Show courtesy to the pedestrian
H. Kishie Singh

The world’s most famous zebra crossing! A file photo showing the Beatles on Abbey Road

SOME time ago, Chandigarh had a World White Safety Cane Day. This was to highlight the fact that blind people use a white cane and we should give them special and polite treatment. In the next few months there will be a Road Safety Week. Every now and then we have a safety conscious programme for a day or a week. But why not stress on safety every day — 365 days of the year?

Our streets would then be safe. Accidents rates would go down and that would have a bearing on the insurance premium too! That would be money saved. Lack of accidents would also mean good driving habits. Better fuel consumption. That would again mean money saved. We see signs all over the countryside, "Conserve oil for India’s self-reliance". One way to do it easily is to improve your driving habits. Improved driving habits would also mean lower repair bills and maintenance bills for your car.

There are signs on our road which we ignore with wild abandon. The zebra crossings meant for pedestrians are one of the most important safety signs. Whether close to a traffic junction or mid-way on a long stretch, the aim is the same — to slow down a motorist. On a zebra crossing, a pedestrian has the absolute right of way. The rules are the same as for a person with a white cane i.e. a blind person. A motorist must give right of way to a pedestrian. At sea there is a law — powered craft (boats with engines) must give way to unpowered craft (sail boats and row boats). This rule shows the respect sailors have for each other. If motorists were to show this type of respect to all road users, our roads would be fun to drive on.

The slowest road user is the pedestrian. That is why zebra crossings are provided exclusively for him. Respect his rights. The motorist hopefully is an educated person. To get a licence some sort of education is necessary. We must realise the value of such road signs and follow them.

In Chandigarh we see people jumping over barbed wire fence on Madhya Marg. These people are too foolish to care about their own safety. It is the responsibility of the motorist to care for them. Caring for every other road user would make our roads safer.

Faster than the pedestrian but slower than the motorist are the handcart, cycle rickshaw or the horse-drawn cart. Our roads are full of every type of vehicle imaginable. Powered craft — cars, scooter mobikes — are the fastest. They also have efficient steering systems. They also have brakes. Handcarts and animal-drawn carts have no brakes — no means to stop in a hurry. It is a common sight to see a car braking sharply in front of a slower vehicle and then getting rammed on the side.

A horse-drawn cart simply cannot stop like a car with disc brakes. Avoid overtaking from the front while turning. Let the slower vehicle clear the junction, then you may pass unhindered behind him. There can never ever be any danger to a motorist if he is behind a slower vehicle, especially one without brakes.

Be courteous towards other road users.

This brings to mind an anecdote my father told me many years ago. Two motorists met head-on on a bridge which could accommodate only one car at a time. The arrogant driver stuck his head out of the window and yelled angrily, "I am not going to back up for a fool like you"! "But I will," said the safety-conscious, courteous driver.

Informatively, zebra crossings are for human beings. We don’t have zebras in this country!

Happy motoring!