Road rage in Kerala
Published December 15, 2009 | 
Road rage was something unheard of in this small city of Cochin till recently. If you thought that it can happen only in bustling metros and in western countries, you would be in for a surprise. People on the road are getting increasingly violent and impatient in their race against the ticking clock. The so called Road rage motto that says ‘anyone going faster than you is a maniac; anyone going slower than you is an idiot’ seems to work on our city roads as well! People indulging in fist fights and verbal duals have become a common sight on the city roads and in many cases, the traffic police on duty prefers to turn a blind eye to the whole incident, resulting in the hold up of vehicles including those on emergency services like the ambulance and the fire engines!
Bad roads and traffic congestion drives up the adrenalin and tension of those behind the wheels. The over speeding buses and the teenage bikers, who almost always have a penchant to ride on the wrong side and the pedestrians who remain blissfully oblivious of the happenings around add up to the driving woes. Stray cattle heads, overloaded heavy vehicles and unruly kids who run helter skelter during the morning peak hours make driving a nightmare in Kerala even for the well experienced drivers. The current festival season of Christmas, New Year and Sabarimala pilgrimage season have made matters worse.
Road rage can be prevented by creating awareness about traffic rules and regulations and ensuring better road facilities. To make up for those traffic snarls and hold ups on the way, the vehicle owners could set out for work a bit early instead of venting their frustration on the fellow drivers on the road. As they say it is better to be late than never; so do not risk your life and limb by indulging in rash driving and road rage.
