An Open Letter to Pedestrians in Saddar...

Dear Saddar * Pedestrians,

I know you have the best intentions. I know that your goal, like the omnipresent chicken, is merely to cross the road. I empathize with the fact that you find yourself at the base of the traffic hierarchy. I understand that many drivers are in the habit of ignoring your existence. However, somewhere along the line you have gone astray. I feel that at some point you were misinformed.

For example, you may be under the impression that the best time to cross an intersection is when the light turns green on the street you are crossing. This, however, is not the case. You see, in an automobile, when the light turns green, my intention as a driver will be to set my vehicle in motion. This intent is then hindered by your desire to cross the road at that particular moment… You and all your friends. Indeed, you have power in numbers. This in turn causes the drivers behind me to become impatient and lean on their horns for emphasis. It is fortunate perhaps that I learned to drive in the traffic restrictions of the West, and thus do not attempt to just drive over you. The solution to this whole situation is quite simple, and involves only crossing that particular road when the signal is red.

Also, I think you may be under the impression that a single, raised index finger has the power to stop the momentum generated by a thousand pounds of steel moving at 60 km/ hour. I should also point out that wagging said finger in admonition does not add to your capacity to change the laws of physics. Newton’s laws can be bent but not necessarily broken. I will stop my car if I can. But please use your judgement. Here is a good technique: If the car approaching you is getting larger at an impressive rate, it is advisable not to step in front of it.

If we could all just work together, I’m sure we could make this work. It would even be faster and more efficient for all of us. Now, if you could only tell your friends on the motorcycles to use mirrors and not weave indiscriminately all over the road, we’d be all set.

Sincerely,
David J. Ford

* - For those not in the know, Saddar is an old section of Karachi where my office is located. It features street side markets for every known form of electronics, triple parked cars, carts of wares, swarms of people, and pedestrians like you've never seens anywhere else.