good motoring
Case for parking lessons
H.Kishie Singh

It is common to see a vehicle in an almost empty lot, parked horizontally, and taking up extra parking space

The problem of parking vehicles is increasing in the city. ‘‘Just wait. Chandigarh will be worse than Delhi.’’ These are the words of the very same people who are responsible for the city’s parking problems. It is a fact that no one knows how to park a car. If you go Sector 17, the parking area has white lines painted to help you park your vehicle. It is quiet common to see a small Maruti 800 in an almost empty lot, parked horizontally, and taking up parking space for two vehicles. Little wonder there is a shortage of parking space.

I once asked the driver of a Qualis, who had parked his vehicle across the white lines, why he had parked crosswise and what the lines meant. He said: "The corporation painted them a few days ago. What for, I don’t know". So, there is the problem. The need of the hour is to educate drivers about what these lines are meant for.

Teaching new drivers the art of parking vehicles should be made compulsory. Parallel parking, something completely unknown in the city, should also be taught. It helps save space and, more important, it means parking safely. It is common to see a driver eyeing an empty space and hurriedly driving his vehicle towards it. This leaves the rear end sticking out into the road. The diagonal positioning of a car — the front left wheel to rear right wheel is longer than the length of the car—takes up one-and-a-half times the space of a car parked parallel. This is another reason contributing to parking confusion in Chandigarh. Lines painted on the road are meaningful.

One of the most important lines is in the middle of the road, and it is painted yellow. You should consider this as a road divider and never cross it. When I drive on Uttar Marg, it is common to see three cars racing towards me—with at least two having crossed the yellow line. Why so? One car is overtaking and is across the yellow line. A third car is also making a desperate attempt to overtake, throwing all traffic rules to the winds. So I have three cars racing towards me and almost pushing me off the road.

One of the problems is that no one knows the importance of a yellow line. Those who do, have scant regard for rules and regulations. In the West traffic rules are observed and enforced strictly. If your car tyre touches the yellow line, you are challaned. If you tyres cross the yellow line, you lose your licence. It will be a long time before such rules are learnt and enforced.

What we will see is a concrete divider on one of Chandigarh’s widest and most beautiful roads. Pity. It would be the only recourse to force drivers to drive safely. It is worth quoting a wise maxim: Lane driving is sane driving.

Happy motoring.