Honkers worse than hookers

Indian roads and me just don't get along well. I invariably loose my temper pronto everytime I set out. The most irritating thing that ticks me off is those incessant bleady honkers. I believe in much of the rest of the world most people honk to let know one is doing something wrong or is causing inconvenience to others. Fundamentally I thought people rarely do that (honk) to catch immediate attention in case of emergency and such.

But down here a whole lot of idiots think they are some maharaja and keep honking all through so that people make way for them. Seriously challenged I say. Since we have tropical weather down here its easy to irritate people. Honking is not used to warn but to incite another guy into doing something he/she wouldn't do when in the realms of sanity. So the thumb rule here is that you irritate fellow drivers and get through.

I remember once when some young guy with his car audio blaring was driving behind me and started honking to get me off the road, obviously by irritating me. It wasn't a wide road and not a place to do stunts, but this guy was on adrenaline. So I choose to give it back in kind >:). I made sure that he couldn't get past me and was driving pretty slowly right in front @ about 40kmph nicely enjoying the wind and getting the pleasure of that guy going nuts honking to get rid of me ;)). The guy finally overtook me at a turning (yeah people do that while turning here) after some skidding and got past and accelerated in roads where it was pointless. Anyways he went past my home and I effortlessly got past him on my bike despite his crazy driving.

Indian traffic is such that despite the spead at which you drive the time you take to reach a destination doesn't vary more than 5 / max 10 mins. So why get you BP up honking and why irritate fellow drive. Some crack pots would sure be there. I own a bike which can blare too but I seldom honk (once or twice in a week's drive). Like wise these busses, autos and even some smart (as they think they are) two-wheeler drivers honking at your back as you wait at the stop line for the seconds to tick from 5 sec to 0 before the signal hits green. They literally barge into the road before its their time not giving consideration for a person probably comming perpendicular believing signal green = road path. I feel a little bit of patience and consideration for fellow drivers can make even driving through traffic a not so bad an experience. Unfortunately I ain't hitler to change peoples mind.

I notice a similar disregard for others when people park their vehicles. Sure you'd be annoyed if someone parked their vehicle in a manner that you can't take yours out. Nevertheless that is how people park. My own dad did it y'day and fortunately he saw me annoyed as I complained and parked it in a more acceptable fashion.

I don't think this is too much to ask or too difficult to do. I believe if the police and traffic officials create awareness amongst people as much as bullying them things could get much better on citizens and them. Maybe they don't probably thinking that their job depends on trouble makers. I have come to agree the fact that you can't drive without breaking any rule in chennai, and so do traffic police. But at the least we can make it more tolerable to one another. Being nice to other ain't too much to ask or is it?