[sustran] Re: Indian roads - planes, cows, elephants, mosques

[Martin Cassini]

May I second Madhav's delightful point? As some of you know, my
frustration is with too much traffic regulation, which in my view is
counterproductive, makes roads dangerous and hostile, where the very
restraints - which go against the grain of human nature - set the stage
for conflict and congestion. I love what I see when lights are out of
action and there are no external controls - congestion dissolving,
courtesy thriving, everyone merging in a merry mix of meandering
movement, and the emergence of a new hierarchy, with vulnerable
road-users at the top. Perhaps there is an elegant compromise to be
found - some midway point between India and England ... priority rules
and regimented controls dropped in favour of natural cooperation, where
might is not right, and we adopt 1Q, denoting single queueing and innate
intelligence. 
 
Martin
www.goodfun.tv
 
 
-----Original Message-----
From:
sustran-discuss-bounces+martincassini=blueyonder.co.uk at list.jca.apc.org
[mailto:sustran-discuss-bounces+martincassini=blueyonder.co.uk at list.jca.
apc.org] On Behalf Of Madhav Badami, Prof.
Sent: 04 May 2007 15:00
To: Global 'South' Sustainable Transport
Subject: [sustran] Re: Indian roads - planes, cows, elephants, mosques



Dear Carlos,
 
Once the craziness of the academic term comes to an end, I promise a
detailed response to Jonathan Richmond's (and others') postings on the
situation in India (and what we can and ought to do about it). I will
try and work elephants, cows and yoga  -- but not planes -- into my
response as well :-). Meanwhile, I will leave you with this personal
viewpoint ... India is like life itself -- joyous, sometimes sublime,
and at the very same time, very messy, even obscene, but never ever dull
and boring. 
 
Madhav
 
************************************************************************
 
"As for the future, your task is not to foresee, but to enable it."
Antoine de Saint-Exupery
 
Madhav G. Badami, PhD
School of Urban Planning and McGill School of Environment McGill
University Macdonald-Harrington Building
815 Sherbrooke Street West
Montreal, QC, H3A 2K6, Canada
 
Phone: 514-398-3183 (Work); 514-486-2370 (Home)
Fax: 514-398-8376; 514-398-1643
URLs: www.mcgill.ca/urbanplanning
www.mcgill.ca/mse
e-mail: madhav.badami at mcgill.ca
 

  _____  

From: sustran-discuss-bounces+madhav.g.badami=mcgill.ca at list.jca.apc.org
[mailto:sustran-discuss-bounces+madhav.g.badami=mcgill.ca at list.jca.apc.o
rg] On Behalf Of Carlos F. Pardo
Sent: Friday, May 04, 2007 9:42 AM
To: Global 'South' Sustainable Transport
Subject: [sustran] Indian roads - planes, cows, elephants, mosques


We had the chance to be in India (Delhi, Chandigarh, Pune) last week,
working in a BRT training course with the SUTP project, ITDP and World
Bank (which was very useful). Parallel to the workshop I would go
walking around to see these cities. This news from a plane in the middle
of a road reminded me of some other issues I saw:

- A mosque as wide as the sidewalk (Delhi), "blocking" the way for
pedestrians,
- An elephant walking on a major arterial,
- The typical cows in roundabouts or roads,
- The classic situation of the "chaotic" Indian intersection.

This has all made me think deeper about the recent discussion started by
J. Richmond. Is it institutions? Is it a deeply culturally rooted
characteristic of Indians? Is it religion, yoga or whatever? I bought a
book on Indian culture which I've started reading to see if I find any
answers. I would really like to hear from people in India their point of
view on why they think this happens. Being from Colombia, I'm completely
lost trying to understand this.

Best regards,

Carlos 


Roselle Rivera wrote: 



something (amusing/very bothering?) on transport.
 Bad and irresponsible planning? or planned tourist attraction?



** The Boeing 737 stuck in city road **
Residents of the Indian city of Mumbai (Bombay) are wondering how long
it will take to remove a disused Boeing 737 that has been abandoned in a
busy road.
< http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/fr/-/2/hi/south_asia/6620461.stm >


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ROSELLE LEAH K RIVERA
PhD Fellow
Human Resource and Local Development Staff Group

Institute of Social Studies
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