Sound advice to us Pedestrians!




As I walk around Kumarapark, I get this feeling that we are a forgotten lot!
Not really, there are agencies which think of us!
For example the Trasport department of Karnataka gives us this 'walking' advisory.
Placed on the KarnatakaTransport department website, http://rto.kar.nic.in/
COURTESY: INDIAN DRIVING SCHOOL
Caution to pedestrians:
The most important safety tip to reduce pedestrian injuries is to pay attention. Follow safety rules on the road and live long. In order to be safe while walking on roads, keep the following tips in mind:
  1. Make eye contact with drivers if possible and make sure that they can see you. (Reminds me of the day I was crossing the road, on a rare zebra crossing! I was shocked to see the bus did not slow down for us. The bus was at least 100 yards from us. Then as I saw the drivers' eyes, I realised that he had no intention of slowing down and sprinted across. Yes it is absolutely necessary to make eye contact!)
  2. Avoid walking next to the kerb with your back to the traffic.
  3. Wear or carry something light colored, bright or fluorescent in poor daylight conditions. When it is dark, use reflective materials (e.g. armbands, sashes, waistcoats and jackets.
  4. Walk between children and the traffic and hold their hands firmly.
  5. Always walk on the footpath, where there is no footpath, walk in the right side margin of the road so that you can see the traffic coming in the opposite direction.
  6. Cross roads where there are pedestrian crossings. Where there are no pedestrian crossings, watch the traffic on both sides and cross when it is safe. (That is the clue, only you never know when it is safe!)
  7. You must not walk on motorways or slip roads except in an emergency.
  8. Never walk on the main carriageway.
  9. Do not read newspapers or look at hoardings while walking on the road.
  10. Do not greet friends on the road.(At the moment easy!)
  11. Do not come on to the main road while waiting for a bus. Do not run after a moving bus. Get on or off a bus only when it has stopped to allow you to do so.
  12. Do not climb over the barriers or walk between them and the road.
  13. You must not get on to or hold on to a moving vehicle. (The last three are beyond me)
  14. Don't "Drink and Walk."
  15. When using any type of crossing you should always check that the traffic.
  16. You must not loiter on zebra crossings. ( Absolutely, see item 1)
  17. If an ambulance, fire engine, police or other emergency vehicle approaches using flashing blue lights, headlights and/or sirens, keep off the road.
I suppose we have been warned and advised. Now it is up to us, the pedestrians!

Comments

prasan said…
'hane baraha" -- destiny !!
if your "destiny" is good, no bus will hit you !! ha, ha !!
if not, the bus will surely hit you even if you ate on the footpath !!
keep it up nidhi.
prasan.
Rama Gopinath said…
Hope they have this in all the languages spoken in Karnataka.

Rama Gopinath
Rajini Seetharam said…
Haha Nidhi your comments were hilarious. All this absurd walking advisory when the intention of every driver is to beat the next car, next signal, next crossing unmindfully!!!
Dolly
N L Sriram said…
There are many localities in the US with no sidewalks, fortunately the one I live in is not one of those, and my in-laws, Kittappa, Kamala aunty and Athe, really enjoyed the peaceful walks in the neighbourhood during their visits. The in-laws of another Indian friend were totally flabbergasted when vehicles would stop and allow them to cross the road during their walks, waiting until they were fully off the road and on the sidewalk.

When I came to the US in '77, Rangaraj used to live in Palos Heights, a locality without sidewalks. Surprisingly enough, there was bus service within a reasonable walking distance from his place, and once as I was walking to his place from the bus stop, I was stopped by a cop and asked to produce my ID! Someone walking on the road was probably such a rare event that a resident found it highly unusual and called the cops, but it could very well have been the color of my skin also!

Sriram
Unknown said…
In mumbai pray GOD before you start walk and thank HIM on return
nothing more you can do
avinash
sandhya said…
hahaha....this is an extension of the safety rules in grade 2 books. Look left, then right and then left again and then cross. THAT actually is the best piece of advice
Sanfdhya
VATSALA said…
You need the same instincts that Livingstone and Stanley had when they traversed darkesr Africa! The average driver 9car, bike or bus) firmly believe that pedestrians (even young children) are legitimate targets,
Ay yhe same time the Bengalurian thinks that the entire road is crossing territory and putting out his hand can stop traffic irrespective of its speed complexity etc !

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