Just an update on the "No Honking Campaign" in Delhi. Here are two photos I took this weekend. More and more signs are showing up all over Delhi. These two are in Hindi, which most of you know I can't read very well, but the one says (I think) "Horn Nahi Bajao" - someone correct me if I'm wrong! The campaign is having little effect - the chorus I hear outside on the road right now, on Sunday morning, is really hectic.
There is a "no honking" campaign underway in New Delhi. Jack and I agree that it is impossible to teach 20 million drivers to completely change their way of behaving on the road. Honking gets other vehicles to get out of the way, keeps them from backing into you, tells pedestrians that you're coming through whether they are there or not, makes vehicles change lanes etc. As we have always heard you need 3 things to drive in India, good brakes, good horn, and good luck.
The sign on the traffic light (an innovation in and of itself) says "Honking is a Traffic Violation ... STOP IT. Obey Taffic Laws , avoid embarrassment and heavy penalty." The lovely irony in the shot I got as we went around that corner is that it is also a violation to smoke in public so Mr. Citizen standing under the light is also bucking for a ticket. The sign was only there for about a week ... not a trace of it at the light this morning.
Here is another sign to contemplate ..
There are a series of these signs in English all over town. My guess is that less than 50% of all drivers can read English so that is also something to contemplate. The other "no honking" signs that are entertaining - "if you believe in peace ... do not honk." Reports of some excellent bumper stickers too. I am going to be looking for them and hopefully will add some photos to this blog.Happy trails.
