Following advice, given by the traffic Police department (Hyderabad), to all vehicle drivers and pedestrians are so important that I am reproducing it with my comments at the end.
1. Keep on your left, allowing the vehicles from the opposite direction to pass.
2. Give way to traffic on your right, especially at road junctions and round abouts.
3. While turning either left or right, give way to vehicles going straight.
4. While turning left, keep to the left side and turn close to the left side of the road to which you enter.
5. Slow down at the junctions, intersections and pedestrian crossings. Also slow down near school zones, temple areas etc., where a lot of pedestrians and vehicle traffic move. Give signals before you make any maneuver, indicating your intention, so that the other road users can adjust accordingly.
6. At junctions, do not block the free lefts
7. In case traffic jams, be patient. Do not cross the median and block the opposite lane.
8. Always use a helmet if on a two-wheeler and always check that the strap is fixed properly.
9. Stick to the given speed limit and remember that speed limit is related to the traffic condition.
10. Keep enough distance from the vehicle ahead to avoid collision.
11. Yellow lines should not be crossed under any condition.
12. At junctions or intersections, never park the vehicle beyond the stop line.
13. At pedestrian crossings always remember that the pedestrian has the right of way.
14. At the signal, do not stop your vehicle on the Pedestrian Crossing.
15. Two-wheelers are meant only for two. Third person is not allowed, even children.
16. Do not move your vehicle on the amber light. Wait for the light to turn green.
17. Overtake only from the right side of a vehicle. Never overtake on bridges, narrow roads, junctions, school zones and pedestrian crossings.
18. Do not drive in a zig-zag manner.
19. Do not honk and create noise pollution
20. Do not spit on the roads
I like to stress for the information of all Vehicle drives point 13 above. I heard in a meeting on Traffic problems that we do not have any roads in Hyderabad, but only “maidans” or play grounds. How true! According to latest statistics, 98 pedestrians died in road accidents, as against 47 riders of two wheelers; wheras only 2 guys died in car accidents. Therefore it is riskiest to be a pedestrian!!
If public learns to co-operate with the Police things might improve, even at the lowest levels
Monday, July 6, 2009
Website of Hyderabad Traffic Police
Website of Hyderabad Traffic Police
The Logo of Hyderabad Traffic Police says: Traffic Police, Hyderabad - For you. With you. Always.Recently a friend of mine added to the above:
===
Yes,
where ever you are
and when ever you are,
not with some traffic problem,
but with some
Cash in your pocket!
We will create the problem you don't have
and
empty your pockets
for you!!
====
Well, things are not always this bad. I went through the pages of website of Hyderabad Traffic Police and I tend to have a positive opinion of them. I always have sympathy for the traffic constables in Traffic junctions. They have to manage a chaotic traffic where everyone is in a perpetual hurry, never bothering about rules, safety and security of others on the road. These poor guys have to sweat it out whether it raining or sweltering hot, put up with perennial noise and dust pollution and face a hostile public all the while.
At times I get frustrated in getting an auto, say from Paradise Circle to Lakshmi nagar in Secunderabad (about 2.5 km). On such occasions, I just force myself upon a traffic constable and request him (pleading that I am a pitiable senior citizen) to fetch / stop an auto for me. Usually he succeeds in about ten minutes!!
The website has a lot of useful information directly useful to the common man. Details of Police Officers and Police Stations in all the seven traffic circles in twin cities are given. The beauty is that cell phone and email addresses are also given. In the case of police stations you can even find out how to reach a specific station. When you use vehicles like Scooter or car you need info on Towing zones, parking zones, flyovers, alternate routes, junctions that are at this instant facing traffic congestion etc. All this is available.
If you breach a traffic rule you get a challan. They recognize that you may be given wrong challans. But the site shows what to do with this situation! From a cursory glance at the traffic accident statistics (fairly up to date), you learn that it is riskiest to just walk on our roads (pedestrians). Next group of victims are two wheeler drivers. Safer are those who are inside a car!!
It is worthwhile trying to understand, sympathize and co-operate with them. Even the lower rung of traffic cops are like to change for the better.
The Logo of Hyderabad Traffic Police says: Traffic Police, Hyderabad - For you. With you. Always.Recently a friend of mine added to the above:
===
Yes,
where ever you are
and when ever you are,
not with some traffic problem,
but with some
Cash in your pocket!
We will create the problem you don't have
and
empty your pockets
for you!!
====
Well, things are not always this bad. I went through the pages of website of Hyderabad Traffic Police and I tend to have a positive opinion of them. I always have sympathy for the traffic constables in Traffic junctions. They have to manage a chaotic traffic where everyone is in a perpetual hurry, never bothering about rules, safety and security of others on the road. These poor guys have to sweat it out whether it raining or sweltering hot, put up with perennial noise and dust pollution and face a hostile public all the while.
At times I get frustrated in getting an auto, say from Paradise Circle to Lakshmi nagar in Secunderabad (about 2.5 km). On such occasions, I just force myself upon a traffic constable and request him (pleading that I am a pitiable senior citizen) to fetch / stop an auto for me. Usually he succeeds in about ten minutes!!
