Introduction

Stop. Look. Go. Three words that were drilled into our heads while we were small. The trio represents safety on the roads. But that no longer remains the case. While textbooks, schools and parents continue to tell the children the ways of the road, experience and adulthood state otherwise. The three words have been modified to suit our whims, timings and vehicles as well.

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the first electric traffic light system. The traffic signal, apart from a common landmark for addresses, has also become one of the most disobeyed rules in motoring history. Placed there for our safety, the post is often disregarded for its role. We decided to take a closer look at road signage and here’s what they actually mean as opposed to how people interpret it.

1. NO HONKING

What it means: Do not use the horn. Do not beep, by doing so you may be disturbing the peace of the locality. It might also cause a person distress due to the loud noise. In short: It’s pointless using a horn in these areas (hospitals, schools), unless you are about die or kill someone else by not doing so.

Driver's interpretation of this sign:

Scenario 1: If the car in front is slowing down = Honk.

Scenario 2: If the man in the hospital parking is walking slowly = Honk loudly.

Scenario 3: Traffic light has changed to green and the fellow in front is slow to move, let us remind him by honking.

One Way Street

2. ONE WAY

What it means: Two words that have been grossly misunderstood. A "one-way" sign with an arrow pointing in the direction in which you are allowed to go means you’re only allowed to go that way. One-way streets typically result in higher traffic flow as drivers don't have to deal with on-coming traffic nor turns through on-coming traffic.

Driver's interpretation of this sign:

The sign which in human code means ‘shortcut ahead’ for most. Drivers take this as an invitation to either get out of traffic or reach a place in the shortest time possible in order to avoid any inconvenience to their drive. And this is despite the on-coming traffic getting disturbed or even the odd threat to one’s life.

3. SCHOOL AHEAD

What it means: It means that there is a decreased speed zone and caution needs to be exercised as drivers may come across running excited children, reversing buses, eager parents and other traffic. If these factors are not accounted for the results can be fatal.

Driver's interpretation of this sign:

How dare these minions force us to slow down? Slowing down in front of a school or taking the foot off the accelerator seems highly inconvenient for drivers who believe in the policy “my road, my rules”. The minions need to learn how to walk on the road, it is not their playground yet, it’s the drivers.

Speed Limit

4. SPEED LIMIT 40

What it means: Simple. The speedometer needle in your vehicle should not go above the said limit. It can be 40, 80 or even 100kmph Every area in a city has designated speed controls to make sure lives are safe and injuries due to accidents are lessened. Unfortunately, not many are even aware that cities, roads, towns and highways have their own set speed limits.

Driver's interpretation of this sign:

The fastest always get to their destination first. Often drivers feel the need to show off their driving skills on a straight smooth road or when there is a restriction (read traffic cop standing with a radar gun). Speed limits are relegated to numbers and dismissed as mere impediments to clocking the perfect run. For a lot of people good driving means to drive fast. Speed, needless to say, is a weakness for many in our country and as a result the speedometer refuses to yield to such limits.

5. NO U-TURN HERE

What it means: This basically means you can't turn around in the middle of the road. Most of these are posted at intersections with traffic lights, but they get ignored often, despite being so obvious.

Driver's interpretation of this sign:

Yes, most drivers will first look left and right, check for a traffic policeman and then do the one thing that the sign says not to do…take a u-turn.

No Entry

6. NO ENTRY

What it means: Entry restricted. It means the road ahead does not permit vehicular traffic of any kind.

Driver's interpretation of this sign:

Entry into a no-entry zone means saving that extra five minutes of going around the block to get to the nearest main road or the destination. Despite challans or penalties, people are more than ready to flout the rules. Many are of the impression that a little slip now and then will do nobody harm.

7. NO PARKING

What it means: Your vehicle cannot be parked here. Probably because it is impeding traffic flow; is blocking the path in front of a store or it is just not meant to be there.

Driver's interpretation of this sign: Many feel, parking the vehicle, near a no-parking sign, for just a few minutes to maybe an hour will not harm anyone. Plus there is enough space on the left and right for pedestrians to walk. No Parking signs are a huge impediment to comfort. Parking at a pay and park or down the block would mean that the driver will have to walk to his destination and even shell out some money for parking.

Conclusion

8. TRAFFIC LIGHT

What it means: Ignoring a red light can change a life and that too in some of the most tragic ways possible; but that being a known fact, most motorists have been known to have jumped red lights by the dozen. Traffic lights alternate the right of way accorded to road users by displaying lights of a standard colour (red, yellow, and green) following a universal colour code. The red signal prohibits any traffic from proceeding. But even if there are people now waiting behind the line at a signal, you can see them inching and crawling their way to the other side by the time the signal turns green.

Driver's interpretation of this sign:

Waiting for a traffic light to turn from Red to Green would mean losing precious minutes of drive time. The last few seconds of a red light are crucial for launch. Since we have finished waiting for 115 seconds for a 120 seconds light, it’s our turn anyway to move and 5 seconds left to go is as good as a green light. Some are also of the view that jumping a red light once in a while would not be damaging and for others managing to get ahead while others wait for their turn means a challenge won.

The conclusion that one draws from the number of traffic violations being committed and rules being flouted is that every driver thinks that he/she is above the law and that rules are applicable to all but them. Hopefully, once the draft Road Transport and Safety Bill, which seeks to tame traffic violators and habitual offenders, comes into place, violations of traffic rules will be a thing of the past. A strong Bill would save many lives and also bring discipline and regulation onto Indian roads.