Traffic Jamming

As I was caught in one of the legendary Bangalore traffic jam (This time at the Airport road Junction jam) with the car engine idling away in misplaced faith that the traffic will start to move and at the same time rapidly loosing hope of ever getting out, My thoughts began to drift towards the vehicles around me who also had kept their engines idling either in hope of traffic moving ahead or to keep the car air-con running and began to actually see our foreign currency reserves going up in flames. I then snapped out of this and switched on the FM radio which was blaring away the usual “jam buster” bit and “thanking” the dumb guy who had actually smsed in about the traffic jam he is stuck in instead of giving him the smelling salts- He has still not realised that the same traffic jams happen at exactly the same places and at exactly the same time on exactly the same week days (and at bit different time during week-ends), This lead me to think that why not turn this routine and unavoidable occurrence whose duration can only keep increase into a money spinner? Instead of being stuck in a boring traffic jam and watching the guy in the neighbouring car leading a expedition into his nose as entertainment, People would defiantly pay good money and possibly a premium for something more entertaining like walk-in movies, snacks, beverages, magazines, facial treatments, surf the net etc. which can all be done in the convenience of a traffic jam!

Think of this- The investment to do this will be minimum to moderate depending on the services, Firstly modify the traffic lights poles or the street light posts to accommodate drop down screens which will screen popular movies, surfing the net can be done by setting up hot-spots at potential traffic jam spots, hawkers can sell the access cards, have portable mobile charging units manned by hawkers with tags for identification of one’s phone, mobile facial treatment clinics where you can get a foot massage or pedicure or manicure, hawkers on call serving you whatever food and beverages one might want by means of a cellular hotspot and toll free number set up at potential traffic jam spots, the menu choices and number can flash on your cell phone when you reach the jam area! How convenient don’t you think? If banks start placing ATM’s strategically at traffic jam spots or offer the hawkers portable swiping machines the cash problems to customers can be overcome! A loyalty program or traffic jam membership discounts can ensure that people might actually not consider other routes!