The website has a lot of useful information directly useful to the common man. Details of Police Officers and Police Stations in all the seven traffic circles in twin cities are given. The beauty is that cell phone and email addresses are also given. In the case of police stations you can even find out how to reach a specific station. When you use vehicles like Scooter or car you need info on Towing zones, parking zones, flyovers, alternate routes, junctions that are at this instant facing traffic congestion etc. All this is available.
If you breach a traffic rule you get a challan. They recognize that you may be given wrong challans. But the site shows what to do with this situation! From a cursory glance at the traffic accident statistics (fairly up to date), you learn that it is riskiest to just walk on our roads (pedestrians). Next group of victims are two wheeler drivers. Safer are those who are inside a car!!
It is worthwhile trying to understand, sympathize and co-operate with them. Even the lower rung of traffic cops are like to change for the better.
Sunday, July 5, 2009
How to Live in Old Age. Book review
Swami Shankaranandaji: How to live in old age
This text book in CCMT courses on Gerontology is a good read for anyone interested in Hindu way of aging gracefully. And those who believe in Hinduism as the way of life for them will find the guidance offered very meaningful..
HOW TO live in old age. By Swami Sankarananadaji. Translated from Hindi into English by Sajjan Singh, Central Chinmaya Mission Trust (CCMT), Mumbai. 2004. pp254. Price: Rs 70/- This book on Indian gerontology throws light on how one can age gracefully without being a burden to family members, without feeling desolate and derelict like an abandoned building. Books with a blend of spirituality and graceful ageing are very few, especially written by noteworthy authors. Those who believe in Hinduism as the way of life for them will find the guidance offered very meaningful.
It is used as a text book for the session on gerontology during CCMT's Orientation Camps for Senior citizens offered throughout India. Some forty tips from five Slokas from "Sadhana Panchakam" form the basis for the major portion of this book.
Chapter headings include:
1) The Glory of Spiritual Knowledge (This chapter like a summary of the famous title: "Am I a Hindu")
2) Religious life
3) The yoga of selfless action
4) Preparation for The Thrid Ashrama
5) Entering Vanaprashtha Ashrama
6) Preparation for the Fourth Ashrama
7) Entering Sanyas Ashrama
8) Sanyasis -- Their types
4) Preparation for The Thrid Ashrama
5) Entering Vanaprashtha Ashrama
6) Preparation for the Fourth Ashrama
7) Entering Sanyas Ashrama
8) Sanyasis -- Their types
Conclusion
It is worthwhile noting that it is not necessary to give up worldly connections if you become a Sanyasi. The Book provides, as expected, a number of Sanskrit slokas and extracts from spiritual texts. Translations and explanations are offered. The language and rendering are simple and easy flowing. Any Senior Citizen can benefit by reading this book. Going by the size of the book the price is a pittance and highly affordable even to pensioners.
Saturday, July 4, 2009
How to Cure Diseases with Natural Foods: Book Review
How to Cure Diseases with Natural Foods: Book Review
Original in Tamil by Dr M Anaiappan. English Translation by JN Daamodharan. Part 1 Ed2 2000 pp 224 Rs 130/-. Part 2 Ed2 2005 pp126 Rs 120. Published by Good Health Foundation, Hyderabad.
General:
This book on natural foods and its use to cure diseases is a book on alternate therapy. The author advocates total avoidance of cooked food of any sort and recommends one to eat only fruits, nuts, pulses, vegetables etc - all in the raw form.
The book provides basic information on the following aspects:
- Fruits and their medicinal uses
- Which fruits cure which of the diseases
- Usefulness of Natural foods
- Methods of preparing healthy foods
- Nature food plan (Time Table)
- Tables giving Salt content, nutritional values, vitamin contents of many natural food items
- Brief details about Nature Cure treatment.
Apart from the above useful sections/chapters the book also gives the following - these points require attention when the author brings out the next edition:
1) The chapter "What is the right food for human beings" is a haphazard collection/compilation of several hundred quotations, statements, extracts, comments, ideas, opinions from books articles newspapers periodicals etc. Though the content is useful, there is no particular order in these 40 pages.
2) A bibliography of some 63 books is given in the middle of the book. Only author and title are given. Details of publisher, year, edition, price etc are absent. If you want to buy a book the listing is not useful.
3) "A List of Nature Cure Hospitals in India" contains 33 institutions mostly in Tamilnadu. No Phone numbers or Email is given, which if furnished will make contacting easier.
4) The 40 page chapter of Diseases and treatment is most repetitive. The whole chapter can be summarized into far less number of pages.
5) As many as three chapters (60 pages - 17% of the two part book) contain only testimonials from patients who have benefited from Nature food therapy.
6) The chapter on usefulness of natural foods is very generic to be of any practical use. Few examples: "There will be no fear in Society", "Devotion to God will increase" "It is a great sin to cook and eat" etc
7) Some what costly for most people.
Summary: If you are a collector books on Alternate therapies you may buy it. If you want to buy only a few titles on this topic, you may want to wait for the next (improved) edition!
(Contact Publisher at: Plot 100 Road 7c Jubilee Hills Hyderabad 500033 Phone 23543613 & 23545231.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)