Why will there not be such chaos on Indian roads? After all, the authorities are here for that very purpose.
Thursday morning I was at the RTO to apply for my learner's licence. I queued up for the document verification process. After what felt like an eternity, the officer comes along at 11 AM! There is the cursory glance at each applicant's papers after which his seal of approval is embossed. The queue moved along at a snail's pace.
Apparently, there seems to be some rule (read: understanding) whereby ladies do not need to follow a queue. I saw the ladies come and go, their papers stamped well ahead of all the poor souls who had been sweating it out before them.
Then there was the "Oral" examination. I was not prepared for it. But then, I thought to myself, "How difficult can that be?" I had seen people on Indian roads shaking their fists and fingers at one another. Some candidate ahead of me was shown some symbol and asked to explain its significance. His answer : Right Turn. After a while there was a tirade in Kannada. It turns out that the synbol shown was of "No U turn". But then, men make mistakes. The chap got his licence (to kill).
I went in and performed the requisite task of showing him the hand signals for right turn, left turn, stop, etc, etc. My application was stamped and I was asked for 10 rupees. "10 rupees? What for?". "You have to give sir..."
And that was that. People in full uniform demanding money to do their duty. With much reluctance, but having no other option, I coughed up the 10 rupees.
3 comments:
Short and crisp.
With a potent message.
so, you did not ask him what was the need of the ten rs???
I would have and had full intentions to... But then I had to go to office. And moreover, I did not want him to cancel the licence. I guess this is the problem in our nation. We are just not strong/bold enough to stand up to the corruption and we take it lying down.
And end up becoming a part of it some how...
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