Gurgaon- Educated, Rich and So Uncivil!

Each morning for the past one year Mohit and I set out to spend the best 15 minutes of the day with each other. At 9:30 am we leave for office together. This time is usually spent sharing ideas, discussing the kids, making travel plans etc. But not anymore. Now the moment we hit the highway NH-8 from Signature Towers, I have my task cut out. I turn the navigator for the driver. My job isn't just to navigate him through on this one km stretch of the highway till the exit for Udyog Vihar. Rather my job is to spot that weak link! That person who's talking on the phone! That slow auto driver who is smoking the biddi. That old couple which is bickering over random things. Why am I trying to spot them? Because the moment i see a draft, I tell Mohit to drive our car right in. The size of our current car helps in scaring the other drivers too.

If you still haven't understood what I mean, then this is the state of affairs at the NH-8 exit that goes towards Udyog Vihar every day. Educated people queue up in serpentine lines. Rich people with their Audis and BMW's form queues that go up to a kilometre sometimes to enter the small exit towards the most bustling industrial area of the Millennium City. Enter the uncivil people like yours truly. They spot the slow pokes and drive their cars in, beating the queues, cutting the chase short and thus saving a precious 20 mins.

All of this looked very fair to me till this morning. Today I was driving since Mohit is travelling. It was a small queue thus I decided to be a responsible Gurgaon resident and not beat the line. Soon there was a horde of cars behind me. Before I knew all hell started breaking loose. Today someone else had identified the weak link. The slow auto in front of me had just made way for 2 autos, 1 bus and 1 trolley. And I was still at the spot where I had joined the line. Within a minute another auto and car had swept in. I tried to maintain my composure, after all this was my daily routine too. But before I knew it an army of cars was butting in before the auto. It seemed the whole city had recognised this weak link and everyone was in a hurry. I did what every Indian does. Honked till eternity. And the others did what all other Indians do. Cared too Hoots!

After abusing for 5 minutes, I moved an inch. Then a brave soul came swarming in with his Audi Q-5. I muttered something about him not caring about his car and stayed alert at the wheels. I said a silent pledge not to let him enter. But his car's agility was nothing in front of mine. 60 lakhs beat 15 lakhs and soon he was in front of me. I was sulking, honking more and abusing a lot. Thankfully the line started moving. As soon as I reached the exit, I decided to give a piece of my mind to the Traffic police on duty. I rolled down my window and expressed in loud words. He shrugged and said, " Aap ka hi Gurgaon hai."

He is right! Its my Gurgaon. Its an educated and rich Gurgaon. Where everyone is in a hurry and very one is uncivil. Today was one day where I failed. Will tomorrow be the one where I beat the line and reach office on time? All at the expense of being uncouth, uncivil and crazy to the core!