I see a strange sight. A guy in headphones reading a book in a crowded Metro train. Thank goodness that he had a seat and was seated.
“You can both listen to the book and also read?”
“Yes.”
“I find that if I am engrossed in a book, I am fully into it and my blocks out practically everything else. Same with music. If I am immersed in it, mind is occupied fully with it. Little room to enjoy another conscious task – like reading a book.”
Silence. Then he went back to the book. As if to say, “Mind your business.”
It was my second day trying out the Metro train. Other than the fact that it took nearly two decades from conception for Phase 1 to complete, and recent political skirmishes around Hindi imposition, my two days commuting in Metro took me back to using public transport system for the first time since 2006 in the city.
A lot has changed since then. The only discipline on the roads and in public commutation is no discipline. But what caught my attention over these two days was the disciple the people were willing to follow upon strict monitoring. The Metro stations have guards to ensure strict discipline while getting off and on the train in the Metro stations. The trains stop only for 20 seconds, and the ushers ensure the people getting on the train are standing in queues. They are there to ensure smooth off-boarding and on-boarding of passengers at the stations.
Yet, it leads to a situation like this.
Pushing and shoving while getting off the train or into the train. Sometimes, people not letting passengers get off the train while trying get on it. Or, once in, not making way for the people behind you to get in. Yelling. Elbowing. Stamping.
In short, chaotic.
Still, I must say the public order is a lot better than it was a decade ago. There is more orderliness and discipline. The culture of not getting to another person’s space or right (to alight the train before getting on to it, for example) is gradually growing and it might be many more years before it can be on par to, say, Japan.
My two-year old son loves the train and I often take him on it for a quick one-station trip in the evenings that he thoroughly enjoys. Not sure I like giving up the comfort of my car for a lot of shoveling and screaming and pushing in an effort to do my bit to my city’s chaotic traffic and pollution levels.
I have resisted owning/driving diesel vehicles as they are the prime source of air pollution in Indian cities. I am pro green energy. Existing electric car options are not up to scale. Hybrid cars are very expensive and therefore out of reach. I have promised myself to give this (travelling to work in Metro) a go for a month before taking a decision in an attempt to contribute to city’s pollution issues and saving fuel.
I am unsure if I should alternate between using my car and Metro (not buses as they are the main source of air pollution – diesel vehicles) going forward or totally giving up on driving my car to work. Appreciate your comments on what you think I should do