Lessons in traffic discipline from Down Under

Rama Kashyap

Traffic snarls are never pleasant, even if they are in an orderly city like Chandigarh that has been witnessing increasing congestion on roads, leading to exploration of ideas such as the construction of flyovers and Metro rail.

On our way to Paris by road, I witnessed something I didn’t know existed. We were caught on a highway clogged with traffic — the one infamous for being the worst in Europe. During the peak rush hours in the evening, vehicles inched slowly in stop-and-go movement, but the discipline in which the traffic moved was amazing and a sight for any Indian. No bumper-to-bumper driving, all vehicles moved in their own lane, maintaining significant distance between one another. No overtaking, no lane-changing, no honking. Unbelievable!

Another scene, albeit another location! An Indian-dominated suburb of Sydney, the driver, an easily identifiable Indian, waited patiently in his car, while we crossed the road majestically on foot. I wondered if he would have treated the pedestrians with the same respect back in India. Quite possible, the driver would have frowned, if not intimidated us.

I often wonder why there is so much chaos and anarchy on Indian roads. Why is there scant regard for pedestrians and traffic rules in our country? After all, the same Indians who disregard traffic rules in our own country follow them sacredly abroad.

Our chit-chat with Indian families at a get together in Sydney had much to throw light on the subject. It had barely been a month since fines on traffic violations had been raised steeply in India. Quite naturally, the discussions veered round traffic penalties in Australia.

A young Indian couple recounted how they bought a car and went for their first ride on the wide roads of Sydney. The young man was caught on speed radar exceeding the limit. The excitement turned into despair when a hefty fine of $4,000 was slapped on him for multiple violations. They had only recently immigrated to Australia, and the blow gave them sleepless nights.

Another shocker: Four friends, including my son, were on a trip to the hills. They were driving fast on an expressway. He was given a chase by the police. “I was overtaking a vehicle and hence…” he sought o justify.

“No, you overtook not one but quite a few vehicles,” was the curt reply from the cops. Not only was he charged a heavy fine but also earned demerit points, an accumulation of which implies the suspension of driving licence.

Now, we realised why traffic rules are followed strictly in Australia. Not only are the fines hefty but the only way to escape them is to obey the traffic rules. And this has an implicit lesson for India: hefty penalties are not enough to check traffic violations. More importantly, we need the fear of law, their strict and effective implementation in which the use of technology can play an important role.