Do we have fear to drive in Chennai?

I often feel 90% of people driving in Chennai drive as though they can anytime meet the dead end!! But is it never possible to have safe driving in our cities?

I wonder sometimes if our people in Chennai know the meaning for Discipline in Driving!! Its not just with the drivers but we also need good roads to drive through.  I had never done anything more than 5 or 6 hrs in car in TamilNadu. Even in the few drives of 5 hrs, we had ended up picking a taxi / mini van. I know it does not make my travel any safe. Atleast when we drive, we have some control but with the taxi drivers its worse. Even when I tell him "You can be slow, I am not in hurry" the reply we get is "எனக்கு தெரியும் மேடம், நான் பத்து வருஷமா வண்டி ஓதுநர்" My entire drive would be a mess as I would be worrying about reaching home safe and would never enjoy the drive.

When every driver fails to go by rules, why is that he is not realising its his life too in trouble? Or have we lost all importance to a human life? We hear so much every day but then can we avoid travelling? No!! Even to get to work I have so many friends travelling 1 hr in bike and car. Infact its not that only long distance can lead to traggic road accidents and death but any short drive which is rash and bad can put our life in trouble.

Very often when I read my friend's Blog, I had thought what is the use of his writting? No one is changing and follwoing rules while driving. But today as I write I can understand how he would have felt everytime he wrote. May be its more because he drives every day while I take to driving very rarely.

The day I realised I have lost my dear friend in a tragic road accident, I went so mad that I wondered if I should ever drive again? One second and one mistake, it can end a person's life!!! Road accidents and death right from school bus to youth in bikes and middle aged people in car!! Where are we heading to?

The driving I have seen in US is fun, enjoyable. The real broad roads with perfect lane maintainence, makes me drive more often than usual. I would not be partial to say its too perfect here. I can point out one place, Los Angeles where driving is not as good as it is in other parts of the country. When we drove in here I felt like being in Chennai!!  At the same time its too good in some other places here. We have taken long distance drive like 11 hrs at stretch and we never felt worried or tensed. It was all plesant and fun to have those long drives. 

Its time our people value human lifes and keep in mind all driving safety measures and follow them even if fellow drivers neglect. Ofcourse equally important is the road maintainance system. I wonder if there will ever be changes there!!!