by Vasundara Salgado
Sri Lanka has one of the vibrant (if you are the ‘Zen’ sort and the
kind which sees things in a different way) road ethic systems (lol) in
the world. That is of the countries I’ve been to and because I choose to
see it that way. May be because I’ve been a Sri Lankan way too long that
I’m just too familiar to the way of thinking.
So, getting to the point. The other day I was in Colombo when a siren
wailed just behind us, not exactly the 911 tune but nevertheless
something we’ve always associated with the Police. A piercing neee like
the neee’ s are being pelted out with a rubber band. So, in the haste
and out of sheer respect with a few mutterings we pulled over with the
other vehicles and waited till-rush!
An ordinary vehicle whizzed past. Recovering quickly, the other
drivers realized it wasn’t the Police, but a weirdo who’s fitted into
his vehicle the siren-type which he can choose to honk whenever he felt
the traffic was at his disadvantage.
Not that traffic will ever be to anyone’s advantage - that was just
to deliver a laughable expression one could only come up with when one
is full of pasta. So when you discard the fact its illegal, and the
furious drivers who, well, quickly followed the vehicle to benefit from
the parting traffic at the siren’s wake, its quite amusing how our folk
come up with the solutions to our problem of traffic.
 When you really think of all the care-free people crossing the road
talking on the mobile to their Sudu’ s and the drivers who abuse each
other with such colourful language and the dodging and frequent
overtakes which leads us to sort of realize, the road IS one big
playground. Innit?
Mainly influenced by the likes of animated productions like “Cars” we
can certainly identify ourselves in the ‘happening’ Sri Lankan road
scene. ‘Grin,’ Come to think of it, the monsters are the buses and the
heavy vehicles and next time look closely, they do have bared teeth and
menacing ways of getting where ever they want, crushing everyone on the
way.
Then there are the insects-ickle scooties and push bicycles to the
more evolved racing bikes that demand a new pair of ears every time one
shots past you. Then the ever-growing breed of tuk-tuks and the
population of cars which differ in kind; from the posh to the ones which
need another car to pull them about.
But then, those observations aside, it’s also has a beautiful
dimension to it too, don’t you think? There are the times when you
wonder why on earth vehicles flash their lights in a seemingly ordinary
part of the Galle Road and yet go with the flow and slowdown? only to
see the police a few yards away waving the speed-o-meter! And then there
are times when random people smile and wave when you decide to give them
a little space.
When people politely tell you the sari fall is caught in the door, or
jerk their thumb to indicate the back door isn’t properly closed. And to
the simple offerings of respect when going past a religious place or
passing a funeral procession by reducing the volume of the radio,
getting slightly up from the seat, although not widely practised now,
still when you come across such people it somehow makes you feel good.
The random passers-by who flock around an accident-scene and help out
anyone in need and take sides with people they’ve never even met to
defend a side of a story they weren’t even part of. Somehow speaks
volumes of how big Sri Lankan hearts are. You might not agree, but
really, when you drive around Colombo and other parts of Lanka I’m sure,
you come across these little incidents that goes on to show, this really
is NOT a land like any other.
Break away from trying to block the annoying man in the red beetle
car or fuming with anger at the rala-hami in charge of traffic control
for the day who you are convinced messes up the entire traffic system in
the city and curse your timing at getting out of the office just three
minutes late and being stuck in a dead-lock and scheming your way to
cross the double lines and somehow speed up and join the line half way,
much to the annoyance of the people who’ve been in line fairly you
should admit, and OBSERVE. Our “roadworks” offer much more than what you
choose to see.
Everyone is impatient, trying to get home soon, so you are no better.
Just because you own a vehicle far superior to the one you’re
overtaking, doesn’t give you the right to stoop so low to jeer at the
man who finally gives in.
It’s not a contest as no one’s keeping record of how many road blocks
you’ve dodged, gotten away without a ‘ticket’, how many you’ve
overtaken.
If anyone does jeer, don’t be provoked. Hold on to your dignity and
let it pass, if you’ve been paying attention you would’ve come to
realize speeding doesn’t give you a heads up, really, for one, because
no one’s racing you home - and you might as well go home in one piece,
or don’t risk anyone’s life because if a life is lost, yelling at the
other driver wouldn’t turn back the moment, now would it, and for
another- haven’t you noticed?
You ALWAYS meet the ones who sped past you stuck at the traffic
lights-only you are having a better time-you could just grin and move
on. So, next time you’re behind the wheel or in a vehicle, make sure you
enjoy the ride and bask in the unique Sri Lankan roadworks! |
