Broken rules

Around 9 pm on Friday, I was returning home after visiting my sister. At the first signal intersection near my sister’s house, it showed red but those of you staying at Hyderabad you must be well aware that signals are part of the road show!! I being a typical Hyderabaddy jumped the signals as I thought it was late in the night and the general belief is oof!! Not to bother!!
But it wasn’t one of those lucky days for me. The cop stopped me and wonderful I couldn’t hear a word of what he was saying!!!!!! I had my windows up!!!
A few minutes later after all the cursing he instructed me to pull to a side but lo!!!!!! What do you think I did? I whizzed past him, in no time on my way home!!!
Even as I was nearing home I started feeling sheepish!! I started questioning myself and initially my conscience came up with all kinds of justifications but none really valid.
I just happen to have finished reading the book ‘Freakonomics’ by Steven D. Levitt. In the fourth chapter titled- ‘Where have all the criminals gone?’. In this chapter he talks about the ushering in of NYPD and the innovative strategies of their police commissioner William Bratton, based on the theory by criminologists James and George. Their Broken Window theory is an attempt to convey that a broken window when left unattended sends the message that the building can be set afire too and nobody cares. Taking this theory as an example the Police commissioner started taking actions on un policed actions until then like jumping a subway turnstile!!!!!!!! Believe it or not the crime rate in the city came down remarkably!!!!!!!!!!
So applying the same theory to the incident on Friday night, am I on the “Road not taken”!!!!!!! so far by any of my family members!!!!!
I donno!!
But one thing that I am certain, I have decided not to ever jump signals in my life time. Yup and I mean it.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Regressive attitude!

I was enjoying speeding in my Alto oblivious to everything else other than the exhilarating feeling of watching the road ahead and the beautiful site of the winding roads hugging sometimes paddy fields and sometimes Mango groves! All of a sudden I noticed a car from behind trying to overtake my vehicle and for a while I intended to keep up my speed but then better sense prevailed over me. I moved to a side to give way to the other vehicle! As soon as the car occupants had overtaken me, I saw them giving Hifi to one another followed by a quick triumphant glance– very excited that they had overtaken me! My first reaction was – how idiotic!! During one of those chatty sessions with my colleagues the kind who dole out advices whether you want it or not! My colleague told me that I should stop commuting by my car as it was risky driving such a long distance everyday! He gave me two solutions – to commute by the transportation provided by the organization or to have a driver to drive my car...
Read more

The Regressive attitude!

I was enjoying speeding in my Alto oblivious to everything else other than the exhilarating feeling of watching the road ahead and the beautiful site of the winding roads hugging sometimes paddy fields and sometimes Mango groves! All of a sudden I noticed a car from behind trying to overtake my vehicle and for a while I intended to keep up my speed but then better sense prevailed over me. I moved to a side to give way to the other vehicle! As soon as the car occupants had overtaken me, I saw them giving Hifi to one another followed by a quick triumphant glance– very excited that they had overtaken me! My first reaction was – how idiotic!! During one of those chatty sessions with my colleagues the kind who dole out advices whether you want it or not! My colleague told me that I should stop commuting by my car as it was risky driving such a long distance everyday! He gave me two solutions – to commute by the transportation provided by the organizati...
Read more

The Earthen Pot

I went to a Flea Market a bit unwillingly but then when nephews call to spend time with you, you hardly have a choice. I was supposed to meet them a little early for a Sunday morning but I reached in time. I called one of my nephews only to realize he hadn’t even started from home. He suggested that I go in and look around. I hesitated to take up his suggestion but the greed for materialistic possessions took over good sense and there I was just picking up whatever took my fansy! I infact had no cash with me and so installed PAYTM and paid! Nothing seemed to be a hindrance or a challenge! One prized possession amidst all the junk was a beautiful earthen pot and it had a nice glazed finish to it! I was informed that I could place it on a gas stove too for cooking! I picked it up thinking I had got it at a throw away price! The next morning as I placed it on the stove to make sambhar, I dreamt of the smell of sambhar in the purest and unsullied form wafting through my house! I was ru...
Read more