The Selfish "H" - 'Heights'

"The rising sun can dispel the darkness of night but it cannot banish the blackness of malice, hatred, bigotry and selfishness from the hearts of humanity" (David O. McKay) 

Hi Everyone,

When I started this A-Z series I was a bit worried that may be for a particular letter I would not find a suitable topic to write but what has surprised me that we are so surrounded with everyday problems that I actually do not need to look far or search for issues. Today’s issue that I will be discussing is something that I encountered on my way to meet my sister.

I was in an auto and stuck in the traffic jam (not new for Mumbai city :)). All of a sudden an ambulance horn starts blaring up and as is required as courtesy, vehicles standing in front of it started giving way to the ambulance. But there were three vehicles, two cars and one auto, which refused to give way to the ambulance even though the ambulance was honking the horns continuously. I wondered whether the drivers of the those vehicles were blind, that they cannot see the ambulance in their rear mirrors or they were deaf that they could not hear the ambulance siren or they were just plain selfish. Whatever the case was this was supreme height of selfishness.

In our country we do not follow traffic rules unless there is a traffic police person with a stick and fine book in his hand. Why? Are we so short on time that few minutes lost in giving way to the ambulance will cause disaster for us? What about the person who is in the ambulance and might be struggling between life and death. Whose need is more important? The answer is quite obvious but obvious seems to be the most elusive answers to us.

I was having the same discussion with my HR yesterday for few minutes. What she said is sadly and actually true for most of the Indian citizens, "We in India in general lack common courtesy". How true and sad fact. I remember there used to be a program called "Suribhi" which came on DoorDarshan channel. In that program they once showed about some place (don’t remember the place), where if a person is standing by the side of the road to cross it and there is a vehicle coming, the vehicle driver will politely stop the car, let the person cross the road and then he will move away again. Now in Mumbai or in India in general due to the huge population, this is not possible but at least give way to the ambulance which is carrying a person struggling between life and death. This is common courtesy.

I hope I am able to make my point here. Please a request to everybody from next time if you hear an ambulance siren, give way to it or you might be responsible for grave injury to someone or even death. Be a part of such a simple SOLUTION and do not remain the PROBLEM like we generally behave.

Thanks,
Genie Signing off
email: arunesh.genie@gmail.com