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ONE of the biggest problems the Chandigarh Police faces is that of indisciplined drivers. The Chandigarh Police is sometimes accused of targeting out-of-town vehicles. Not without reason. By and large, Chandigarh drivers are disciplined, it's the out-of-town vehicles that cause havoc on our roads. The accompanying photograph speaks volumes. This driver shows scant regard for any road rules. He has crossed the stop line, he is parked on a zebra crossing. While waiting for the green light, he leans out of the window to enjoy a smoke and this in Chandigarh, a smoke-free city. An educated guess says this driver will be on his cellphone as soon as he gets moving, endangering the 50 plus passengers in his care and many more on the road. This man is a menace on the road. Himachal has taken cognisance of these shortcomings and has announced a refresher training course for drivers. They were never “freshed”, how are you going to “refresh” them? Himachal has the dubious distinction of killing the maximum number of passengers in a single vehicle accident. A bus falls into the river Beas, 32 killed on the spot. What happens to the injured taken to hospital is not known. It is no surprise that road fatalities in India are the highest in the world. Our roads are badly designed, poorly built, our public vehicles are not road worthy and our drivers are indisciplined, with little or no training. To all this mirch and masala, add the tarka of easy availability of drugs and alcohol along the roadside. It is estimated that about 30.000 accidents all over India are due to alcohol and drugs available on the roadside. In the last few decades, India has taken a gigantic stride in motor sports. From being club events, they have graduated to international levels. They are run according to FIA (Federation Internationale d' Automobile) and FIM (Federation Internationale de Motocyclisme). These are the governing bodies for motorsport worldwide and events like the Raid de Himalaya, Moghul Rally et al are obliged to follow their rules and regulations. The emphasis on safety is paramount. To ensure this a “pre-event scrutiny” is carried out under the watchful eyes of an international observer. Every nut and bolt is scrutinised. Roll cage, hand brake, foot brake, brake light, headlights, full beam, low beam, wipers, washing fluids, mud flaps, four-point seatbelts, sleeping bags, fire extinguisher (expiry date), medicines (expiry dates). It is an exhaustive checklist of 40 points or more, nothing is left to chance. Lives matter. A similar scrutiny is carried out by the Ministry of Transport (MOT) in England, for any private passenger car more than three years old. Large goods vehicles, passenger-carrying vehicles (over eight seats), ambulances, taxis must be checked once a year to keep the R.C. valid. Would any of our state owned buses pass such a scrutiny? Happy Motoring.
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good motoring
Other than human error, which is an ever-present factor because the driver is indisciplined, untrained and not aware of his responsibilities, is the condition of the vehicle which is not roadworthy. A visual glance from a distance shows broken rear lights, broken windows and other defects. When the bus brakes, a horrible screeching sound can be heard. The reason is the brake lining is worn out and this vehicle runs on hill roads. Haryana Roadways buses are manufactured with only one windshield wiper. Nowhere in the world would this vehicle be allowed on the road, least of all as a commercial passenger-carrying vehicle.