Red, Amber, Green...

Another milepost on the reasonably arbitrary Gregorian calendar. But as mileposts go, it's as good as any, especially if you look at it as a fresh beginning.

Me, I'm going to try to give this blog a piece of my mind every week. And hope you'll give me back a piece of yours, through your comments.

Short posts if need be, but surely, there's something to share every week. If not, I'll take that as a sign that I either need to live a little more interestingly or more likely, that I need to share more :-)

I'll begin with another of my sweeping theories: you can tell a little bit about a city's people from the way they behave at traffic signals.

I'll give you a few examples of cities I've driven in.

Delhi: When the light's going from green to red for traffic flowing from one side, the amber (and often, red,) belong to the vehicles that are still struggling to cross before the lights turn red.

The guys who have been waiting on the other side, for the light to change to green for them, move gingerly. They know they have to be on their guard for the next 5-10 seconds, to avoid crashing into the stragglers screeching and swerving across.

In a city where everyone wants to be first (by hook and crook), you would be a loser if you let an amber-going-to-red light stop you. You've just got to pull it off, even if it means possible death or at least injury. This testosterone-driven desperation is grudgingly acknowledged by those waiting to cross on the other side, since it is quid pro quo.

Chennai: When the light is going from green to red for traffic moving from one side, come amber and they all come to a screeching halt. Vehicles that have been waiting to cross on the other side are already revving their engines and shifting into first gear.

It's a city where a high premium is placed (in the public psyche) on being law-abiding, diligent, hard working, waiting your turn, etc. Mind you, this is only for 99% of the citizenry, for those not fortunate enough to have 60-foot cut-outs of themselves mounted on Mount Road (or be closely related to someone who is). Tradition decrees modesty, humility, doing the right thing, etc, for the masses. The Amber belongs to the meek, who have been patiently waiting their turn.

Calcutta: It does not really matter, since the lights are changed manually by policemen who tend to nod off between lights. Everyone waits, forever. Eventually, when the car in front of you moves, you move, like a participant in a somnambulist rally.

If you're young, you're likely to get desperate and try to get ahead of others by screeching forward a few hundred meters. Soon, however, you realise the futility of doing this in Kolkata; then, either you resign to your fate and join the sloth parade or fly away to the join the Probashi (non-resident) community, busy marking various corners of the globe as their own, with mustard oil fumes every evening at supper time.

There are, naturally, exceptions to the traffic light thumb rules in every city. But as a concept, to judge a city's populace by, it may well be applicable across the world. What say? What does traffic light behaviour in your city hint at? Or of any other city you've observed, for that matter? Do write in.

Here's wishing you all a very fulfilling 2011. Peace, insight and light. Cheers!