Cell phones and driving ... a more realistic thought is needed

"The court also observed that if a case should be registered, the law should be amended and should be passed in the Legislative Assembly."

https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/can-t-book-drivers-talking-mobile-while-driving-kerala-hc-police-81404

If these last two paragraphs in this linked page is not followed immediately by authorities, such comments by honourable court could easily be misinterpreted and worse, misused. This can easily be considered as a permission to text too, so long as the driving is safe. 

It is clearly observed that those who drive while talking over mobile phones, especially holding them in their hand, cause slowing down of vehivle and of traffic. It can be said with very high certainty that an unrealistically slow driver is talking over mobile.  Even car manufacturers have started implementing engine immobilisers.

But enforcement?

Had read in an article long back, that a US court had cancelled case against a man who had phone on his shoulder while driving ... It is a common sight with two wheelers in India.  While shifting the load to one handle, this could cause a difficult manoeuvre in emergency. Ah, well, the other handle is reserved for helmets! Here is one avenue where the statement of honourable HC can be misused, unless, as quoted earlier, laws are amended.

Besides, depending on the importance of call, it could distract the driver resulting in hazardous conditions. Needless to talk about texting. As a quote says "everything can change at the blink of an eye". Seems like the grounds on which the case was filed were not solid enough...or is the motor vehicles act still incompetent to deal with use of mobile phones while driving ? Wake up authorities, before it is way too late.

Questions remain: what if hands-free is used? What if the phone is remotely operated? What if speaker phone? Well, the best bet is not to use phone at all. Or to keep mobile phones reserved to talk while walking (no, not on road), sitting, lying or while in parked vehicle (not in traffic). Stay safe, live long, let others live too. Besides, it saves considerable time if we won't get ourselves booked and later spared after a series of legal tussles.

https://www.theweek.in/news/india/2018/05/16/talking-on-mobile-while-driving-not-illegal-says-kerala-high-court.html

The following link is informative, but how well it would work in a country like ours where everything is taken for granted, is yet open to disputes: http://www.ncsl.org/research/transportation/cellular-phone-use-and-texting-while-driving-laws.aspx

Obeying traffic rules may not save you time, but life for sure ...

(After posting this, the road was opened after maintenance and again became two way after a while without notice)Kind attention those who drive through Nalumukku junction, Pettah. The road from Pallimukku to kannammoola is closed for maintenance. Hence the road from Nalumukku to Kannammoola (earlier it was one-way down) is now open to two-way traffic. Means, anyone can travel from Vanchiyoor, Pattoor or Chackai through Nalumukku towards Kannammoola.

Above: road closure details at nalumukku

The photo on left shows the earlier situation, and the one on right shows current situation. In essence it is now a junction in which vehicles can move in all directions. So people who come from kannammoola please don't be surprised to see a convoy of vehicles against you. Is it too hard to give sufficient publicity well in advance so that people would be alerted? Well, do we need such a detailed information? Normally, by sheer commonsense, anyone can understand. But seeing the current behaviour of traffic at this place: traffic cones (red dots) are kept at the approach to kannammoola. Police officer(s) is there to direct you, they are trying hard, but who pays heed? People still assume the one-way to exist. So wave your hands and blink headlamps or be prepared for head on collision once you move towards kannammoola. Wonder if there is acute shortage of cones. What use keeping them at junction alone; where are the signs, by the way? Please, tying two safety tapes and keeping cones across road at two junctions are not just enough ... please direct the traffic too with appropriate signs.

Above: Traffic movements at Nalumukku Junction: Then and Now.

And what if an ambulance wants to rush to medical college? Today morning I saw a pedestrian crossing the traffic without a green signal for him. A XUV from kannammoola side was then seen stopping at the new entry for vehicles towards kannammoola, despite the police officer asking him to get to the other side of cones. Later came a private bus from pattoor, jumping red to turn to the right towards kannammoola, blocking my car and traffic from kannammoola all through the green allotted to them. We had to take a hair pin turn around the bus to face on-coming traffic which by the time had got green! What do these fellows think; that buses are like caterpillars that can bend to any extent at will? Needless to say, the vehicles are moving from Nalumukku to kannammoola (opposite to one way) as if they are driving on a race track !

Impatience is building up almost in all walks of life ... but on roads, it may kill ....

Dear brothers and sisters, those traffic cones and police standing under the sun are for your safety ... please obey the signs and instructions ... by saving one or two minutes we won't gain much, but in the process what we or others lose may not be just time.

Emergency care!!!

Any one of us or our dear and near could be in this situation:

a few excerpts from the original post (which i saw in fb), for those who would have less time to read:

"ജീവിതത്തിനും മരണത്തിനുമിടയിലുള്ള നൂല്‍പ്പാലയാത്രയില്‍ അധികൃതരുടെ അലംഭാവവും അപര്യാപ്തതകളും കൊണ്ടു നഷ്ടമായ മണിക്കൂറുകള്‍ മരണത്തിനു വിട്ടുകൊടുത്ത മറ്റനേകം പേരിലൊരാളുടെ കഥ"

"വേദനകൊണ്ടു പുളയുന്ന ചെറുപ്പക്കാരന്‍ രക്തം കട്ടപിടിച്ചുറഞ്ഞ കണ്ണുകള്‍ തുറന്നുവച്ച് എല്ലാം കാണുന്നുണ്ട്. എന്‍റെ ജീവന്‍ രക്ഷിക്കൂ എന്ന ദയനീയമായ യാചനാഭാവം , ആ മുഖത്ത്.

