Kiran Jonnalagadda wrote:
Sweeping Generalisation Alert!
1. Do we have a garbage disposal system that works efficiently? Nope,
there is a rudimentary system in most cities. Our civic minded citizens
still chuck bags/paper and general trash anywhere as long as it is not
their home. Funny, that.
2. Do we have friendly traffic? Are we pedestrian friendly? Are
pedestrians traffic friendly? No, no and no! The traffic in most cities
is a big mess. I remember reading a funny email making rounds a few
years ago. "Driving in India is generally accomplished by pointing the
vehicle in the general direction you wish to go and try to keep yourself
from hitting any other object." I find that this is generally the case.
Utter disregard for traffic rules, lanes are just a suggestion,
pedestrian crossings are generally the worst place to cross the road...
I could go on. And don't get me started on the honking habit we have. I
remember my wife telling me that her driving instructor here asked her
to be liberal with the horn to "warn" the population, especially at
intersections.
3. Environment consciousness is growing, but not at the rate it should.
I don't have to say anything here. Lot of politics and conflicting
public messages have actually confused the general populace what we are
doing and what we have to do to save the environment.
But I should give you credit for catching my mistake. The issue is only
in the cities, in my opinion. The villages are far more civic minded,
and I am told that this is because of the sense of belonging. The
villagers typically treat the entire village as their home and thus do
not defile it. In the cities and the suburbia, you see people only
caring for their own property and no more.
There's a similar Indian restaurant in Singapore that, to the best of
my knowledge, continues to be able to justify staying open.
Where is this restaurant? I would be surprised if it was in Serangoon. I
have noticed that most of us are on our best behaviour outside India.
The same people who would not honk unnecessarily in the US, are
honk-happy here. Is it us or is it India?
