I cannot recall who started the road circles and where they have all gone.
I cannot recall who started the road circles and where they have all gone. In the royal centre of Mysore there were circles in abundance. One circle dominated by a statue under a gilded dome was a major landmark.
Bangalore did not fare so badly in the matter or circles and statues, particularly in and around Cubbon Park.
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Circles of life: It is hard tou00a0 recall who started the road circles and where they have all gone. file pic |
A few of the circles were merely decorative, but most of them served a vital role in traffic control. A speeding bus or SUV which had never encountered a road/road divider/circle would be nonplussed, trying to plough through today's roads by yesterday's driving habits. At today's speeds, it would either be forced to reduce its rash speed, or be smashed by oncoming traffic.
The circles were meant to direct traffic flow. But they served other purposes as well to ornament the town in an orderly fashion. Erected at the time of Independence, the Ashoka Pillar in Jayanagar marked the beginning of a new era (of Independence) and the physical starting point of 'Asia's largest planned residential extension.'
Circles in other parts of the town housed statues of Maharajas and Kings and Queens.
One big function of circles was for display of flowerpots. The circle looked beautiful with their ornamental fencing and stacked flowerpots. Now the circles act as display stands for political posters and 'portraits' of ministers in different sizes.
They looked tawdy when they were erected. But after the rally, or minister has come and gone, the ragged posters and buntings hang on and on looking more and more disreputable by the day.
The proper function of a circle should be to force the traffic to approach an intersection in an orderly way.
Keep to the left should be the orientation. Now with the circles removed, today's racing heroes would crash headlong into each other.u00a0
From my school and college days I can remember how strictly these rules were enforced. One favourite sign was HALT & PROCEED, honoured in the observance by at least a quick slow-down and off again. People were not allowed to take 'doubles' (a pillion rider) or else be dragged off to the 'station' (to allow for some monetary adjustment on the way) The sacrosanct rule was to keep to the left. Circles left no ambiguity as to which was left and which was right, no ambiguity about itu00a0
In earlier times cirles were of moderate size. But often they grew to large sizes. So large that often there was more circle than road. At the same time vehicles grew more and more monstrous. The situation was getting impossible. The circles were removed to make way for a wider carriageway. Now you see more and more crossroads without any circle or divider (a traffic version of unprotected sex). The general rule is like 'Dog and the Bone'. You charge to get across the intersection by milliseconds. The faster man wins, and the Devil takes the Hindmost.
Today's circles go round in spirals (if you have studied the configurations of the Bangalore Mysore Highway for instance), which may be a more efficient remedy than asking people in fast cars to GO SLOW!
