Unlock Bangalore

This was an initiative by the Times group in Bangalore to ease the traffic congestion by asking people to identify the problems and then propose solutions for the same. Being a contributor to the problem, I wanted to come up with some solution to this problem. The solution that I have in my mind may be a very crazy but has the potential to really unlock.

Before running into the solution, let's see what are all the problems that I face and create in the road. Because most of the times "We are part of the traffic Jam".
Most important points that were brought out were,
(i) Poor roads, bad foresight and lack of planning
(ii) Rash driving.
(iii) No adherence to traffic rules

These three factors are the major cause of all traffic jams. The roads and infrastructure are poor, no doubt about that. But we only tend to make the situation worse by not following the rules(By "We" I point to the Bangalore people who have that sucking attitude when it comes to driving--includes me too).

• How many of us are willing to stop at the red signal when there is no cop to govern the signal?
• How many of us are deliberately keep away from the pavements? Luckily four wheelers are more concerened about the cost of repairing else nothing will stop them from getting on to the pavement.
  
• How many of us honk just for the sake of it? even though all our brains know that honking is not going to clear road blocks?

Sometimes I realize that I use the "F" word more often than I use the brakes while driving. There is no respect for the fellow driver. My work timings is flexible and yet I tend to behave arrogant while driving and try to reach the destination asap. Everytime I decide not to jump signal, there are a** holes< > behind me honking with all their might. Many times I derive great pleasure irritating others in traffic. I guess this is very common and I get back the same treatment on road.

Everyone knows why this is happening and why it won't stop happening. There aren't strick rules in place. You can get away killing a person on road by paying Rs.50000 fine(provided you are not drunk). If you are drunk then you will have to shell out more to the police and lawyers to get away. If you don't believe this, go to any RTO(not sure if Inflation has increased the fine), else search for the case where Salman Khan ran over ppl sleeping on the pavement with his Land cruiser and got away with it. It's a pity that he got away killing people but served jail term for killing chinkara..

These rules easily make people careless, every day we read so many news about people getting killed on roads because of careless/reckless driving(even happened to one of our college mate in the college). Is all the adventure on road really worth it? Everyone emulates a schumi on road, but how many know the amount of safety precautions he takes before taking the steering wheel in his hand? Even after knowing all this, we
don't stop overspeeding,
don't stop changing lanes,
don't wear helmets fearing it may spoil our hairstyle..
What good is a hairstyle to a cadaver??

The change had to come from within, which I don't see happening anytime sooner. People talk at lengths about how good the traffic is in foreign countries, wtf!!! they have stricker punishing system in place. They track your ass wherever you go, all their police vehicles can match some GP2 race cars. So it's fear of punishment that ensures orderliness and not that people are morally good. I may sound like a person who have lost all hope, but this post is not to infect your minds with the -ve thoughts rather to enlighten with some idea which may trigger some spark. Atleast if this makes one person stop at the red signal once today, I would be the happiest person and will even add this achievement to this year's appraisal report.. :D


I am also not hoping the infrastructure in terms of roads to improve. Only possibility is to demolish the houses on either side, since that is not happening, no widening of roads is possible :).. Flyovers do improve the situation a bit, but by the time the construction is complete, the traffic grows and then the situation is as good as earlier(see Chennai). Same is the case with metro rail. They start building with a capacity X and by the time the construction is complete, the capacity increases to 3-4X. Also the construction process is the most tedious that involves land clearance, shifting of people to another place, traffic chaos caused in the construction site(MG road in Bangalore)

So the solution has to very radical, I don't say my solution is "the" solution, but the idea must be something like this.
(i) Which does not impede the normal day to day routine.
(ii) Ability to withstand the load for 10-20 years.
(iii) Encourage people to take it up instead of personal transport.
(I am not willing to go in a bus given a bike, the transport system should be able to change this mentality. I am saying we bring in cheerleaders into the bus :), but that should be really attractive alternative for people)
(iv) More scalability.
(v) More importantly must be completed in a very small time.

Now the intersting part, what is that I am boasting about? My idea, My Idea??
It's a three legged(tripedal) transport system that
1) has a solar panel on the top which takes all energy from Sun - eco friendly
2) In the existing road dividers and platforms, we lay small grooves to which this can hold and walk without affecting the normal traffic.
3) Driven by a computer with preset driving instrcutions.
4) More like the creature that destroys building and people in War of the Worlds.. :) Only it's used for constructive process now :)

To be contd....
Next Week on journeytotheinevitable...

Q: This is the most stupid idea I have ever heard..
Esh: No great invention/idea had received support, even Gregor Mendel's work was recogonised and appreciated only after his death

Q : What if the robot falls on the traffic?
Esh: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Q : What about the stops? how will the passengers get down from it? Should they be trained in sky diving?
Esh :

Q: What if there is a computer malfunction?
Esh: It will be bug free, I will write the code for it... ROFL

Q: What is the cost? when can we break-even? can it be extended to private customers?
Esh: what!! are u doing a MBA or what? no comments :P

If I have missed out any comments, you are welcome to add them in my comments section.

More detailed working model in the next blog with pcitures and more.. Stay tuned