I had a month of break…a real break. I was on a vacation to abroad for a month. I was missing a lot of things like steaming hot idlies and chutney / sambhar, and by-two coffee. Yes, I was even craving for some tangy chats. I did miss my family and colleagues too. But, can you guess what did I miss the most of all?

I missed the noise on the roads; people do not honk there at all. First ten days, I was forced to believe that the vehicles do not have a horn at all. On the eleventh day, we had an Italian driver taking us around. He did honk at one particular instance on the road. It did sound good after a long time. All our faces lit up with smiles. We did feel that we have returned back to the planet. We felt like we were away from the planet.

That's the purpose for which a horn is designed. I guess we have a very different mentality in this regard. I have heard people say - "I have paid for the horn in the car. Let me use it to get my money's worth." Do they realize what are they doing in the process? They are not only creating noise pollution, but also spoiling the day and moods of others. How many of you reach home after a drive/ride, and feel relaxed? I cannot comment about others, but by the time I reach home after a drive, I am blowing my top like a Pressure Cooker. The people at home have to tolerate me for no fault of theirs.

This is not right. It is not a matter of whose mistake or fault it is. It is a matter of simple logical analysis. How many of us can keep our cool, despite unnecessary noise (this term is actually very subjective) around. Why can we not learn following rules like the other areas of the planet? Why can the slower vehicles not move in the left lane? Is there lesser consumption of fuel, or some other benefit driving in the right lane? Why can there be no discipline in us when it comes to driving?

I guess we learn to be more patient, and wait for our turns, rather than weaving through the traffic, and honking unnecessarily. Check out the hypertension levels in the people today, and those of a few years ago. Does that drive the point?

Agreed, we are developed in the Information Technology segment. Lets all take an oath to bring Bangalore at top of the list even in road sense and discipline.

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