കൊല്ലം – തിരുവനന്തപുരം ജില്ലാതിര്‍ത്തിയിലെ ഒരു സ്റ്റേഷനില്‍ ജോലി ചെയ്യുന്ന പോലീസുകാരനാണ് സ്ട്രെക്ചറില്‍. ഡ്യൂട്ടി കഴിഞ്ഞിറങ്ങി, മെയിന്‍ റോഡരികിലുള്ള സ്വന്തം വീടിനുമുന്നില്‍ ഗേറ്റിനോടു ചേര്‍ന്നു നില്‍ക്കുമ്പോള്‍ നിയന്ത്രണം വിട്ടു പാഞ്ഞു വന്ന ഒരു പിക് അപ് വാന്‍ ഇടിച്ചിട്ടതാണ്. തലയ്ക്കു പരിക്കുണ്ടെന്നു കണ്ട്:

അതിവേഗം ആംബുലന്‍സില്‍ കയറ്റി തിരുവനന്തപുരം മെഡിക്കല്‍ കോളേജ് ആശുപത്രിയിലേക്ക് കൊണ്ടുവന്നതാണ്."

അത്യാഹിത വിഭാഗത്തിലെ ആള്‍ക്കൂട്ടത്തെ വകഞ്ഞു മൂന്നു ഡോക്ടര്‍മാര്‍ സ്ട്രെക്ചറിനരികിലേക്കു വന്നു. എല്ലാം പി. ജി. വിദ്യാര്‍ത്ഥികള്‍ !!!

രക്തം രണ്ടു കുപ്പികളിലാക്കി നല്‍കിയശേഷം നിര്‍ദ്ദേശം. ഒരു കുപ്പി മൈക്രോ ബയോളജി ലാബിലും, മറ്റേ കുപ്പി എ. സി. ആര്‍. ലാബിലും കൊടുത്ത് റിപ്പോര്‍ട്ട് വാങ്ങി വരണം.

ACR lab outside campus, near old casualty block!!! result after 2 hrs !!!

ലാബിനു മുന്നിലേക്ക് ഉന്തി കൊണ്ടുവന്ന സ്ട്രെക്ചര്‍ ഒരു സൈഡിലേക്ക് ഒതുക്കി മാറ്റിയടാന്‍ ഡ്യൂട്ടി നഴ്സിന്‍റെ കല്‍പന.

സഹോദരനും സഹപ്രവര്‍ത്തകനും കൂടി സി ടിസ്കാന്‍ മുറിയന്വേഷിച്ച് സ്ട്രെക്ചര്‍ തള്ളി മുന്നോട്ട്. സഹായത്തിന് ഒരറ്റന്‍ഡര്‍ പോലുമില്ല !!!

അത്രയും ദൂരം സ്ട്രെക്ചര്‍ തള്ളി ലിഫ്റ്റിനടുത്തെത്തിയപ്പോള്‍ അത് പ്രവര്‍ത്തനരഹിതം..!

സഹായത്തിന് ആശുപത്രി സ്റ്റാഫ് ആരുമില്ല

തിരിച്ചു കാഷ്വാലിറ്റിയ്ക്കു മുന്നിലെത്തി ഒരു ആംബുലന്‍സ് സംഘടിപ്പിച്ച് സി ടി സ്കാന്‍ കെട്ടിടത്തിലേക്ക്..!!!

.. നെഞ്ചുവരെ പുതപ്പിച്ചിരുന്ന വെള്ളത്തുണി ആ മുഖത്തേക്ക് വലിച്ചു മറച്ചിടുമ്പോള്‍ , ക്യാബിനു പുറത്തു രണ്ടു കുഞ്ഞുങ്ങളുടെ ”വാപ്പച്ചീ.. വാപ്പച്ചീ..” യെന്ന ദയനീയമായ നിലവിളി മുഴങ്ങുന്നുണ്ടായിരുന്നു

Excerpts ends here.

the original post here:

https://www.facebook.com/vipinmahathma/posts/1201634019924527

It raises a few questions/comments:

1. A victim brought from the district border of trivandrum in about 1 hour had to wait for two hours (or more?) to get proper medical attention !!! Where is the "Golden hour rule" ???

2.What made the authorities shift the casualty block from main road to the interiors, that too could only be reached after a circuit around the island at SAT hospital? And Advanced Clinical Research (ACR) Lab is, ironically, on the roadside now !!!

