Culture of Speed and Arrogance

On 23 September 2011, a young girl walks out of the church, crosses the road. She was hit by a race bike and the girl is bruised badly and died within three hours in the hospital. The biker walks free as he has political connections. Another biker, who happens to be a son of famous cricketer dies in an accident. It is said that he was warned by the police regarding the speed of his biking experditions. A SUV is stopped at the toll gate in Gurgaon, the vehicle owner refuses to pay Rs. 27 instead shoots the officer to death. Three young engineering college students drive their car in high speed and knock off young married couple on their bike. Man has to amputate his right arm and wife with spinal cord injury would be invalid for life.

Cities in India have become unsafe and dangerous. There is no guarantee that a person who steps out of his home would return home safe and sound. Speed seems to give sense of identity, meaning and manliness to young people in India today. And nothing should come on their way, whether a pedestrian or a traffic police or traffic signal or a toll gate. These hindrances have to be ruthlessly removed or taught a lesson that they never cross their paths.

No respect for law
These young people like to show their power and prominence by displaying their high speed vehicles. And when they drive their vehicles, they switch their mind into cyber world. It is as if they play video games. In a video game, the speed is more important than keeping the rules of the law. And the penalty for breaking law has no effect in video games. These young people treat real world like cyber world. They drive as if they are the kings of roads and even non-living things should obstruct their speed.

Many young people who drive do not know the rules of the road or best practices while driving. If they have driving licenses it was given to them without much effort. They cannot even recognize or know the signals on roads. There is no traffic common sense or road safety or traffic etiquette. It is self before others. Rashly drive past other vehicles, push other vehicles to sides to reach the parking lot, park in 'No Parking' areas or in an obstructive manner or right before the main gate hindering all other vehicles.

No respect for human life
Human life is considered sacred. However, for these Road Romeos, life is dispensable. The SUV owner did not consider a human life is worth Rs. 27. Young biker kills a young girl and pulls all strings and walks free. Any obstruction in their path of speed is met with an attitude of derision. India has the largest number of accident victims in the world. In the year 2010, 160000 people were killed in road accidents. The lack of value for human life is evident from top to bottom in the society. In Chennai, the pedestrian subway was demolished for the construction of Metro without making alternative arrangement. The Government considers pedestrians and cyclists as nuisance and so does the speed manic drivers. There is no law to protect pedestrians. The light and heavy vehicle owners consider themselves as masters and owners of roads.

Self importance
The SUV driver was immersed in self-importance. Rs. 27 was immaterial for the owner of SUV, but being stopped was intolerable. In his arrogance, his mind thunders: "How dare you stop my vehicle?" A owner of SUV has to presumed as 'great man' or 'VVIP' (Very Very Important Person) and a clerk in toll booth is low in the social hierarchy and should not dare to stop him. A person in the lower rung of social hierarchy does not deserve dignity or respect but only derision and apathy. Even though that person represents an institution or the government, he is not given respect or regard. So only, police officials are treated like worms by politicians.

No regrets or remorse or repentance
Even after committing such grave offence, these road killers do not have regrets or remorse. One biker was free and the police closed the file as 'untraceable'. In another, a substitute (poor) became the driver and went to jail, while the owner walked with more inflated ego. Another person visited the toll booth to find out how that fellow who was shot fared. In most cases, the rules are bent, police bribed, family of victim threatened or harassed, doctors who do post-mortem coerced and judicial system manipulated. These atrocities are done without shame but with a super aura pride.

Challenge
A society that tolerates such arrogance and speed as normal will have to face the consequences. Already it is evident in the huge number of deaths and injuries caused due to road rage. The victims are more from the poorer and vulnerable background. It will not take long to see drivers of SUVs with super egos crashing their vehicles on one another. The traffic police would have no more motivation to serve the society. The social and economic loss in terms of medical help for victims and loss of creative talents would be huge. It would be suicidal for the society.