Common sense is so uncommon these days!!

Common sense is 'sound practical judgement'. That's what the dictionary says.
Nowadays common sense is hard to find. I do not know about other parts of the world but common sense is lacking in the people of hyderabad for sure. I was brought up in a place, now considered as the center of hyderabad, for 25 years. I have seen the people of hyderabad and itself transform with time. Hyderbad now has world class educational institutes, world class firms and world class everything. It has *developed* a lot.
But what hurts me the most is the attitude of the people of hyderabad, in that being educated at premier institutes and being able to talk fluent english and despite doing highly paid white collar jobs, they lack common sense. Everybody from students to office goers seem to be bitten by this attitude. The behaviour of people from the lower strata can be attributed to their living conditions and neighbourhood. But what prompts the educated people to lack common sense is an unaswered question to me.
Following is a list of some simple yet annoying issues, where people can definitely improve the lives of fellow citizens by simply displaying common sense.

In City Buses

• Mostly students display this arrogant attitude. They always prefer to stand or hang on the foot board, no matter how vacant the bus is. They create so much trouble to their fellow passengers getting in and out of the bus. They often get into an argument with a strict conductor or an irate passenger. Some conductors are very strict in this aspect and make sure that the erring passenger is treated duely. A little thought that standing in the way creates troubles to others does not pass through the minds of these nuts.
• Some passengers sit in the seats allocated to ladies even though they are standing. Either the conductor or the ladies themselves have to ask for it. The males act as if they are sleeping or looking out of the window and as if they have not seen the ladies standing.

On the road

• Again youngsters take lead here. They zoom past other vehicles on their high powered bikes and cars. They don't care a bit about the danger they are posing to the public. I have seen accidents happen just because of the careless attitude of such persons. In hyderbad, where footpaths are occupied by hawkers ( when available ) or are so high that even young people find difficult to climb, and where the roads are dug in every street, people are bound to walk on the available roads. Actually, as a matter of fact, footpaths exist for hawkers, pan dibbas, telephone booths and roads are meant for pedestrians!! So, when people walk on the roads ( rarely due to lack of common sense ), the speed hungry dirvers should be careful. The city roads are not meant to display their driving skills. What if these speedsters reach home to find that their dear one met with an accident? What if they themselves lose control while driving and end up losing their limbs or brainless heads or get paralysed for life? It will be too late by the time they recognize their mistake. Applying common sense on the road can save everyone's precious life. Start early and reach safely. Do not rush to reach hell. You need to serve the purpose of your life dear.
• Blowing the horn seems to be the fashion these days. People travelling in expensive cars forget that they are humans and start honking at the fellow in front, despite knowing the fact that the other person is also in the same situation as his/her. I have literally seen some honking continuosly, when they can clearly see that there is not even an inch to move forward. I don't get words to describe their attitude and lack of common sense.
  
• They also forget lane disciplines and try to reach the forefront in whatever manner possible.

On cleanliness and surroundings

• People are so adamant to find a trash can to throw garbage, they litter the roads with things like plastic wrappers, paper, fruit peel and whatever. This litter is the primary reason for clogging rain water drains and sewage lines. These are the same people who complain of the authorities of not having done their duty when someone miserably dies by falling into one of those fully open drains to allow heavy downpour to flow. Eat the banana and throw the peel, eat chips and throw the wrapper, smoke a cigarette and throw the pack and stubs on the road!! This is the attitude of people. I have recently seen a large plastic sheet covering a meshed man hole fully. How on earth does water flow into it? Two years back, I have fallen into one of those man holes and so lucky was I, that my hands got support of the rim despite being fully drowned!!! The next day and following few days, a couple of deaths occured in the city to people falling into them. And now I realize that it is indeed a huge drain underneath. You go in once and you are gone forever. Here again, it is the lack of common sense.
• Spitting is a fashion, a pastime and a hobby to some. Do they know that saliva is produced in the mouth to aid in digestion and is to be gulped. They seem to be of the notion that saliva is to be expelled out. Some people chew their favourite pan masala and color the roads, people's clothes and walls red. I doubt, if they do all this knowing that chewing pan masala, jarda etc kills them by causing cancer. I feel like vomitting when I see the roads full of chewed pan and walls of apartments painted red with it. Recently, I was standing in a bus stop and there was this smart chap who was spitting plain saliva every 15 seconds. I was amazed at the timing he maintained.I will not be surprised to know that most people do not know that government has banned public smoking. People smoke in bus stops, cinema halls and even in buses causing huge trouble to fellow public.
  

My sincere request to all those who happen to read this blog: Please try to read and follow the below points.
If you are the one who happens to fall into any of the above categories, please excuse me. But I am really sorry for your lack of common sense. It is not important if you are wearing Lee or Pepe or Arrow or sporting Rayban or Fasttrack or Reebok, what matters is our behaviour. So please consider to take some time and think about it.

If you are one who is out of this category and want to see some change in people, please do not lose any chance to talk to such people and explain them about their wrong doing. You may hit the nail right. The person may change.

1. Please do not travel while standing on footboard in a bus, unless there is no space inside.
2. Please vacate the seats allocated for ladies, senior citizens and physically handicapped upon their entry. Some persons may also be sick. Please give them a seat. They will remember you for life. Women need to be proactive and demand their seat. I have seen many women shying away to ask for their seat!!
   
3. Please drive cautiously. You don't have the right to play with somebody's safety. Drive about your own family and friends in difficult situations before showing your talent to the world.
4. Please refrain from blowing the horn when it is of no use like in a total jam. Use it only when needed i.e if someone is blocking your way.
5. Please follow the lane discipline as much as possible. Do not switch lanes too often. You will get your turn
   
6. Do not drive while talking or playing on a mobile. Do not risk your life.
7. Do not drive after consuming alcohol.
   
8. Please do not litter the roads. Throw garbage in trash cans only. Retain wrappers until you find one.
9. Please do not spoil the ciy by spitting unneccesarily. Do away with the bad habit of chewing pan and tobacco. Live a healthier life.

There are many other simple things which can be improved just by use of common sense.

Let's hope for the best. Let's make hyderabad and India a better place to live.

Jai Hind.