Coimbatore: A new, bizarre rule by the Tamil Nadu government has come as a shock to bus drivers in Coimbatore, as it does not allow the drivers of the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) buses to talk to women seated beside them, Times of India reported.

The government issued a circular on January 19, warning departmental action against violators, after severe complaints of drivers getting distracted after getting engaged in small talk surfaced. An official said that engaging in small talk can lead to an accident in just a 'fraction of a second,' and thus, the rule was brought to force to avoid such 'unnecessary distractions.'