Ever been shown the finger?
There are a million interpretations of this one crude gesture, each one funnier (or cruder, to the humorless) than the other! As a teenager, fresh as a dew drop, when I witnessed the malicious 'finger', I was unaffected, innocent as I was, like a dove! However, a few days later, when curiosity got the better of me, through earlier enlightened peers, the intended sentiment was gleefully revealed!!
Recently, I've noticed people venting their anger and emotions on the road. Road rage is probably one of the easiest ailments to affect you, if driving on Chennai roads. Some drivers are simply not human beings. And the bus drivers...if you've seen Ice Age 2, you'll remember the lady mammoth (Ellie) who thinks she is an opossum and hangs from a tree. As do the MTC bus drivers. Its hilarious to see them try to slip through a 'cycle gap'!! So, given the fact that we are all racing at 40/60/80/100 kmph on roads that are overflowing with vehicles and since its difficult to convince a bus driver that he is a 'bus' driver, irate commuters have taken to 'showing the hand'!!
Not as rude as the finger, but intended in a similar fashion, the hand is a trademark, road user's finger. It could mean anything. From 'what do you think you're doing' to 'if I ever see you face to face, without the helmet'. From 'you silly goose on the bike' to 'have you told your people at home - (This is a classic Tamil one!)'. Not limited to any particular genre of people, it's freely used by men, women and children. By cyclists, two wheeler riders, auto rickshaw drivers, car drivers, bus drivers, share auto drivers, pedestrians, traffic police, just about everyone!!
Behind my shades, snug in a Wrangler helmet, while stuck in a traffic jam, watching the signal turn from red to green at least thrice, its quite entertaining to watch evolution in reverse.
8 comments:
It is amusing, but I have shown the finger to some who have really driven me crazy on the road
Even the calmest person loses his/her cool when driving on our roads. :-)
Till date I have controlled such a outburst. But showg finger & usg F word is the norm of world over... I witness ths often here n US.
Hey BTW, I wish to blogroll you. you ok?
@Jolly
Dont blame you! Been on the verge myself!
@Bindhu
I knoooowwww..tell me about it!!
@CM
Speaks for your patience! And yeah, I've seen American road rage on movies! haha! I'm flattered, sure you can blogroll me! Thank you =))
hey i dont show the finger or say the F word...
my all time favourite is Erumai Madu!!! One way im speaking of the fact. When one of these animals are on the middle of the road you know how it is! he he he
but recently i did use a foul word (describing the anal aperture)when a group of boys driving and drinking simultaneous was about to hit our car!
The problem starts when u start caring about the other irrates on the road.. nowadays i dont.. if someone crosses a line or cuts across i just let go ! and i get my car repainted every 3 months..
@Trinity
Spoken like a true Zoologist!!!
@Operative
LOL!!!! Taking another analogy from an animated movie - Finding Nemo, I'm now following Dory..."..just keep driving, just keep driving.."!!!!
Hey i've started a new blog http://anthonydemellosj.blogspot.com/ the content of the blog is from books written by anthony de mello, im uploading them one by one as they are really good and are not available anymore in book shops and people scarcely read these kind of books so it is my attempt to make bring to light anthony's work to the blogshere.
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