Waiting for a traffic light to turn green is nobody’s favourite time. But it was this very traffic regulator that changed everyone’s life once.
On Wednesday, a Google doodle reminded us how life in 1914 was in America, when the first electric traffic light was installed on August 5 in Ohio.
The red-green lights play an important role in regulating and managing traffic across the world. But in India, they’re slowly becoming irrelevant.
The Quint list outs things that are more significant to Indians than the boring traffic signal.
License to Know
In India, more than a driving license, you require a tu janta hai mein kaun hu license. Trust us, the latter works like a charm on Indian streets. No green light would make you zip past your troubles as having some influential ‘baap’ or ‘chacha’ would.
Chalte Chalte
A basic traffic rule says that if you don’t find crosswalks, or a zebra crossing, wait till the traffic signal is red. Did we say ‘red’? Sorry, the Indian pedestrian is oblivious to any such rule, ‘cause for them, every road is their baap ki sadak.
Dictionary of Abuses
A traffic signal is every Indian’s second home. It’s also the hub of hurling abuses at each other. So much is the intensity that drivers/riders don’t care what the colour the signal is. No signal can make them move if the two concerned haven’t quite finished with the abuse game.
Sound of Honks
In the West unnecessary honking is considered to be rude, but in India it is our birthright. There’s an unwritten requirement to honk every five minutes.
Perhaps Indians are the only people who pray that traffic signals do not work as it gives them a chance to ‘legally’ jump a signal.
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