[sustran] Re: Driving in Bangalore / India - patronizing, offensive, heavy handed and counter-productive

[Debi Goenka]

I am rather amused by all this fuss over a light hearted piece written by an annoymous "Dutchman" who may not even exist, and my amusement is increased by the fact that I have now have to consider myself as a native activist from India, land of snakes and tigers! (Has anyone seen the Indian rope trick recently? I also stay on the 5th floor, not too far from the elevator, and would be happy to show this to anyone who cares to drive in).

And on a more serious note, as Alan has observed after two weeks in Mumbai, life on the roads is quite different here, and unless people on this list make allowances for this, we will never achieve common ground. 

(Do get in touch Alan, whilst you are still alive in Mumbai - would love to meet over a pothole :) )

Cheers!

Debi Goenka

B 502 Glengate
Hiran. Gardens, Powai
Mumbai 400076
India

Mobile - +919820086404

----- Original Message ----- 
From: robert cowherd 
To: Global 'South' Sustainable Transport eric.britton at ecoplan.org, 
Sent: Friday, August 25, 2006 7:26 PM
Subject: [sustran] Re: Driving in Bangalore / India - patronizing, offensive,heavy handed and counter-productive


I was too perplexed and annoyed (I deleted the message at the "idiot"
pedestrians comment in the fifth paragraph) to be so offended.

Though cleverly written, this is the set of impressions I would expect
someone to have after two weeks not two years. The disparaging attitude
towards "chaos" doesn't give me much hope for selling shared space concepts
a la Moderman. 

Robert Cowherd
Associate Professor, Wentworth Institute of Technology
Boston, USA




On 8/25/06 7:51 AM, "Eric Britton" <eric.britton at ecoplan.org> wrote:

> No, not "excellent" at all. Sorry but I do not think this is very funny. It
> does
> no good and illuminates nothing useful
> 
>  
> 
> To the contrary I find it patronizing, offensive, heavy handed and
> counter-productive. (After all we are here for a reason, aren't we? Or is it
> all
> about guffawing at the feckless 'natives' for their primitive ways? Someone
> help
> me here.) . 
> 
>  
> 
> I do not think that this alpha, rather puerile and distinctly uncultured piece
> belongs here. I see it as a dinner piece for a group of hearty guffawing
> colonials after their fifth beer.
> 
> (I guess that some of you are not going to invite me to your next white man's
> party, eh?)
> 
>  
> 
> Eric Britton (And here I am pleased to give anyone who does not like what I
> say
> here my full contact information so that you can mail, call or come here and
> look me in the eye and tell me what you think of me and my views. I live on
> the
> fifth floor, door to the right of the elevator.
> 
>  
> 
> With all good wishes
> 
>  
> 
> Eric Britton
> 
>   
> 
> New Mobility Advisory/Briefs. Don't know about them yet?
> 
> Maybe you should have a look at http://newmobilitybriefs.org
> 
>  
> 
> The New Mobility Agenda: on line at http://www.newmobility.org
> 
> Le Frene, 8/10 rue Joseph Bara                   75006 Paris, France
> 
> Tel:  +331 4326 1323      +338 7044 0343      Skype: newmobility
> 
> E:  <mailto:contact at newmobility.org> contact at newmobility.org
> Backup:  <mailto:fekbritton at gmail.com> fekbritton at gmail.com
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  <http://ericbritton.org/>
> 
>  <http://www.ecoplan.org/> Technology. Economy. Society.
> 
>  
> 
> 
> 
> Francis Eric Knight Britton
> Innovation consultancy/advisory
> 
> The Commons
> EcoPlan Association 1901
> 8/10, rue Joseph Bara
> 75006 Paris, France
> 
> 
>  <mailto:eric.britton at ecoplan.org> eric.britton at ecoplan.org
>  <mailto:fekbritton at gmail.com> fekbritton at gmail.com
> 
> 
> tel: 
> tel2:
> mobile: 
> Skype ID:
> 
> +338 7044 0343
> +331 4326 1323
> +336 7321 5868
> ericbritton 
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
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