People please use the sidewalk
Since I started driving about two years ago, I realized what an utter waste sidewalks are in my city. They gobble up about a quarter of the road's width, and the pedestrians simply do not use it. At rush times they take up another quarter, leaving motorists a twisted maze to find their way through.
True many of the pavements in the city have been gobbled up by hawkers and shop keepers, but it is so annoying to see, that people simply do not use them even when they are empty. Take my lane for example; fortunately the sidewalks have yet not been taken up by any hawkers. A good thousand people use it in less than an hour to reach jamat khana (our mosques) at prayer times. But it is so damn annoying to see that no one uses the pavements, everyone walks on the roads, hardly leaving enough space for one vehicle to pass through. I wonder if this is the predicament outside Karachi too.
Was wondering where is one supposed to be disciplined in road manners? Is it the school, the family, or what? Am actually thinking of somehow addressing the issue in at least my community. The problem is, if people understood, wouldn’t they be doing t already? Or is it that they yet not realize?
True many of the pavements in the city have been gobbled up by hawkers and shop keepers, but it is so annoying to see, that people simply do not use them even when they are empty. Take my lane for example; fortunately the sidewalks have yet not been taken up by any hawkers. A good thousand people use it in less than an hour to reach jamat khana (our mosques) at prayer times. But it is so damn annoying to see that no one uses the pavements, everyone walks on the roads, hardly leaving enough space for one vehicle to pass through. I wonder if this is the predicament outside Karachi too.
Was wondering where is one supposed to be disciplined in road manners? Is it the school, the family, or what? Am actually thinking of somehow addressing the issue in at least my community. The problem is, if people understood, wouldn’t they be doing t already? Or is it that they yet not realize?
posted by Noorali Surani at 2:31 AM
3 Comments:
Well, same is the case in India. Just that the size of the footpaths is shrinking fast. Its very sad to see that non vehicle owners do not merit the same importance as someone with a vehicle would.
my prof. once said that the state of a society is truly reflected by the state of its traffic!
having said that, i guess the best way is to mimic Germany: Develop proper pedestrians and walk ways.
I too used to walk on roads in khi since either there r no footpaths, or if they r they r filled with small tree plants (e.g. teen talwar).
A very good question you have raised:
"Was wondering where is one supposed to be disciplined in road manners? Is it the school, the family, or what?"
I think a person born in this world has many mediums to learn. He learns from the cradle to the grave. From his family first , school , university, career, friends and so on. At each step the knowledge being transferred to him makes him 'parha-likha' with each new thing that he learns.
If he/she is from a meagre background maybe he was never taught about this.
As for me i am not from a meagre background;I would always use the sidewalk when i can.
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