Safe Roads can lead to Safe India - Perspective

"Vroom...... Now here I go past that car...FIRST !!! ", I boasted triumphly !!

"Stop that here and NOW !!. Do you get that ". A voice came from no where.

"Who's that ? " Surprised, Amused and confessedly horrified, I slowed my car.

A snook on the left, a snook on the right and realized that it was the panel !

A SPEAKING AUDIO PANEL ??? 

The Audio Panel, that had played the Pacy beats all through, had just come to LIFE !

Central Locked. Middle of Highway.

Pity dear. Dear me !!

"You head slow, you get that. and Listen to what I say....", The car's audio panel instructed further.

"List...en..., I mean ok.. But even if you are some Aladdin, I am for sure not your Jin..". That's what I had thought.

What I said, instead, was..''Oh .. Yeah..Sure !!''

"You need to have some senses , look how you overtook that car ??  Wrong Side. Without Dippers!"

" Need for Senses. How does that boot? and Memory space ??  Version : Underground or Most wanted ?..Like me, for many in my generation, motor cars were meant only for racing ".

"But after reading an article (of course for the exam...) on how badly India was affected from road accidents, I'd realized that real driving is not as forgiving as the gaming console.

No rebirths for the Driver. None for the pedestrians. Period."

"Yes, it's need for reflexes, and not need for speed on the real road." The voice whispered.

"That's not fair. You are spying on my thoughts too !!" I protested.

"At times, loud thoughts are as irritating as loud horns !!". The voice giggled.

Damn... My Breath got struck in the traffic jam of the horror, reprimand and that feeling of being convicted. But, the question still was .... Alright, some voice was talking to me. But ,Why Me ??

"The reason for your Why me answers are not on the Page 3 dear.

Fatalities. Accidents. Innocents losing their lives. All because of unsafe driving. "

Importantly. Almost all of them, avoidable. 

These news are not on Page 3 and that precisely the reason you don't get your answers." The Voice from the Panel summoned.

Prophecy Personified. Rather, Prophecy Panelized.

And suddenly the series of flat pitch horns of obscure intensities started banging me to dizziness. It later occurred that the Panel had played them all along to make me understand the reason for minimal usage of horn.

"A horn is a lot more than just the bullets from the pistol. And....Newspapers are a lot more than the Page3 stuff."

As I thought those lines,

Horns subsided. Sanity Prevailed.Lessons learnt.

Realization through a Lamborgini (the way I used to call my car), if not Lumbini, I Echoed.

"Right, but have you ever thought that the safety of the fellow motorists and pedestrians lay on you as much as on themselves.". The guiding voice's riding comments hit pillion.

"I did", I said, "When I read that many young kids lose their lives due to lack of child restraint and unsafe driving."

Recounting on a news item in the TV last night.

"I like your empathetic approach . But what's your take on the fact that around 5 lakh road accidents happen annually, and the reported death toll is 1.4 lakh in our country, mostly because of casual drivers like you." The Voice cautioned.

"The government is planning to legislate a bill on Road Transport and Safety soon." I contested, " and that, would take care of lot of  issues like..Drunk and Rash Driving, Imposition of Penalties harmonization of licenses etc.".  Taking forward the conversation I had heard in a news item.

"Indeed, but have you ever realized that safe habits have to begin from you." . The voice chimed.

"Yes, For a moment during this 'empanelled' discussion, I did". Thoughts prevailed. This panel thing was making me think that cars were beyond racing, and pedestrians beyond bots.

"..And that your endeavours for nation building can also begin through safe driving...".

"Nation Building... and .... Safe Driving... But how? " I blurted.

"According to a WHO report, India loses 3% of GDP because of road traffic crashes. If that minimizes , with our economic base, this would translate into an astonishing amount !. " The  voice prevailed. It was prevailing all the way !

"Ok...Now I get the point that for inculcating safe habits of driving. I indeed am the starting point." (My driving or the sibling fights as a child alike!!) Reflections came upon, almost concurrently.

"Yes, and the state plays a role too." I added.

"...Role yes.. Role through progressive laws, strict execution, Infrastructure, Public Transport, Accountability." They set the framework, concluded the mythical voice.

"Public Policy and Road Safety.. Lots of similarities.. " Last exam,  Chapterrrrrr....

"Forget the Chapter number of your course book !...  A LOT of initiatives also need to come from the private entities, like customer education, technology enhancements."

"That means an extension to the already 3PPP that becomes PPPP : Personal Public Private Partnership" I said.

"Good Going... But this model begins with your own safe habits." Suddenly a sense of realization began flowing through me.

This conversation had transformed me. My imagination too.

