Melvin's blog

Nshima & Curry

Melvin's  Blog

Nshima & Curry

DELHI BUS DRIVERS OFFER SUPER ADVENTURE

If you want an adventure in India, don't go to the beach.
Just go to New Delhi and get on a bus. Hold on tight. Say
your prayers. Prepare for the ride of your life.

If you're lucky, you'll survive your trip around the capital
with nary a scratch. But if you're unlucky ... well, at
least your life ended in an adventurous way.

Every time you ride a bus in Delhi, you're taking a chance.
Your driver may not know what he's doing. And he may not
know what he's seeing. Yes, the poor chap may be almost
BLIND. You'd be safer with a monkey at the wheel.

Well, perhaps that's an exaggeration. Perhaps I should be
fair to the drivers: You'd be safer with a TRAINED monkey at
the wheel.

A recent survey conducted by the Institute of Driver and
Training Research found that nearly a quarter of Delhi's
public bus drivers lack basic driving skills and hundreds of
them have vision problems.

Now you know why so many buses end up with their wheels in
the air. Even after such accidents, some drivers are still
shifting gears, wondering why their buses won't go up such
steep hills.

"Of the 9,500 drivers tested since the start of the year,
more than 23 percent were found wanting in driving skills
and in understanding of traffic rules,'' R.K. Parimoo, head
of the driver institute, told Reuters.

Drivers lacking driving skills? I know what you're thinking:
Whom did they pay to become public bus drivers? George
Fernandes?

About 500 of the drivers suffered from either defective near
vision or distant vision, Parimoo added. Another 25 suffered
from color blindness, while five had irreparable vision
damage.

Drivers with vision problems? I know what you're thinking:
Whom did they pay to become public bus drivers? George
Fernandes?

Such findings may seem shocking to you, but perhaps you
shouldn't be too upset. After all, isn't it commendable that
the transportation authorities believe so strongly in
employing people with disabilities?

People with vision problems need jobs, too, and what better
way to keep them occupied than to make them drive a huge
vehicle around a crowded city. Besides, they can always rely
on their other senses, particularly their sense of smell.
"Ah, I can smell Ram Lal's samoosas. We must be near the
market!"

Of course, allowing such drivers on the roads can lead to
terrible accidents. Out of more than 800 deaths on Delhi
roads so far this year, 115 involved city public buses,
according to Reuters. And who knows how many of those
accidents were caused by drivers with rather large blind
spots.

It doesn't help, of course, that some buses carry more
people than you'd find at a railway station. The bus may
have a capacity of 100 people, but you'll still find 150
aboard, not to mention the group of "almost riders" who are
hanging on outside. A few of the luckier "almost riders" may
have even found themselves comfortable seats -- on the roof.
Who needs a double-decker bus when people are so
adventurous?

It's a pity people can't do the same with planes. The Air
India flight from Mumbai to New York would be fully booked,
especially on the outside.

"This is your captain speaking. We will be landing in New
York's JFK Airport in five minutes. Passengers inside the
plane, please wear your seat belts. All other passengers,
please hang on tight. And whatever you do, stay away from
the landing gear."

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