We visited Wonderla this weekend. I should say a pretty well planned and well maintained place. Few incidences here to make a point.
I park my car and was about to get out. Another vehicle backs up in the next slot. Guy (who seemed well educated and quite well off) opens the passenger side door and bangs it into my car. When I get out, he is looking at me as if he is going to eat me off! Fault is mine you see :( Absolutely roudy, with no shame.
I was trying to get stuff into my locker. In a few minutes I was there, at least 5 guys brushed and rubbed their wet bodies against mine. No 'excuse me'. No 'I'm sorry'. Even though there was plently place for them to move around, they somehow didn't see I existed!.
On our way back, we drive on a well laid, and well signed part of Mysore road. We see an impatient Innova overtake us and bang into a smaller overloaded ape'. The Innova guy gets out, and starts beating the other guy up, literally, forgetting he was the one to bang into the other mere mortal.
Point to note: We have completely lost our sense of consideration. Even when good facilities are provided, we seem to think we are THE ONE, and others are a nuisence. Even when we know what we are doing, we act as if we don't.
And if we managed to build a world class infrastructure in our city, what is the use? Its like taking a monkey to a 5 star restaurant. So what do we do?
Educate. Make rules clear. Enforce with a stick. Play it hard. Change mindsets.
How easy is it? Who will bell the cat? Especially if the cat is me myself (and each one of us, including the offenders and the defenders)!
Useless rant. Isn't it?
Ravi
ಪ್ರತಿಕ್ರಿಯೆಗಳು
...... more random thoughts
Suhas
yep, useless rant ...
... but I am sure many of us here look at it from the point of view of "why are we like this", and "how can this get better".
Why?
How to fix?
Ravi, thats the best I can come up with to supplement this useless rant about us, and the way we live.
How polite are we?
An interesting read with a global perspective. Can't think of anything else to add to what's already been said.
http://www.readersdigest.ca/mag/2006/07/polite.php
--amaku
Language and Ignorance
I've seen many scenarios in Bangalore, where mis-communication or non-communication is the start of many arguments.
At a supermarket, a customer was trying to check out, when half way through the billing the teller man, walked off without saying a word. When he came back, he brough a few packets of change. A simple "Excuse me, i need to get some change" would have helped the customers patience.
But somehow in our culutre the words. "Sorry", "thank You," seem to be missed out. How often do we say "Thanks" to the doorman and a restuarant? Is this got to do with class - is it inherently the cause for the reason for non communication?
Language is another cause for arguments. A person doesnt speak the others language and though he in no way means to, sounds extremly rude. Phone executives, billing counters, simple daily tasks can be made better if we ust spoke, and smiled.
For example, at a railway booking counter, if you actaully smile and thank the lady/man at the conter he gives a puzzled look at you! But when flying an airline - you are always smiled at! Again, what is it that differentiates such service? Similar case with Banks, go to Canara Bank, and try opening an account and then try doing the same at HSBC. You feel so much better when people smile and talk to you.
Root cause, I think is that we need to talk, smile and say thank you a bit more to each other!
User Interaction Designer
Bangalore
Education both formal and non-formal is the cure
I agree
User Interaction Designer
Bangalore
A new game
Very much true
Self respect (not ego) and leadership qualities needed..
I do not belive as someone pointed out that 'Art of Living' can be answer. I would also like to suggest that we need to understand holistically about what any self-development course can offer, both the sides of it. Well, that anyway is my personal thought, i am willing to discuss this and see if i am wrong, if anyone wants; in any case, am not willing to hurt anyones sensibilities.
My opinion- How do we make people respect themselves more? i think that is the root of the problem in this context.
So called educated rank among the worst
I was standing in the queue on Monday at the airport. The person in front of me took his time and I got my turn.
No sooner had I handed over my boarding pass to the man at the counter, the aforementioned person barges in front of me and hands over his boarding pass and says "I wanted 10C - you have given me 16C". No - "Please can I just check something" nothing. I was annoyed - but it was 5:30 a.m. and I did not want to start the day with a fight. The conversation goes like this
Jet : Sorry sir, give me a minute
Me : Thanks. I thought I was invisible suddenly
Queue Jumper (QJ) with a sheepish grin : Sorry
Me : You could at least ask before you cut in
QJ : I said sorry right. Just because I said sorry, now you are trying to act big
Me : That is not the point. I waited in turn. You could have too. Or at least have some basic manners to ask to jump. I probably would have let you anyway.
QJ : You know, I could have taken much longer in the first place and you would still be waiting
Me : I would have waited happily for 5 mins more as well if that were the case. First come first served.
QJ walked off with a big huff. Attack is the best form of defence.
Another example
I was waiting before the metal detector at security. Another QJ just walks past me
Me : Hello! Where do you think you're going. I'm waiting for my turn
QJ2 : Oh. I thought you were just standing here!
Me : Why would I just stand here? I'm waiting for the person in front of me to finish before I cross the yellow line.
QJ2 quietly goes back
My own lesson is that these people do it because they get away with it. I am not going to let them. If you assert yourself calmly without raising your voice they usually back off. Never talk down to them - they feel insulted and that can cause trouble.
Srivathsa
Drive safe. It is not just the car maker which can recall its product.
asserting youself on roads as well..
When you stop being the white stop line, the BPO cab guy at the back honks like crazy for you to move some 3 feet forward so you can be at the extreme limits of not hitting the traffic which is turning from your left . i just don't move. i lower my window, point towards the signal, point at the white line and shake my fingers at him admonishingly and wait right there ( i can see him hit his head with his hand as if to say 'there are some people like this' and talk to the car passenger sitting nearby, who looks like an employee of the company, and they laugh about the insane me).
The cab guy honks at you like crazy when there is a left turn and i am not turning simply becasue there is a red signal ( i also need to go left and my indicator is on and sometimes there is a 'no free right turn' sign). At a signal on Bannerchatta road, just after the turning to go into JP nagar, before billekahalli, this happens even if you need to go striaght. i do not move. i sometimes tell them there is a cop the opposite side and then they spend the time searching.
This time, a singl opens at the Bannerghatta Road audugodi junction (and at the sankey tank junction when comning from malleswaram side) and all the vehicles pass to the right (suddenly we become americans) and then try to barge in where the divider starts. I dont let them come in even if there is a danger of my car getting dented and that makes them honk even louder (somehow it seems louder). I dont let them, they are forced to stop at the right lane and the signal from the other side opens. and i am very happy seeing the jam they are causing stopping the traffic coming from the opposite side. i does not matter that i will be delayed, i am happy.
Frequently, when the signals are on, and it is red, the traffic (not just one car, all the traffic) from the opposite side comes and jams the junction, well, i chose to live here.
Sometimes, dealing with a situation with some lateral thought can let you have a lot of fun. :)