On her birthday morning, she was in the school van, speaking on the cellphone with her best friend.
At around the same time, he too was on the phone , cribbing to his boss. Only, he was driving a passenger bus.
The van bore the brunt of the collision. She never lit her birthday candles.
************************
This post is a fictional twist on this news article.
It has now become acceptable for people driving any sort of vehicle to speak on the cellphone while at the wheel (or the handle). From 2-wheelers all the way to massive lorries and buses. What only compounds the problem is cops turning a blind eye. The rules are there – but rules are only as good as their implementation.
************************
An acquaintance from a neighbouring state had driven to Bangalore in his car. I, along with some common friends, had gone out to lunch with him. He was on the phone more than half the time. When I tried to reason with him that it is dangerous – he laughed it off. In fact, he took it as an insult to his driving skills – an ego problem – when I implied that speaking on the phone while driving results in loss of concentration. Only when I vastly exaggerated the seriousness with which Bangalore traffic police treat such cases, and quoted more then five times the actual fine amount, did he relent.
So a well-educated fellow will follow rules not on his own accord, in the interest of road safety; but only out of fear of getting fined. The operative phrase here is “well-educated fellow”.
***********************
I wonder what scale of disaster will it take for both, the cops and general public, to wake up to the massive dangers of speaking on the cellphone while driving.
Great post! I concur. I extend this notion to helmets and seat belts and usually get laughed at. But in case of accident, which is a high probability scenario in Indian traffic, those things can save lives.
So many people, I know have lost lives because they couldn't be bothered by wearing helmets and seat belts and if I ever point them out, for trying give examples, I am insulting the dead! I just can't understand why people are so willing to die?
Nice post.Very precisely pointed out fear of fine over fear for life.I feel now a days ,while sense of responsibility is missing .Every driver be it be a four wheel or 2 wheeler is responsible safety of his own as well as other people who are traveling on street. Currently Value of life is getting is lost.That really a sad Thing!!