If you are a foodaholic...sorry dear...its not about the Jam you put on your bread in your daily break-fast. But this post is about the Traffic Jam we put on the roads. In fact, by analogy of Jam, bread and road are cousins..... isnt it??
However we ll try to limit our discussion to the consequences and causes of an-Jam. I believe no mortal would have survived the plight associated with traffic jam. Its a jungle out there and you never know, whether you would be the same person once you are out of it....I have seen coolest of hunks become hottest of punks and loveliest of damsels become ugliest of vamps! In fact spending time with a person, could well serve as Litmus test for determining his composure and patience.
In line with Murphy's Law, whichever road you take, you find a Jam there. I wonder if it conspires against me only! However, I know that more than half a billion people think and feel like me... And God forbid, if you try and take a short-cut...you find yourself in a deeper soup/s**t. Its even worse..the vehicle at your nose would not budge even if all other lines are moving. And the guy at your tail would try to test your hearing ability by honking continuously. Elder women with lots of kids would try to cross the road only when you are about to speed. And when finally it gets on your nerves and you think you could jump the signal, you find traffic constable just in front of your car...smiling sarcastically. These are some of the instances, one has to encounter almost daily or rather inevitably. But why???? Lets see....
Case I: A person in his new born car, waiting at the signal, sighs..."I don't really understand, if government can't provide the roads, why do they allow new vehicles to get on road?"!!!
Case II: A guy with flashy outfit bikes through the traffic like a knife in butter and gives victorious smile to an Uncle in the car, who just braked to avoid bumping into guy's bike.
Case III: A young couple at petrol pump, after a cozy long evening drive,"What the F! petrol..Rs.56??"
Case IV: An executive parks his car just behind the cars in No-Parking zone and comes back to see two cars blocking his way, comments,"I don't know when would people learn parking etiquettes.."
If you are an alert reader(and if you are not, I don't mind.. even I am not one), you would have guessed what I mean to say! More or less, we are ourselves responsible for Traffic woes.
In a home where there are only three members, you have four cars! And we curse government for improper infra-structure. We always rush to office or home with no time to spare and try speed our way through.....ignoring the sign board,"Better Late than Never!" Is it wise to imitate John Abraham or Hrithik, who drive on empty roads in movies, on a busy, jam-packed street?? I don't know whether its due to blind faith on Insurance companies or due to decreasing affection quotient of parents but you can see kids...sorry adolescents(I must correct) zooming on the roads, mind it..without license. I genuinely doubt these young guns rather goons ever promise dinner to their parents when they go out in evening, the way they zip-zap the streets in search of eye-candy...
We always try and park our vehicles in such a fashion so that we don't have to wait when we want to drive out, even if its at the cost of convenience of others!
The most amusing fact of all is, we have a unique mindset while using different mediums of transit. When we are on bike, we feel only the pity of two-wheelers and curse pedestrians and car owners. When in car, we shout at rash bikers, arrogant truck drivers who refuse to let you overtake or people who cause you to apply brakes when you are just cruising! While walking, we wish doom for folks on wheels, particularly if somebody though accidentally splashes mud on your dry-cleaned pants!
We know and acknowledge these facts but still we do it knowingly or unknowingly(just .00001%)
The need is to introspect and correct ourselves instead of cursing others. I know nobody needs tips, in fact I won't suggest any. But..............................its all matter of knowing and applying rather than knowing and ignoring!
09 June, 2008
04 June, 2008
An idea can change your life !
Many a times, a question haunts my mind......what it exactly means to be Practical???
I would try to elucidate my concern through some examples from my past encounters. The other day, I was discussing a typical case of Hit n Run with someone...no..no..its not about any road accident, it had been one of those missed calls, where the girl means something else, does something else and the guy gets hit by 'dat' thing, which people call as Cupid's arrow....
Being moved by the plight of my friend, I was considering all the plausible alternatives. And hence, I opted to take an expert opinion and what she advised was as generic as "Cow having tail". And the pill she prescribed was to get my friend's head back on his shoulders and ask him to behave practically. In short, to dump his emotions into garbage bin and move on as shown in 'Fast Track' ad.