3. If space was a constraint, why could not they shift the pay ward blocks and other low priority blocks to the interiors and develop the old emergency block instead? A parking lot nearby is rendered useless thanks to encroachments... why could it not be converted to emergency block and linked to inner blocks? Even ambulances find it difficult to make it to the casualty by taking a turn at the complex medical college junction, thanks to the "co-operation" of other vehicles. Outcome(image attached): from 30 m travel to 600 m travel to the casualty block (at the mercy of other drivers). 

4. Again, what use if the results are delayed by 2 hours? Do the medicos have to wait till the results come to give emergency care or to at least replace the body fluids? then, why the name "emergency"? Why can't there be a facility for emergency tests like ct scans, blood tests, surgery, close to the casualty block; thus enabling test result to be delivered on a fast track scheme? Besides, why can't the tests and delivery of results be made digital and on-line?

5.Why this kind of laxity? Why can't people be more humane? For the doctors and staff it may be yet another case, but for the family?

6. No wonder why people rush to private hospitals in case of an emergency ... but that too happens only if the emergency occur at home/workplace.

7. Why is there such an acute shortage of staff/facilities at the premier medical college in the state?

8. Why there is shortage of emergency medicines and even surgicals some times inside the hospital?

Dislocated blocks, Lack of information, Delay at labs, Malfunctioning Lifts, Less staff, the list is endless...

The answer to the above queries is: the system is corrupt to the core. Will the money thus earned help those corrupt hands in case this emergency happens with them or their family? Or are these people made of some stuff that lasts till eternity; that needs no maintenance?

How many times we see ambulances/vehicles with high beam and continuous honking waiting in traffic? How many times we see vehicles ignoring hapless people who wait to cross the road at medical college...who knows how many of them would be rushing to save their dear one's life like in this story? We are all busy, we have our priorities... why bother about others?

Masterplan for Medical College 2015

"The new master plan is expected to take into consideration all issues affecting patients, visitors and students on the MCH campus as well as the future development issues that may come up. The construction plans will all be formulated so that the buildings will be able to withstand natural calamities.

The plan envisages an under-passage or a subway from Pazhaya Road at Medical College junction till the pay wards, skyways linking various hospital blocks, a complex to house all hotels, eateries, hostels, banks, ATM counters, residential quarters and hostels, a single complex housing various medical stores on the campus, multi-level parking area, rainwater harvesting, among other things.

It was decided to submit a proposal to the government to construct a rest room for those accompanying patients, utilising Karunya Benevolent Funds" (The Hindu) .

"The proposal includes construction of an under-passage or a subway from Pazhaya Road at Medical College junction till the pay wards, modern skyways linking various hospital blocks and a single complex to house all hotels and eateries. The plan also envisages development of hostels, banks, ATM counters, residential quarters and a single complex housing various medical stores. Other plans include construction of multi-level parking area and rainwater harvesting." (entecity.com)

But where are we now ?

(Above) yes, we now have sky walks connecting at two levels, linking CT and MRI scan centres. But what if there is no direction information, when every second counts? what if the lift's are malfunctioning? if 5.2 crores can be spent on a sky-walk, why the lifts can't be maintained?

(Above) This subway proposal was there in 2007 KSUDP (Kerala Sustainable Urban Development Project- Package 01) , but where is the subway?

Medicos to the rescue

A group of former students of Medical College had developed a mobile app named TMC Pathfinder (www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/society/app-developed-by-2009-mbbs-batch-of-government-medical-college/article7900210.ece) to help the needy. Great job, guys! At least, there is a hope that people would not get lost in the maze. But a lot more has to be done for such technologies to reach the common man. the app is available here:  https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.dextroway.mch&hl=en (a simple search on google playstore will get you the app; i just got it now).

Above: A very useful app developed by medicos of 2009

To wind up

No matter whatever developments like sky bridges/huge OP blocks come up, unless there is a change in the mindset and the technical issues are properly addressed, this major hospital will remain in this unacceptable state for ever. Not forgetting that there are a few dedicated doctors and staff who require appreciation for their works... but a lot more are there on the down side.

Round-about or "Cross" Roads?

Round-abouts or rotaries, or traffic rounds, as they are popularly known, are supposed to regulate traffic all by themselves, but for errant humans.

Above: How motor-bikes and many vehicles negotiate round-abouts !!!
(background picture courtesy: google earth)

Had a lucky escape from an almost certain collision today morning. Wonder how people have learnt to use round-abouts. I was on the left-most edge of the road, entering the round about at the T-Junction, Manacaud. The junction was clear, there was no vehicle in sight. Thank God, felt something was dashing in to my field of view from my right. It was not even a fraction of a second that I realised a motor bike has crossed right across my path and out of reflex, some how I screeched a few feet to a halt. The bike fellow, took a sudden right turn and continued moving in front, as though he has not even felt my presence there. Seemingly another techie on the way to get to his firm before punching machine says no...the back pack on him read "Fast track"!!! A few months back i had faced a similar incident, when two motor bikes came from the wrong side of the round about (anti-clockwise), and again crossed my path: no braking that time, no collision either. It seems like now we have to teach people on how to negotiate typical intersections on road network. I and he had a narrow escape today , but it may not always be the case.