Perspectives and Importance of Safe driving in India. The Economic impact. This all was relevant and particular to me. The latent responsibility to drive safe was ignited by the fictitious Panel Discussion. May be the news item last night was playing through me. May be, it was incessant guilt of selfish driving, that seemed like a divine intervention.

Importantly, it was appropriate too.

"Out of respect for our conversation, I vowed to drive with lowered beam lights, seat belt on and setting aside my cell phones while driving in future."

"Thanks. Hope you'd remember the importance attached to defensive driving as well." The voice added, almost as I had thought that it was over.

"Yes , I do..", I said

And as I was about to hallucinate someone speaking, Now you can kiss the panel, that my eyes were laid on the mile-stone ahead that read :
.
.
.

***

PS: The Author gained immensely on the subjects of severity and magnitude of road accidents in India while researching for this post.

Additional Resources:

• Status Report on Road Safety - WHO
• Draft Bill, Road Transport and Safety, 2014
• Nissan NSDF 2013 video - NSDF 2013

What's your take on the road safety in India ? Do you think we citizens can collectively improve road 
safety in India? Please send your feedback/comments through the tab below. Would love to see your footprints.

Fredrik Ericsson: Skiing the Three Highest Peaks in the World

Both ExWeb and Everest News posted stories on Fredrik Ericsson this week, highlighting the Swedish skiers plans to become the first person to ski down the three highest mountains in the world - Everest, K2, and Kangchenjunga.

Ericsson, along with Italian Michele Fait, will head to K2 this June, with the Karakorum peak expected to be the most challenging of the three. Following a successful summit, the descent will feature five hours of skiing, covering more than 3600 meters, with angles as much as 50º at times, eventually coming to an end in base camp itself. If successful, Fredrik will then turn his attention to the other two mountains on his list.

As one of the premiere high altitude skiers in the world, Ericsson has already conquered Shisha Pangma, Gasherbrum 2, and Dhaulagiri. Last year, he reached as high as 7000m on Kangchenjunga before aborting his attempt on the mountain, and skiing back down from that point. If all goes as planned, he'll give that mountain another try this Fall, before turning his sights on Everest in the Spring of 2010.

Some of the numbers tossed about in these two stories on Fredrik's attempt to ski these mountains are mind boggling. Five hours of skiing in one descent? 50º angles? Scary and fun at the same time. Dangerous of course as well, especially following a long, arduous climb. I'm sure we'll be hearing a lot more about this in the months ahead.

Spring Issue of JPFreek Magazine Now Available!

My friends over at JPFreek Magazine have passed along word that the Spring Issue is now available online. The issue is available in both a Flash Flipbook version and a downloadable PDF version as well, and it's crammed cover to cover with some excellent adventure stories.

I've mentioned JPFreek before. It's an online adventure magazine aimed at Jeep owners and enthusiasts who also happen to love outdoor adventure. In this current issue for instance, there is a great photo-story that is the second part of a transcontinental drive from Paris to New York that has some cool photos from the journey thus far. There is also an excellent story on hiking up Mt. Huashan in China, as well as another on off-roading in the French Alps. A little closer to home, well my home anyway, the JPFreek crew got together for a day to hit up Guadalupe Mountains National Park, here in Texas too.

I've had an association with the JPFreek team for awhile now, and I have to say that I honestly think the magazine just keeps getting better. Flipping through the virtual pages of this issue I was very much impressed with the great photographs that are on par with some of the much more well known adventure magazines out there. There are some great shots to go along with the interesting articles, and whether you're a Jeep enthusiast or not, I think you'll find something to enjoy here.

Great work guys! :)

Man Rescued From Snowdon For Second Time in 5 Months

I saw this story yesterday on Grough, but had to stop and think about it some before I posted. It's about an unnamed 42 year-old man who has now been rescued off of Snowdon, the tallest mountain in Wales, for the second time in five months.

Standing 1085 meters (3560 feet) in height, what it lacks in altitude, Snowdon makes up for in challenge. The rocky cliffs have been a favorite amongst climbers in the U.K. for decades, and the mountain is notoriously dangerous in the winter months. In fact, as the article notes, 4 people died on the mountain over the course of 11 days last month alone.

In the case of this person, he was first found unconscious in the doorway of a building at the summit last October after spending a night out in the cold. At first he was mistaken for a pile of garbage, but then other climbers recognized that it was indeed a person, and proceeded with a rescue operation. He suffered hypothermia and could have died had he not been found. This more recent incident saw the same man falling more than 50 feet, and ending up in a pile of snow, where two trekkers found him and once again came to his aid.

Now, of course I'm all for everyone adding a little outdoor adventure to their life. But perhaps this guy should just stay inside and pick up a safer hobby. Something like Checkers or Battleship. At the very least, maybe he should stick to paved trails in an urban park or something. Getting rescued off the same mountain twice in the span of five months time is pretty impressive, and not easily accomplished.

