SHARP

Hardly a day passes by when the morning dailies are not carrying the news of road accidents in various parts of Jaipur and its periphery. Sad but true every household in Jaipur has a horrifying tale to tell about a road accident. Worse still the number of households who have seen a death of a near and dear one due to this is rising at an alarming rate. The time has come when quick and efficient measures must be taken to curb such mishaps. It’s a common practice whenever such incidences take place on roads Hue and cry is generated, Blame game is played, court cases run for many years altogether and ultimately maybe or maybe not compensation is given to the grieving party. Is this right? Is this justified? How about a different course of action taken altogether? How about learning from these misfortunes, Taking corrective and effective measures to make the roads safer? Making our city’s roads harbinger for connecting people with one another and not paths of tragedies and sorrow. Just like multivitamins can build resistance from various viruses, in a similar way precautions taken before embarking your journey on roads can lead to you creating antibodies for your self to fight the dangerous virus called ‘accident’. What I write further are probably things which is known by all but I repeat them in this article with an aim that the reader inculcates them not only in his/her knowledge repository called mind but also in daily practices while driving. The practices I pen down have been given a sobriquet as SHARP. I strongly feel that these small tips can sharply swing you to a safer path and avoid disasters. S (Seat Belt) H (Helmet) A (Alertness) R (Rules) P (Perfection)

Seat Belt - Seat belts and car seats save lives if they are used properly and at all times. Statistical data empirically verify that people killed in most of the fatal accidents were unrestrained. Seat belts must be used all the times, not just when you see the police round the corner. They are for your protection and safety and can be your savior if god forbids a crash takes place. Mostly it is seen that people wear seat belts on the city road for the fear of a fine than for the fear of an accident. Highways were there is no check, the seat belts are immediately removed on the contrary this is the place where their usage is a must.

Helmet - Jaipur city is hometown for many two wheelers and during road accidents where a two wheeler is involved the head usually succumbs to injuries. Wearing a helmet has been shown to decrease the risk and severity of injuries among motorcyclists. Its benefits are tremendous and the only detriment that I see in it is that it spoils your hair. But it is far simpler to brush your hair than injuries. Helmet is not only essential for the driver but also the pillion driver who is equally at risk when an accident takes place.

Alertness - Drinking and driving do not go hand in hand at all. With this combination you are not only risking your life but life of other people as well. Its proven medically that your senses and reflex actions slow down when there is alcohol content in the body. Alertness is very essential on the road as anything can happen anytime. Next time you take a drink make sure you have some non drinker to take you home.

Rules – Jumping traffic lights, ignoring stop signs, exceeding the speed limit is done casually by us. In the urgency to reach our destination we forget the importance of adhering to traffic rules and the serious ramifications this can have. Traffic rules are simple to follow and help in organizing the traffic, as well as prevent accidents. Next time when you are jumping traffic light think of your own safety you will never bend the rule then.

Perfection – Driving is an art which should be known very well before you venture out. Go thru the proper channels to get your license. Give proper test and make sure you are at the right age before you sit behind the wheel. As a Parent discourage amateur drivers on the road. These simple things if kept in mind and in action by all can make our roads safe and our ride pleasurable. Next time when you hit on the road bear these in mind.

Log on to the site http://www.muskaanonroad.org/

At Home Working

When work from home (WFH) came my way. It brought along a series of mixed reactions. My Parents thought this was a subtle way of the company to make me redundant. Work from home will gradually become work for home was their fear. The educationalists in my circle were thrilled, as they saw an opportunity for me to prepare for higher studies. The newbie mothers, were jealous, they so wanted this option. As for me, I was too busy adjusting to the new working environment for thoughts to prevail.

WFH is an extremely prevalent concept in the west. The idea behind this is that the employee stays at home and logs in the companies network using a mobility client. Once in the network one is able to do work in the same way, as one would have done sitting on the office desk. Myriad of tools, supporting web dialogue providing audio, video and desktop sharing options help create a virtual conference room. The beauty of these virtually created meetings is this that the interaction seems face to face. The web enabled tools and applications allow you to login from anywhere and at anytime. Online trainings and seminars help you to be up to date with all the recent advances in your field.

It is a win-win situation for all. While the employer saves on office space, the employee escapes from the travails of long commutes that have become inevitable in today’s metros. On personal grounds, even after clocking in 9-10 hours a day for work and sometimes more, time is no longer a constraint for me. I have ample of time at my disposal to pursue my personal interests. The best outcome from this is, that the parameter to rate me as an employee is solely my performance and my timely results. Sycophancy, long ideal work hours to impress the boss and indulgence in office gossips no longer come into picture. Of course, I do miss the water cooler talks and the team lunches but the pros overshadow the cons in this situation.

An idyllic condition as it seems, definitely has its own teething problems and gives occasional hiccups. Power cuts, fluctuating bandwidth, slow upload and download speeds, insufficient backups are the main deterrents. If, we overcome these problems then it will be a blessing for millions. IT industry would be able to increase its reach in the interiors of the country without much investment on space. The job market will open for many women professionals, who left their budding career to start family. Opportunities will arise for the physically challenged who find it tough to commute on a daily basis. The power of work from home is available to all; it is on our discretion to unleash it.