic police are there or not, it’s made for people’s own safety. You should understand that.” Bengalureans need to follow traffic rules, otherwise traveling at night in the Garden City will be dreaded by everybody.