This is just the kind of story that would typically rekindle the debate about mountain rescues and who should pay for them. Those seem to flair up every now and again when you hear stories like this one. Of course, I'm aware that many search and rescue operations are conducted by volunteers and often don't cost the tax payer much of anything at all, but I'm in favor of charing this guy something, anything, for his rescues. I hope he bought the SAR team a pint or two at least.

Andrea Orioli | Thaipusam

Photo © Andrea Orioli-All Rights Reserved

The Thaipusam ritualistic event occurs 13 kilometres outside the Malaysian capital city, Kuala Lumpur in a sacred Hindu shrine called the Batu Caves.

The festival of Thaipusam was brought to Malaysia in the 1800s, when Indian immigrants started to work on the Malaysian rubber estates and the government offices. The festival is celebrated mostly by the Tamil community, and commemorates the occasion when Parvati gave Murugan a spear to vanquish the evil demon Soorapadam.

On the day of the festival, devotees shave their heads and undertake a pilgrimage along a set route while engaging in various acts of devotion, notably carrying various types of heavy burdens, while others may carry out acts of self mortification by piercing the skin, tongue or cheeks with skewers and sharp hooks.  The devotees perform “Kavadi”, an act of faith where they suffer the pain of dozens of hooks and spears piercing their body during the 272 steps that bring them to the cave temple.

Andrea Orioli photographed Thaipusam, and provides us with yet another view of these not-for-the-faint-of-heart rituals. He is  a biologist working in Switzerland, and has had the good fortune of traveling widely and making photographs. Far more interested in people and cultures than anything else, he's passionate about documenting endangered cultures before they disappear.

He also has featured interesting galleries on his website, including one in Sumba (Indonesia) and another in Kyrgyzstan.

Vietnam travel tips

- It's to your greatest advantage not to drink the faucet water, particularly in the wake of flooding!

- Maintain a strategic distance from cyclo rides after dim.

- Dress humbly and fittingly when going by neighborhood homes and religious destinations, and so forth.

- Abandon your resources before a night out on the town, or setting off to the shoreline.

- At the point when crossing the street – particularly in HCMC – dependably continue looking to the left and right and walk gradually!

- Don't offer cash straightforwardly to minority individuals – rather give to a neighborhood philanthropy or offer a little blessing, for example, pens.

- By all methods, examine the scrumptious road sustenance yet for cleanliness' purpose just at venues that are occupied with an enormous turnover.

- Continuously ask consent first before taking photos, particularly in minority territories.

See more: Vietnam travel packages

- Organize therapeutic protection (counting the procurement for crisis departure) before their flight, as there is no free restorative treatment accessible in Vietnam and the standard of nearby wellbeing offices is underneath global guidelines.

- While most Vietnamese are fair and used to sightseers mishandling for the right cash values, a couple will earnestly attempt to bamboozle you. Take as much time as required to check the zeroes or you'll unintentionally fulfill somebody extremely

- On the off chance that you decide to go to halong Bay , stay 2 nights in light of the street excursion, poor streets, it far to strive for 1 night, and you see a considerable measure all the more in the 2 days

- stay far from the taxis and cyclos. use orchestrated transportation to the extent that you can

- On the off chance that you decide to go to halong Bay , stay 2 nights due to the street outing, poor streets, it is far to strive for 1 night, and you see a considerable measure all the more in the

Discovery Channel Airs Disaster on K2 Tonight

The Discovery Channel has added another mountaineering special to it's library and will be airing a show entitled Disaster on K2 tonight at 10 PM EDT/9 PM CDT. I haven't been able to find a whole lot about the specifics of the show itself, nor can I find a link to a page dedicated to it on the Discovery website, but their TV listings give the following description:

When enormous ice walls collapse, seven climbers are trapped near the summit of the most dangerous mountain on earth: K2. With footage and interviews with the few who lived to tell the story, we follow this tale of heroism, survival, and hearbreak.

Obviously the show will take a look at the events that went down last August on K2, and hopefully it'll put everything together for us in a solid timeline, laying out exactly what happened and when. It'll be interesting to see who they got on camera to give interviews about the event, as some of the survivors have been tight lipped about the incident.

Anyway, if you're looking for something to watch tonight, definitely tune in. Discovery has a good reputation when it comes to handling these types of shows, and I expect that this should be solid as well. And if anyone has more information or a link to another page, send it my way.

Kurt William Kamka | Plain Manila

Photo © Kurt William Kamka - All Rights Reserved

There are some photographers who espouse the notion that they must be invisible when shooting in the streets for their images to be successful, candid and "in the moment"...but there are also others who have no such compunctions. To me, I've got my feet firmly planted on both sides of the "aisle" provided the photograph tells a story.

