Sometime in April 2007, I shifted to a new role within my organization.  The department I am now associated with, operates from an adjoining building that acts as an extension of the Head Office.  This annexe building is fine in most respects, except for the fact that the lifts/elevators are in a pathetic condition.  As a result, going up and down from my desk on the fourth floor takes a lot of waiting.  And, when the good ol’ lift does arrive, it takes only four people without a groan.  Add a fifth one, and the “overload” siren starts its routine.  In a building that employs more than a 1000 people, that can add up to a lot of waiting time!

That is perhaps the reason why, earlier today, one ingenious member of its workforce found a way to “beat the system”, as it were.

He was the fifth man to enter the carriage and, as soon as he stepped in, the “overload” siren went off.  As long as the siren was singing its song, the lift would not respond to any buttons or close its doors.  But, he’d figured out that by stepping off the elevator, the siren would turn off and he could enter back into the carriage just a fraction of a second before its doors closed! 

So that’s what he did.  And me, along with his other friends, went hurtling down to Mother Earth, knowing fully well that the wire that we were hanging by in this 20-year-old elevator was not equipped to take our load…

Now, I happen to work for one of India’s leading financial service organizations.  And I would assume that a majority of the people it employs would be reasonably educated and well-informed.  That’s what makes this incident even scarier.  If the literate and the educated can resort to such a blatant disregard of safety norms, can we expect any thing different from the billion other folks out there?!

As it turns out, over the past few days, I have been researching new cars too.  And I’ve spent quite a while looking for features like anti-lock braking system (ABS), air bags and electronic brake distribution (EBD).   

Frankly, the last time I was in the market looking for a car was over three years ago.  That is perhaps why I was a bit surprised to find that these kind of safety features only seem to exist in the top end of C-segment cars that cost upward of Rs. 800,000/.  Even in some of those, it was an optional component!  (The only exception being the trusted Maruti stable which seems to offer it as a standard inclusion in its top-of-the-line supermini hatchback – the Swift)

It makes me wonder: Do Indians who buy an automobile that costs nearly half a million rupees not regard “safety” high on their agenda?  What else can possibly explain the hundreds of thousands choosing to buy a vehicle that does not even have air bags or ABS – technologies that have been available in the automotive world for decades?!

And, if that’s the case for the well-offs and the well-to-dos of our society, what can be expected of the backoffice executive who chose to beat the system in my office building’s elevator?

Will we ever learn that its better to be safe than to be sorry?

Update: Oct 2008

In June 2007, I bought a Swift Zxi and drove it happily for over 16,000 kms.  The post-purchase experience was in fact better than expected!

However, in response to the family’s growing need for boot space and cabin room, I sold the Swift this month, and booked the compelling SX4 Zxi.  Since its launch last year, the SX4 has admirably shown the Indian Automotive world that comfort and style and safety and value is possible, all at the same time!