HALLO Brother (With heavy voice),
This is probably the most used greeting in downtowns of every city in US.
This Friday night I am leaving for India. I am trying to recollect every worthwhile memory to share with you in past 8 months. Hmm.. So let’s start..
Good
· Govt. services
Correct word for government job here is “Social Service”. From my personal experience I can say these guys are rocking. I would have never imagined in getting electricity connection in just 15 mins. Getting Social Security Number, Licence, Vehical registration everything is pretty easy.
In India we always say due to huge population things are getting out of control but it’s not true every time. Here, in US they too have good number but this is all because of good organization skills. Govt. Offices opens here 8:30 A:M (Driver’s License offices are exception their timings are 7 A:M – 4 P:M). There is no concept of peon here. You don’t need any “dalaal”. Though its true in every country that government infrastructure runs on tax given by common man. But very few countries realise this fact.
The best thing is every employee knows what to do and what NOT to do.
Despite all this citizens here are not happy “at all” with public offices. I used to ask the feedback among my collogues, neighbours or the person standing in line in front of me. Here are some samples.
“There is no Wi-Fi here these guys should maintain world class services”
- While in Driver’s License office.
“What a #$&@ is this just a speed of 11 MBPS”
- Comment by a US friend on Wi-Fi at Airport
“Why the hell they are not increasing the MINIMUM speed limit on Interstates (highways) it should be 55 Miles / Hr (around 88 Km/ Hr)”
- A Taxi driver shared his thought
“Why they are not allowing Gays for getting married”
- Person quoting in a rally. Can you imagine this is the most sensitive national issue here.
“Government is not providing good facilities in Slums. Children in slums don’t have swimming pool, gym, tennis court etc etc.”
- A social worker on “the O’Rielly Factor (A famous talk show on Fox news).
I am waiting for that day when we Indians also complaint in the same fashion as they do.
· Judiciary
I have never been to court in India. I hope many of you too. Because we believe in out of court settlement J at least for traffic related issues.
Here is the case
I didn’t have the number plate on my car. Legally you can apply for title with in 30 days of purchase of vehicle. You can drive by putting A/F (applied for) and carry original papers and of course you should have driving license.
Well, I always respect law and thought to utilize all 30 days. But I have been caught by a police patrolling team on 23rd day. And fortunately I didn’t have the papers at that time (Fortunately because if I’d the paper police never issued ticket to me to appear in front of court)
I tried my level best to avoid to go court. But not feeling comfortable to ask that 6.6 ft gaint police officer to settle case right there. Amazingly he was addressing me by saying “Sir”. This give me little confidence and I tried to come out of my car. But he politely said. “Sir you just sit inside and put your hands on steering” and eventually issued a ticket to appear in court.
While reading that ticket I thought he quoted wrong time. How can a court open at 8:30 A:M. But he confirmed the time and said court open and 7:30 A:M and staff take 1 hr. to get ready for public.
On D Day I went to court obviously I was on time. Amazingly every one in staff was working there like they didn’t go home last night. Inside hearing room I was among scores of people. A young lady of around 35 (Looks like Angelina Jolie) with pleasing smile came behind judge’s table said Good Morning to every one.
Then she started calling the name. Fortunately, I was the second one. She greeted my by Saying “Good Morning Sir, How you doing today” at that moment I thought to commit my mistake by not carrying document while driving. But before I utter a word She asked me whether I get rid from the tag problem I said yes, I got very next day of issuing ticket. She just dismissed the case.
I came out from court within 10 minutes. Isn’t it amazing ?
· Traffic rules
Since, I belong to New Delhi. The city having maximum no of car sales among all major cities in India and most probably maximum no. of road rage incidents as well. Atlanta, US faces the same problem of increasing number of vehicles but I haven’t heard about any road rage incident. Might be these guys feel it’s a sin to break traffic law. I have seen cars waiting to turn green signal at 2 A:M on country side road.
Blowing horn means abuse. Yes, it’s true if someone blowing horn that means you did some mistake.
Funny incidents
· License
While giving the driving test instructor failed me first time because I didn’t look for the speed limit board (hiding behind the bushes) on a small road and I didn’t stop “completely” on Stop sign. (on a road where probably I was the first one who came there)
Next week it’s my great luck I get in the queue of same instructor. But he didn’t recognize me and we moved for the same path. This time again I didn’t look for the board but I know the speed limit as soon as we passed that board he asked the same question “What’s the speed limit on this road”? I answered correctly. He asked my how come I know? I told him, that I looked that speed limit board. He happily said “No one ever has looked for that board. You are very attentive this city needs drivers like you” and during rest of test we talking about Indian culture and food J
· Calculation
I an amusement park I played a shooting game with 3 $ per shot. Aim was to drop three glasses in one shot. That’s another matter I realized later that ball inside the gun is too light to get down three heavy glasses and I didn’t make up.
I handed her 20 $ bill (here they call bill what we say note) and expected 17 $ in return. But after long verbal calculation she handed me 16 $. While asking 1 more dollar she told me it is difficult for her to calculate without calculator. She was around 14-15 years of age.
Interesting Facts
· Transportation
It’s a common saying here “Cities designed for cars rather than people”. Public transport is so pathetic and sometimes you feel that we are blessed that we have those killer Blue line buses in Delhi. Because distance is anyways going to kill you if you don’t have a car. Having a car here is some thing like we have a cycle or old bajaj scooter there. If someone is settled in his career and earning really well then he can thought for a motorcycle generally motorcycles are costlier than that of car.
If someone is doing exceptionally well in his career and find less items to spent for. Then he can look for a bike (yes bike means cycle).
If some one having a good bike (cycle) here that means people used to say to him “Lagta hai baap zyada paisa de kar gaya hai” or “Abe lottery lag gayi hai kya”
· Passport and Slumdog Millionaire
Believe me there is lot of similarity between these two. Around 70% of US population don’t have passport they don’t require visa in visiting many countries. But to visit India they require visa and hence passport.
Mostly people associated with software development or having offshore development center in India are visiting India and know the other face of India as well apart from what they saw in this Oscar winner.
Common American here is so busy in day to day activity that what ever they see on TV or Movies they believe on that. Unfortunately movie became bumper hit over nightly and left ugly image here. Jai Ho song is so popular here you can listen in every next store. A sales man once telling me or rather consoling me by saying “You guys really come out of tough life.”
Bad
I missed my family and friends badly. Believe me this is the only bad experience I had in last 7 months and 18 days.
Jai Ho !!
Dhiraj Srivastava
Reference
http://www.gyford.com/phil/writing/2003/01/31/how_many_america.php
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_passport