Plain Manila is a collection of over 50 monochromes of the daily life in this gigantic Asian metropolis by Kurt William Kamka who, through these images, shows the people and provides us with a sense of the place, as if we roamed its back streets. As the photographer himself puts it, he sought to document "the day-to-day complexities of community life in the barrios of Manila".

Despite my frequent travels in Southeast Asia, I confess not knowing much of Manila, other than it's one of the most high-density cities in the world; even denser than Kolkata...which is a surprise. Perhaps I ought to remedy this shortcoming, and extend the trajectory of my travels to include the Philippines.

Kurt William Kamka is a commercial, documentary, street, non-profit and NGO photographer who relocated to Asia in 2011. Currently based in Manila, he document his view on the human condition.
His photos have been shown in the Leica gallery in Singapore, multiple locations in Manila and in Chicago. He has worked in advertising for some of the largest global brands including P&G, US Bank, Firestone, Bayer, McDonalds, Nikon, Samsung, UCB, Delta Airlines and others. 

North Pole 2009: Teams Underway!

The 2009 Arctic Season is now officially underway with teams already underway or departing very soon. Looks like it's going to be a very busy season at the top of the world.

The Catlin Arctic Survey team set off on Saturday, and after a short haul of just a few miles, promptly set up camp to take their first measurements of the ice. According to the Ice Team's dispatch, the weather is very cold, -40ºC during the day, which at this stage is a good thing, as it means more solid, stable ice. The three person crew will be using ground penetrating radar to measure the health of that ice all the way to the North Pole. It should also be noted that the team is currently not navigating by compass, thanks to their close proximity to the Magnetic North Pole. Instead, they are finding their way through the use of more traditional methods, such as the positioning of the sun and the stars. It just goes to show you, on these expeditions, the more things change... :)

Meanwhile, Christina Franco sends word that she'll be setting off at 6 AM tomorrow. Her gear is packed and loaded on one of the Twin Otter planes that operate out of Resolute Bay, and her course has been plotted. She's eager to get started and ready to go, and tomorrow her solo journey to the Pole will begin. Good luck Christina.

Joining them out on the ice is John Huston and Tyler Fish who begin the Victorinox North Pole 09 expedition. They were hoping to get underway yesterday, but delayed the start until today, when they'll begin his quest to become the first American team to go unsupported to the North Pole. They're hoping to promote the lofty ideals of "Optimism, Humility and Responsible Action" along the way. We could all use a little of those things right about now.

The Peary Centennial Expedition also planned to get underway today. The three man team of Lonnie Dupre, Max Chaya, and Stuart Smith are celebrating the 100 years since Robert Peary and his team reached the Pole. The boys were expected to depart Resolute Bay today, en route to Eureka Weather Station, before heading on to Ward Hunt Island, where the journey will begin in earnest.

That's all for now. Expect more updates soon as the Baffin Babes get underway on Baffin Island and several other high profile teams begin their expeditions as well.

Frédéric Lagrange | The Wakhan Corridor

Photo © Frederic Lagrange-All Rights Reserved

"You get older faster in the Wakhan Corridor."

The Wakhan Corridor, the region known locally as Bam-e Dunya (or roof of the world), is the narrow strip of territory in northeastern Afghanistan that extends to China and separates Tajikistan from Pakistan. The corridor is wedged between the Pamirs to the north and the Hindu Kush to the south. Sparsely populated due to its harsh climate, the region has about 12,000 people and is a political creation of the Great Game, the strategic rivalry and conflict between the British Empire and the Russian Empire for supremacy in Central Asia.

It took many years for French photographer Frédéric Lagrange to plan and organize his month-long trek to the region, taking with him local porters, an Afghan guide, donkeys and 100 rolls of film. 

During his trek, Lagrange photographed and produced film footage that eventually became a 20-minute film, Lost on the Roof of the World.

Frédéric Lagrange started his career in 2001, focusing mainly on travel photography, then widening his work to include fashion and portraiture. His photographs have been featured in numerous magazines and ad campaigns around the world such as: Vanity Fair US, The New York Times magazine, Harper’s Bazaar, Vogue (Japanese, German, Spanish, Indian), The New Yorker, Louis Vuitton, Condé Nast Traveler, GQ (US, Japan), Anthropologie, Free People, and W hotels, among others.

Currently living in Brooklyn, he was chosen as Photo District News’s “30 under 30 Photographers to watch in 2003”, and was the recipient of many photography awards and his work is also featured in The American Photography Annual, The Society of Publication Designers Annual, and the PDN Photography Annual. He is also one of 30 photographers sponsored by Kodak worldwide.