The best solution one could think of, in a situation worse like this, was given considering criticality of it. But doesn't that implies that being practical means, you have killed your emotions!! Moral: you have become a heartless genius! What an achievement....
On the same lines, if you do a favor to someone, that person doesn't considers it a genuine gesture of affection or belongingness। Instead, it would be considered as a victory of practical approach or a deal of Barter system of modern practical world. Infact, if you do favor to people without expecting anything in return....well...congrats, you have been chosen to carry the crown of 'being a fool'.
Another example from day to day life. I wish you do not relate to it and if at all you do... there are many to feel empathy for you. If a guy pampers a girl considering her a friend, 99 out of 100 times, she would not object even if you are the last choice for her on this earth for company..of course, who dislikes being pampered! But usually she wouldn't consider it your generosity and won't drill down as she feels she deserves it...reason?? for her, it could be as silly as her rationality itself or as rational as her silly thoughts could be. Infact you could even see her giving tips and tricks to her side kicks on "How to become the chosen one" by being practical.
When you help somebody out or do a favor unexpectedly... you cannot expect a friendly smile, but.... an unfamiliar, suspicious gaze! Thats what you can call as the fruit, which ripes on the tree "Practicality"...
As per my understanding, I thought being practical means using heart when you are considering people and using brain, while looking at things। But I guess my terminology is different from the Practical species. In fact the saying that," Love people and use things" has been reinstated as,"Use people just like things only". And of course its my problem if I cannot digest the very fact that being practical is no longer used for rational and logical thinking but for being selfish and self-centered.
However, I would definitely not like to get into a debate with the Practical species as that is itself not a practical idea rather. But on a personal note, I would urge you to try and get impractical at times if not always. And let me know, if it is a silly idea or an idea that changed your life .......because who knows if this is the one!
I would try to elucidate my concern through some examples from my past encounters. The other day, I was discussing a typical case of Hit n Run with someone...no..no..its not about any road accident, it had been one of those missed calls, where the girl means something else, does something else and the guy gets hit by 'dat' thing, which people call as Cupid's arrow....
Being moved by the plight of my friend, I was considering all the plausible alternatives. And hence, I opted to take an expert opinion and what she advised was as generic as "Cow having tail". And the pill she prescribed was to get my friend's head back on his shoulders and ask him to behave practically. In short, to dump his emotions into garbage bin and move on as shown in 'Fast Track' ad.
The best solution one could think of, in a situation worse like this, was given considering criticality of it. But doesn't that implies that being practical means, you have killed your emotions!! Moral: you have become a heartless genius! What an achievement....
On the same lines, if you do a favor to someone, that person doesn't considers it a genuine gesture of affection or belongingness। Instead, it would be considered as a victory of practical approach or a deal of Barter system of modern practical world. Infact, if you do favor to people without expecting anything in return....well...congrats, you have been chosen to carry the crown of 'being a fool'.
Another example from day to day life. I wish you do not relate to it and if at all you do... there are many to feel empathy for you. If a guy pampers a girl considering her a friend, 99 out of 100 times, she would not object even if you are the last choice for her on this earth for company..of course, who dislikes being pampered! But usually she wouldn't consider it your generosity and won't drill down as she feels she deserves it...reason?? for her, it could be as silly as her rationality itself or as rational as her silly thoughts could be. Infact you could even see her giving tips and tricks to her side kicks on "How to become the chosen one" by being practical.
When you help somebody out or do a favor unexpectedly... you cannot expect a friendly smile, but.... an unfamiliar, suspicious gaze! Thats what you can call as the fruit, which ripes on the tree "Practicality"...
As per my understanding, I thought being practical means using heart when you are considering people and using brain, while looking at things। But I guess my terminology is different from the Practical species. In fact the saying that," Love people and use things" has been reinstated as,"Use people just like things only". And of course its my problem if I cannot digest the very fact that being practical is no longer used for rational and logical thinking but for being selfish and self-centered.
However, I would definitely not like to get into a debate with the Practical species as that is itself not a practical idea rather. But on a personal note, I would urge you to try and get impractical at times if not always. And let me know, if it is a silly idea or an idea that changed your life .......because who knows if this is the one!
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