Thursday, June 08, 2006
Tragedy of the Commons
Had to wait a while before I could write this. Needed to cool the boiling blood. So why I am writing about a Game Theory application? The Tragedy of the Commons? You'll see.
This morning, traffic was unusually bad. There was a jam at every intersection. That's fine. It happens. I was in the Volvo, standing, but at least away from the pollution and the smoke, and the grime.. and more importantly, the blaring horns. (These volvos really keep it quiet inside the bus!)
Anyway, as I was saying, I had no qualms about the traffic. Bad days exist, and today was one of them. We trudged along the roads on the way to work.
Pass Marathahalli, big big jam... but again no issues. Few stops after that I got to sit. Listening to my discman, I enjoy the view outside, and my music. Soon after is where the trouble started.
I was sitting towards the back of the bus. About 10 rows from the driver, and there were people standing all the way between me and the driver. The bus was populated by working class people. I mean the software industry people, with laptops and all (no I don't have a laptop).
Upon reaching another intersection, this one relatively free, the bus driver suddenly gets it into him to drive on the wrong side of the road, to avoid the traffic at the next junction. Now we all know that this is not the right thing to do. It only aggravates the situation, and flares more tempers. Some of us noticed. I did too. Had it not been for the aching feet, and body (tiring gym workout in the morning) and the fight to get a seat, I'd have gone up to the driver and let him have it for trying such a stunt. So, I left it on faith for my fellow commuters, older, wiser and more sensible, to do the job.
How wrong I was. All the laptop carriers just sat there, and grinned. "Now we'll reach quicker" is all I could see on their faces! And I wont single out anybody. This set of affluents were from all regions of India. Selfish pigs.
This is why I think not much can be done with this city. The corporation tries. They are widening the roads. They are widening the bridges. They are regulating traffic. They are diverting flows. Signals have come up. Potholes are being fixed. But if the denizens don't follow simple civic rules, then how can this place improve.
Do we really need dividers on the road to make sure a 6 lane road is not 5 lanes in one direction and one in the other? Do we need cops at every intersection to fine us for any rule breaking? Or will we just bribe them and get away with it?
This morning, traffic was unusually bad. There was a jam at every intersection. That's fine. It happens. I was in the Volvo, standing, but at least away from the pollution and the smoke, and the grime.. and more importantly, the blaring horns. (These volvos really keep it quiet inside the bus!)
Anyway, as I was saying, I had no qualms about the traffic. Bad days exist, and today was one of them. We trudged along the roads on the way to work.
Pass Marathahalli, big big jam... but again no issues. Few stops after that I got to sit. Listening to my discman, I enjoy the view outside, and my music. Soon after is where the trouble started.
I was sitting towards the back of the bus. About 10 rows from the driver, and there were people standing all the way between me and the driver. The bus was populated by working class people. I mean the software industry people, with laptops and all (no I don't have a laptop).
Upon reaching another intersection, this one relatively free, the bus driver suddenly gets it into him to drive on the wrong side of the road, to avoid the traffic at the next junction. Now we all know that this is not the right thing to do. It only aggravates the situation, and flares more tempers. Some of us noticed. I did too. Had it not been for the aching feet, and body (tiring gym workout in the morning) and the fight to get a seat, I'd have gone up to the driver and let him have it for trying such a stunt. So, I left it on faith for my fellow commuters, older, wiser and more sensible, to do the job.
How wrong I was. All the laptop carriers just sat there, and grinned. "Now we'll reach quicker" is all I could see on their faces! And I wont single out anybody. This set of affluents were from all regions of India. Selfish pigs.
This is why I think not much can be done with this city. The corporation tries. They are widening the roads. They are widening the bridges. They are regulating traffic. They are diverting flows. Signals have come up. Potholes are being fixed. But if the denizens don't follow simple civic rules, then how can this place improve.
Do we really need dividers on the road to make sure a 6 lane road is not 5 lanes in one direction and one in the other? Do we need cops at every intersection to fine us for any rule breaking? Or will we just bribe them and get away with it?
posted by zoxcleb @ 02:12 
Comments:
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Ah....what can I say??
My blood is boiling.
What people don't understand is such stupid, selfish acts lead to amazing jamming of traffic....
My blood is boiling.
What people don't understand is such stupid, selfish acts lead to amazing jamming of traffic....
'Common civic sense' is indeed what we indians have always mortgaged off.
At my place I once saw a divider completely eroded in d middle due to vehicles moving on it to get to the other side when the authoritues have have made it so that you dont.
I mean what the hell were they thinking??
Thats India,thats us !!
Jeez !!
At my place I once saw a divider completely eroded in d middle due to vehicles moving on it to get to the other side when the authoritues have have made it so that you dont.
I mean what the hell were they thinking??
Thats India,thats us !!
Jeez !!
@advitiya
not funny...
@equilibrium
so i'm not entirely anti-bangalroe after all! :-)
and yes.. they are amazing traffic jams!
not funny...
@equilibrium
so i'm not entirely anti-bangalroe after all! :-)
and yes.. they are amazing traffic jams!
@cinderella
looks like we were both on the blog at the same time!
am still trying to figure out which place that is... but yeah, i guess blore decided to forego such an event by not building too many dividers at the heavy intersections
:)
looks like we were both on the blog at the same time!
am still trying to figure out which place that is... but yeah, i guess blore decided to forego such an event by not building too many dividers at the heavy intersections
:)
GPS,
I know this is such a pathetic behavior.Probably we need police at each intersection & lane dividers in each road.Probably that will try to fill up the lacking 'civic sense'..
So now they have volvo buses to ITPL??wat happened to pushpaks?
I know this is such a pathetic behavior.Probably we need police at each intersection & lane dividers in each road.Probably that will try to fill up the lacking 'civic sense'..
So now they have volvo buses to ITPL??wat happened to pushpaks?
@shiv
what u suggest is just not feasible. think abt it :-)
the pushpaks still exist.. but BMTC has started AC Volvos as well. refer earlier post
@cinderellas
muhahah...
the web works in mysterious ways ;-)
what u suggest is just not feasible. think abt it :-)
the pushpaks still exist.. but BMTC has started AC Volvos as well. refer earlier post
@cinderellas
muhahah...
the web works in mysterious ways ;-)
@cinderella
well.... u notice the counter on my blog? it tells me more than just how many ppl have dropped by. it also tells me where they've come from.
here let me show u...
ur ISP is at : PLOT C1, NEAR RMRC in Bhubaneshwar.
u use XP and IE 6.
ur monitor uses 1024x768 resolution at 32 bit colour
:-) how right am i?
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well.... u notice the counter on my blog? it tells me more than just how many ppl have dropped by. it also tells me where they've come from.
here let me show u...
ur ISP is at : PLOT C1, NEAR RMRC in Bhubaneshwar.
u use XP and IE 6.
ur monitor uses 1024x768 resolution at 32 bit colour
:-) how right am i?
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