Why don't Patnaites follow traffic rules, after all

<div class="section1"><div class="Normal">PATNA: Most Patnaites can never remain patient, at least when they are driving through the dilapidated roads of the city. Why can''t they follow traffic rules? Experts feel the tendency to break rules comes from one''s inclination to follow "negative models".<br /><br />According to Institute of Psychological Research and Service (IPRS) director Dr Arun Kumar Singh, "In Bihar, criminals, politicians and the likes generally escape the long arm of law.Since they get away with their wrongdoings, a majority of people are lured into following their examples." Thus, not showing even an iota of respect to traffic rules becomes part of people''s behavioural pattern, he said.<br /><br />Professor Shankar Dutt of Patna University links the phenomenon to "system''s failure". "Good governance, instant justice, and social and economic stability ensure discipline in a society but absence of these engenders frustration, cynicism and disillusionment." Under such circumstances, people take to an indisciplined lifestyle. Hence, the chaos on roads.<br /><br /></div> </div><div class="section2"><div class="Normal">Dutt explains misuse of privileges by politicians and bureaucrats leads to democratisation of indiscipline. "When a beacon-fitted car screams inconsiderably through a blocked road, the common man mistakes it to be a model of social behaviour." In his attempt to ape a power-wielding "<span style="" font-style:="" italic="">neta</span>", he ends up breaking rules and creating a pandemonium of sorts in a public place.<br /><br />Traffic SP Ashok Kumar Singh nods. "Forget traffic rules, people here do not have even a civic sense worth the name," he told <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">TOI</span>, adding monitoring traffic proves a Herculean task when majority of the commuters go against the grain.<br /><br />Singh felt breaking the law has become a status symbol in the city. "What adds to the problem is the fact that 150-odd of the sanctioned 433 posts of traffic constables are lying vacant here," he said.<br /><br />So, what''s the solution? The IPRS director wants that people following traffic rules be rewarded publicly while those breaking them be made to pay the fine in full public view. <br /><br />"Display of punishment will help a lot in improving things," he said.</div> </div>