Friday, April 13, 2007

‘Your light is on’

Did you ever ride your scooter or a motorcycle with lights on during daytime? There will be hundreds of people waving at you to tell you that your light is on. They do it in different ways. Some wave at you, some do sign with their hand as if they are kneading the dough. Some would even stop their bike to tell you that the light is on. Once a kid who was riding his cycle downhill really fast, abruptly screeched himself to halt and in the process almost hit a nearby pole, only to tell me that my light was on. There seems to be an overzealous concern here which I find missing in other aspects of social life in India. This is how these Indians are thinking - “A kid is about to fall off from the bike, Hmm! Why should I bother? But a light is on? Oh! My god! I should help this person!”

Why is this obsession? I asked few and they told me that they can’t see a light on during daytime because it is tantamount to wasting energy. Hmm, what a concern! I am in tears now! Garbage on the streets, no problem, kids begging on the streets, no problem, oil dripping from the trucks, no problem, really bad smoke coming from faulty engine from an auto, no problem. But a light is on? Oh my god! We need to save this energy!

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Too good.

I think, its nothing to do with saving energy. People do it just for fun to gain the attention of driver. It is easiest thing and for which driver cannot blame you. Also people feel lit of responsibility for society (on lights :), begging kids :( etc), so this is the easiest way by which they can justify their selves that they are also contributing. And you can find out this kind of approach all over the world not only in India in some other way.

(For the title of blog)
If you are watching space from your telescope then you can see only what is coming under the periphery of telescope. So before concluding any thing one must try to visualize the area beyond his sight. After this you can find beauty even from devil.

Amrawat
http://amrawat.spaces.live.com/

Anonymous said...

It is not in saving energy they are interested. All they want to tell you is you are doing something wrong to which you cannot disagree or justify...

Adil said...

This is one minuscule thing we do well for saving energy. Please don't make people stop doing even that :)

Anonymous said...

one of my friends signs to only scooties(ladies drivers). :P