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Forced into jay-walking

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EnforcementTraffic

Today, I had this strange experience. I had been invited to this meeting convened by Mr A Ravindra, advisor to the CM on urban issues, at the instance of the Bangalore Environment Trust, on the matter of 'road-widening', at 3.30 PM at the Vikas Soudha (On what transpired at the meeting, I will post separately - nothing too earth-shaking, though).

I reached well ahead of time, parked my car in the paid parking lot in the Cubbon park, near the library, and walked upto the Vikas Soudha main-gate. But, to reach the main gate, I had to cross the busy Vidhan Veedhi. There was a convenient pedestrian crossing, with signal lights, though the zebra markings had mostly got obliterated. The signal was showing red as I reached it, and the law-abiding citizen that I like to be seen to be, I waited for it to turn green, even as many people were crossing all over, darting through the speeding traffic. After some patient waiting, it suddenly occurred to me that a whole new cycle had started, even as the pedestrian signal had remained red right through.

I noticed a traffic cop on a platform adjoining the side of the road I was on, and I went over to him to check the matter out. He then confirmed to me that the signal light cycle was not provided with a slot for road crossing by pedestrians. My query to him as to why have the misleading red light even was met with just a sheepish smile.

I then had no option other than to follow the others and dart across the road through the ever-flowing traffic, though I am not quite as athletic now as I once used to be.

Later, thinking about the various other junctions that I am generally familiar with, I now realise that this perhaps is not something uncommon. More and more the city has become pedestrian unfriendly, a clear sign of decay, though some would like to see it as progress.

Muralidhar Rao
 

Comments

faiqg's picture

Ditto

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Same thing happened to me when i tried to cross on HAL Airport road-Wind Tunnel road junction. From ISRO end towards Wind-Tunnel Road. I waited and waited for the pedestrian light to go green. After 2 complete cycles, i jay-walked. The signal lights were being operated manually by the policeman.

I read somewhere that on-demand pedestrian lights are going to be installed at some junctions in town as pilot project. The ones we see in Western countries, where a pedestrian can push a button on the signal pole to turn it to green and cross.
 


nl.srinivas's picture

What is worse is

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What is worse and angers me more is, many a times the traffic constable standing close by just stand there watching all this. Even when there is signal for pedestrian crossing many people, the regulars on those routes, jump the signal and police doesn't even bother to wave his hand and stop them leave alone penalize them. In many junctions the traffic police is just another by stander and seems to beleive that it is not his job.


pathykv's picture

Pedestrian crossings

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I ALWAYS TRAVEL BY BUS (AT LEAST 99%) AND MOST OF THE BUS STOPS HAVE NO PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS, E.G. THE BUS STOPS ON 100FT ROAD/INTER RING ROAD IMMEDIATELY BEFORE AND AFTER THE FLY OVER. AND THERE ARE NO FOOT PATHS PROVIDED IN THE PLAN FOR CROSSING THE 100FT. ROAD / OLD AIRPORT ROAD.

TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE, THERE ARE ROAD DIVIDERS (WALLS!) TO PREVENT BUS COMMUTERS FROM CROSSING WHEN THEY GET DOWN, WHICH IS UNAVOIDABLE AS THERE ARE NO REGULAR ZEBRA MARKINGS ANYWHERE CLOSE BY OR ANY SIGNALS.

k.v.pATHY

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