Pedestrian Day: A step in the right direction

June 22nd, 2012 | Author: densore

Most of us today will see petroleum and other conventional energy sources run dry within our lifetime.
y the end of the ne!t couple of decades, our current way of life will come to an a"rupt end. #ur
children will see diesel automo"iles only as e!hi"its. $e will then have no option "ut to revert to
employing our physical faculties li%e our not so distant forefathers.
&owever, there are changes that we can ma%e in our life style now so that we can %eep at "ay this dire
scenario inde'nitely .(he conscious steps that we ta%e now will also help us prepare for this
eventuality so that when it does come, its impact would not "e as disorienting and de"ilitating as it will
otherwise "e.
(he pedestrian )ay initiative is of no"le intent and eons hence, we will have reasons to "e proud of the
choice we have made now. (he little sacri'ces that we ma%e, the inconveniences that we ta%e in our
stride now and the "lu* that we call our detractors will all "ecome matters to cele"rate in the near
future. +n the short run, this initiative will help us o*set the great trade im"alances and their
accompanying economic woes that we are ,ust wa%ing up to now. $e have the tendency to "lindly
chase after material indulgences and this decision is a small reality chec%. #ur tiny economy cannot
a*ord the endless import of vehicles and the great measures of fuel to %eep them running.
(he most "ene'cial e*ect of this move though is li%ely the awareness it will create. After our
thoughtless e!istence thus far, we have come to accept a car as a modern day necessity. eing a"le to
wal% down the street of our capital with our o-ce stationeries and groceries for home have made us
reali.e how mista%en we were. $e reali.e that we can actually wal% the whole distance of (himphu
city, and with much greater ,oy and relish. /iving with this policy change for a couple of wee%s, and we
reali.e that personal cars aren0t so indispensi"le after all.
+t is refreshing to see our colleagues, seniors and the other who0s who of our society wal% the same
path. $e reali.e that wal%ing is such a great leveler. +t is a chance for our society to come together and
understand each other0s situation "eing at the same level once more. $e reali.e that we have lost so
much of our human touch "y driving in our shielded 123s 4or utility 5anos, for that matter6 without so
much as getting a glimpse of each other. $e also reali.e that wal%ing doesn0t ma%e you smaller,
especially when every"ody else is wal%ing too. +t too% a policy shoc% to ma%e us reali.e this, "ut it is
"etter late than never.
y default, this initiative has also given the chance for us to seriously consider developing our pu"lic
transport system, which we stress so much "ut seldom "other investing in. $e reali.e now that if we
had an e-cient pu"lic transport system, we need not drive our cars for all our small errands. All we
need then is a city "us to carry us around in comfort and with e-ciency. At the same time, if it is a"out
wal%ing, then there are so much we can do to ma%e our cities pedestrian friendly, not ,ust in spirit "ut
in terms of the physical infrastructures too. All the savings and goodwill support that we will no dou"t
gain from this gesture will help us do ,ust that.
(here will "e detractors no dou"t. 7hanges will ta%e time to sin% in and "e accepted. (here will "e
vested interest arguing for shelving this initiative li%e all other good thoughts. (his move will also give
the ideal e!cuse for the less honest to report late on wor%. 7ommercial drivers will loo% to ta%e
advantage of hapless passengers. (ra-c o-cials might get fatigued from listening to the endless
streams of complaints. Municipal wor%ers and elected mem"ers might come under 're from their
electorates. (he residents themselves might feel hard pressed under a sense of state domination. 5o
dou"t our state at times can "e over"earing to the point of snu""ing pu"lic right on frivolous counts.
ut this time around, this is not such a scenario.
$e can ,ust hope that we have the strength to "ear it all and carry through what we all %now is a no"le
initiative. +f so, in a few years0 time, 8edestrian )ay will "ecome a norm rather than an e!ception, and
we will "e a"le to wal% through the length and "readth of our city everyday of the wee%. y then, we
will not only have the determination, "ut also the system in place to facilitate this choice. #ur planet
and future generation will than% us for our sensitivity, %indness and most importantly, our resolve in a
world of spineless masses.
The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.