Level Crossings: A Primer

It is a great leveller. It has the power to make every vehicle, no matter its size, the VIP quotient of its occupant or the nuisance value of its horn, painfully wait at its behest. In Bangalore city, railway level crossings at most places are a sore reminder of the deep rooted inertia and lack of foresight of our city planners in implementing alternatives such as overbridges or under passes.
 
Level crossings are a relic of an era when traffic volumes in the city were one tenth of what they are now. When every middle class family's nirvana was 'hamara Bajaj' and very few actually attained it. A waiting period of 4-5 years for a scooter was quite common. Things like EMI were not even heard of and 'easy finance' only meant dowry!
 
The scene near level crossings are of utter chaos driven by sick hurry of motorists, though a little patience and respect for order (something very foreign to our nature) would go a long way in making matters easier. As the gates tilt down to a close with the accompaniment of a buzzing sound, some bikers race to sneak through with the adeptness of movie stuntmen.
 
Once the gates are down the dreary wait for the train to pass begins, and so does the crafty jugaad mentality of motorists. Like rats and cockroaches those on two-wheelers manage to sneak past the waiting traffic, to be close to the gate so that they can scoot off the moment it opens. By the time the train arrives, the traffic build up on both sides is like rival armies arrayed in a battle formation, eagerly waiting for the war bugle to go off.
 
Once the gates are opened all driving etiquette take a back seat and Darwinian instincts take over. Size of the vehicle and number of wheels become crucial. Those steering burly six-wheeler trucks try to browbeat those behind the wheels of 800 cc hatchbacks and sedans into submission. Luggage auto rickshaws laden with steel rods intimidate two-wheeler riders by subjecting them to 'cheeky' close shaves.
 
For all motorists in general its a nerve wracking one-inch-at-a-time rite of passage as they have to maintain their cool amid high decibel horns, heated exchanges and brinkmanship by fellow motorists. By the time the chaos gets over, it's time to down the level crossing gates for the next train.
 
Tailpiece: Motorists should realise that it is mechanical energy that powers the gates of level crossings and not sound energy. Hence please give your thumb, 'horn' button and the battery a much needed break!

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