Enigma of duty
After the lockdown, cabbies are now toiling to make up for the heavy losses. But they now have a problem of not being able to pack people like sardines. Once upon a time, nearly every cab had a music player and drivers seemed on a perennial high. These days though they have become slightly morose and not very conversative with their passengers. To make up for the loss of passengers cabbies are allowed to collect higher fares.
Now some sense of normalcy has returned and shops at Khyndai Lad and many other places in Shillong are now open on a daily basis but for a taxi driver the troubles don’t fade away so easily. On Sundays they are completely barred from plying.
Here are excerpts of a conversation between a passenger and a cabbie, overheard by the SJ team:
Driver: Should I take the route to Dhankheti from here (Barik)?
Passenger: Why what is wrong? (After a woman passenger saw him ask the question to a fellow driver at the stand)
Driver: Cops at Dhankheti cut us off, and demand penalty. So I intend to take a detour from Lachaumiere to evade them. I’ll be losing two times of what I’ve earned so far if they catch me.
Passenger: Well, tell them you don’t have any (money)! You have to feed your family. This is not how it’s done.
Driver: They’ll seize the vehicle, which I can’t afford.
The conversation dissipated and the driver gladly took the longer route.
The cops are following orders; it wouldn’t be fair to say they are enjoying this. And the cabbies are only trying to eke out a living.
So who is wrong? The law-abiding traffic policeman, who collects penalty, or the driver, who evades the traffic police to eke out a living? Depends which lenses you use to view this conundrum!
Start using dippers at night
Yes, you are supposed to. Driving during night hours is already a herculean task given the number of road hazards, and then to find bright lights stinging your eyes, just makes driving a bizarre exercise. A number of car drivers, whom the SJ team could reach out to, explained that a sizeable number of drivers in the city understand the problems and diligently lower the headlight beams in order to avoid any likely catastrophe. Some even said that using dippers is a sign of respect, because doing so means you care for fellow drivers. Nonetheless, it is an acceptable protocol that upper or high beam lights are essential for visibility when there is heavy fog/heavy rain. In certain conditions, you might need the upper to read road signs or street names. What is pertinent is that you use it cautiously as you may blind other drivers/pedestrians.
Wedding wheels
As Indian weddings have witnessed a paradigm shift from a completely traditional space to a fusion based one, weddings in Shillong will have another new addition available as an option to make them grander. To add to the much celebrated image of Shillong’s heritage and cultured niceties, new avenues with a touch of classic splendour lends itself to the blend. As we’ve also moved from hand-me-downs wedding attires to couture, all things themed and to be handled by event management teams, why not have a vintage car to make your wedding a day to remember?
Cityscape and the clothesline!
While the holiday cheer has visually gripped the city with Christmas décor dotting every compound and balcony, there are some spaces in this city which are eyesores. Some residential buildings located right next to the centre of governance, greets people with the clotheslines replete with clothes which include underwear. Talk of aesthetic!
Don’t these newly constructed concrete structures accommodate people’s need for privacy and space? One does emphathise with those who live in these matchbox apartments, defining much of the cityscape now. Isn’t there a more decent space for drying clothes for crying out loud?