Traffic etiquette in Kerala, perhaps all over India

I met with an accident last weekend which could have been fatal, just sheer luck saved me is all I could say.

I was driving down on Ernakulam – Trissur highway on my way to trek Valpara forest on the last weekend along with my friends in a different car. A tipper truck that was in front of me never gave way although I flashed and honked for about 2 minutes on the first lane where the fast moving vehicles are suppose to travel. The truck driver seemed not ready to move at all although there were no vehicle blocking his traffic in front or left lane. Having noticed a free flowing left lane, I was forced to move to the left lane I could easily pass over. But, the truck occupied the left lane a bit as we passed a small curve to the left and nudged on my car on the rear right hand side that caused my vehicle to swirl. The truck rammed onto the median and thrashed a traffic post on there and came back onto the road, thrashed my car once again and rendered another swirl. Luckily, I and my friend survived the accident without any injuries although we swirled three times, hit three times and smashed onto the median.

There has been a very bad record for the tipper trucks and buses in Cochin to have caused and involved in so many accidents of which mostly are fatal. Authorities have never woken up and taken any preventive and strict measures.

Driving on Cochin roads a sort of nightmare where no lane discipline is followed; not made to adhere by the police. You got to be a circus article to be able to reach your destination safely. Big vehicles such as trucks and buses usually take the first lane although they’re at very low speed. This not only cause to increase the traffic congestion, but also causes incredible delay for one to reach a overfar destination.

This style of driving by the trucks and buses instigates the cars to overtake through the left lane which may be of free flowing traffic. Practically, one who drives to a destination that’s 200 KMs away can’t afford to kill the time honking and flashing the high beam with no use although there are no blocking vehicle in front of them. This is purely an attitude issue that they don’t want any vehicle to surpass them is all.

A very strict and meticulous policing can make our life easier on the road and eliminate lots of accidents. Very silly and oblivious penalty to the drivers let them get away with it always. Legislations has to be made to book the offenders with imprisonment and heavy penalties along with barring driving license etc depending on the seriousness of the offense where was the cops are busy hailing the bikers who didn’t wear helmet and car drivers who didn’t wear seat belts which are end of the day causes only their personal life.

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