India's Sadak

India & the Philippines

Seven years ago I was trying to cross a street in Manila. Big challenge! I was going from the hotel to a beer-shop (to buy water, of course), with a Russian friend. On the way there was a ring road, a highway with 6-8 lanes, that we had to cross. So, we walked some 400m till we found a pedestrian crossing, with red-lights. Then we waited for it to turn green. It does. We are thinking - "cars stop - we cross". Noooooooooooooooooooo. Totally wrong. I had the feeling that cars go even faster when the red light is on. We watch the traffic mesmerised. We wait for a new turn of green light, maybe second time it works. Neaaaah. Same. We are thinking then, how the Filipinos cross the street? We decide to wait until one shows up, and learn from their example. Some 5 minutes later, one Filipino guy shows up. Hahaaaaa! Let's see him crossing, we say. So, we're waiting for the next pedestrian green light. HE DIDN'T! He starts crossing the street at the same time as the cars, running forward two lanes, back one lane and so on, until he reaches the other side, just like you do in those funny old computer games! Next Filipino guy, same story. We look at each other, and we don't know whether to laugh or to cry. Later that evening, we were telling the story to our friends, about how Filipinos respect traffic regulations. Europeans laughed, but one wise friend of mine from Vietnam taps me on the shoulder and says:
" - My friend, this is not called breaking the law, this is called Flexibility!"
India is a lot more "flexible" than the Philippines! Crossing the street is a daily challenge. I see newcomers here, looking left and right before crossing the street, then looking scared or discouraged. And I tell them: Buddy, stop looking. If they see you are looking, they will assume that you saw them, and they will pass first.
All Indians HAVE to pass first! It's a must. You have to feel the street. Be one with the street. You have to close your eyes and cross in complete serenity. There is no point in looking right and left. You look right, it's clear. By the time you have finished looking left, 3 cars, 2 bikes, one cow, 5 people, 2 bike rickshaws asking you if you need a ride, one kid selling you something you really don't need, 4 rickshaws and the occasional truck will all be coming at the same time, like an avalanche towards you! So stop looking, start crossing!

Roorkee, 26th of October 2010