10.Responsibly responsible

And just when you were thinking that the icons juniors will idolise because of what they have done so far, there they go and do a deed that stops us in our tracks and ask that question; so are icons we idolise fallible after all? Well, they are and they will vouch for it while staring you in the eyes and making you uncomfortable.

Talking of which, one evening I was behind the wheels in my car following a newly launched car in town through a very busy road in Guwahati. I wasn’t following but had to as it was taking its own sweet time to move. I mean how could people think we have all the time in the world? If they really want to go slow, then they should either let others cross them or they should drive at a time when there is hardly any traffic abound or take an alternate road.

Anyway, as I was bound to travel at a speed of slow motion, my anger mounted to a raging inferno. But I was past road rage, I told myself. I took a deep breath and let it out. I calmed myself and kept saying, “It’s ok. The man in the XUV might be anything from being a learner, hesitant about the traffic, carrying someone who was pregnant, talking, looking out of his window for a parking.” I consoled myself, trying my skills and attention to singing instead. But the man by now was getting highly irritating. Everyone had to reach some place. There were other cars honking behind me. Suddenly, without any warning the car sped a short distance and swerved dangerously to the left. And all this, without an indicator! It’s a brand new car, mind you with all the frills attached.  I stopped with a screech of brakes and mumbled some expletives under my breath.

But inquisitive as I am I always want to see the face of a person driving without a care for the rest of the world. So I turned to the right and slowly pulled up near the car which was by the time parked near the footpath to catch a glimpse of the person in the driving seat. And guess who I see? Someone we have loved and regaled over years as an icon par excellence; Nipon Goswami.  I was numbed and in despair, my only gesture was to wave at him and smile ‘cause with some other person, I would have probably requested him to use his indicator for our convenience.

Indicators are an important part of traffic. The hundreds of cars veining through the city have had to face disaster once too often because of the insensitive attitude of some people driving through the city. Like they would suddenly stop in their tracks while they are driving through the city, least understanding that they may have put others driving behind them in distress. In places elsewhere in India and across the world, it is extremely important that drivers indicate where they will be going lest they disturb the traffic flow and also the other drivers. It is the responsibility of every person driving on the streets that they should behave and act responsibly.