Have you ever been late to your office or college?
Have you ever been late to your office or college? How many times did you made traffic jams an excuse when you have been late to any significant event? Whether it may be your boss or lecturer, everyone forgives you if you say you were stuck in a traffic jam, as everyone has been through these traffic jams once in a while. Traffic jams are so frustrating, and however, nowadays people got acquainted with them.
What causes these traffic jams? Do you ever had given a thought to it? For some people, traffic jams are due to public transport systems like buses, while others may attribute it to the traffic rules and authorities. Ironically, no one thinks about themselves and their actions. And everyone does have a share in these traffic jams. Do you know Bengaluru has 9.4 million vehicles in an area of just around 820 square kilometers?
According to TomTom International Index, Amsterdam-based organizations Mumbai, Delhi, and Bangalore have been among the top 10 most congested cities worldwide for traffic over the past four years. The worst part is some lose their lives in ambulances in the traffic itself before reaching the hospital. Traffic is inconvenient for everyone, but no one takes a step to stop this. As per an air quality report of IQAir, a Swiss organization, 22 of the 30 most polluted cities in the world are in India. Vehicular pollution deteriorates the air quality by releasing toxic gases like carbon dioxide, methane, and oxides of nitrogen, which are disastrous for human health. It decreases the life span of human beings, affects our respiratory organs. In the long run, pollution leads to acid rains which are detrimental to agriculture and cultural monuments. The air conditioners used in vehicles release chlorofluorocarbons, which are the primary reason for ozone layer depletion. If this layer is getting depleted rapidly, it will cause skin cancers in human beings. We witness all these in our surroundings, but we never take any action to bring a change.
According to the Analysis of IQAir data, over 120,000 people died in India (at least 12,000 in Bengaluru alone) in 2020 due to air pollution ill effects. Automobiles don't only release pollutants into the atmosphere. They also occupy a lot of space on roads and parking slots. Firstly, we clear trees for constructing roads for the convenience of a safe drive, and then to park the vehicles, the leftover trees are also cut down. To show one's success and the standard, people buy lengthy cars. It has been ingrained in our minds how successful people look with their vehicles, big villas. But many people didn't realize the truth, and everyone gets trapped in these myths of having luxurious cars. Do you know the average length of a four-wheeler?
It is about 14-15 feet; we can easily park 4 or 5 bikes in that place. Everyone needs their comfort and luxurious life. No one doesn't realize the future outcomes of our worldly thinking and way of life. However, by using bikes, people can save at least some space, and the mileage of a two-wheeler is very low compared to a car. We can save fuel and our maintenance costs. If not bikes, people can use micro size cars as well. What's the problem with it? It's just the length varies, and the car remains the same with the same type of steering, seats, and air conditioner.
If you are going alone then do not use a car, instead use a bike. Bikes have more advantages when 1 or 2 people are traveling - ignore traffic/pollution/Saving Fuel/Easy to get parking area/Reach your destination on time.
Some experts believe there could be 2.5 billion automobiles worldwide by 2050. It would increase the events of traffic jams at a rapid pace. Everyone might have noticed these traffic jams and their ill effects. So, every citizen and the government has the responsibility of making our planet a much safer and happier place. The government should not look at its revenue from the automobile industry; it should instead focus on bringing reforms in traffic systems and vehicular emissions. It could encourage buying micro-size vehicles and discourage the use of macro vehicles by increasing taxes on the latter. As responsible citizens, we can also contribute by using the public transport system instead of personal cars, not every time but sometimes. We can also switch to electric vehicles, but micro-sized vehicles would be the better option.