Discipline is the solution for all traffic menace

Have you ever felt fear or helplessness before stepping out of your house thinking of traffic jam? Did you ever get angry and frustrated when you are struck in a jam and not able to reach your destination which is merely few miles away? Did you ever feel that its high time we take a careful look at the rules of the road? If your answers to any of the above questions is Yes, then you are not alone. Many Bangaloreans feel the same.

If we carefully analyse the traffic situation at Bangalore today, it will be evident that the number of vehicles plying on its roads are around four to five times of the number it can support. So we are seeing choking traffic jam everywhere. Recklessness, Disregard to the rules of the road only make matters worse. People also feel agitated which gives rise to Road Rage.On an average, we lose around 15 days in a year due to traffic jam [Calculations done on a basis that we spend around 1 hour more daily on road than we should have spent, if there were no traffic menace]. The time could have been used in many aspects to make our life better, which we simply lose. So I think its high time that we should think on the problem and come up with solutions to solve this deadly menace which can only get worse day by day if not attended to.

The good news is that still the situation is not out of control. It only needs some discipline, courtesy and patience on People's part to curb this problem. So we should act now and educate our mass about discipline on the road.

As a Number One step lanes should be drawn on all busy roads. It should be made compulsory for all vehicles to follow the lanes. Changing the lanes at traffic junctions should be discouraged. Motorists should not enter where ever they get little space. So people don't always have to anticipate on a unpredictable motorist's way. It will definitely decrease the frustration level of people on the road. Slow vehicles like BMTC buses and trucks should move on left lane only as they stop often. All bus stops should be at least 200 meters away from busy junctions. It will ensure that the stopping buses don't obstruct the traffic flow. If you are turning to the right, be on the right most lane even before you reach the traffic junction. Busy junctions should not have more than 4 roads meeting at a points. It becomes extremely difficult to control the traffic if 5 or 6 roads meet at a junction. The traffic menace at Belandhur junction is a live example of it.

There should be at least 4 lanes near a busy junction so that the vehicles going straight can move ahead in middle two lanes. Vehicles about to turn left or right will be able to use separate lane too. The biggest advantage of using this system is that the vehicles continuing their journey straight don't have to wait for vehicles waiting to take a left or right turn. A vehicle should only enter the intersection of a junction, if the driver is confident of crossing it. It can ensure that there is no traffic deadlocks where nobody can move and everybody lose their precious time.

There are many more little things like this which can ensure the rule of the road is restored. I will discuss them in my future blogs. Frankly speaking, It only demands little discipline, determination and patience on everybody's part. I don't think its a big price to pay for curbing the traffic menace when we stand to gain around 1 hour per day and peace of mind for everybody.