Amol Rajan: Its about time we abolished traffic lights in the capital

The logic is irresistible. What with its celebration of personal autonomy and private enterprise, its dependence on a rules-based system and its ability to generate instinctive suspicion of outsiders, I have long thought of driving as mere libertarianism in motion. Thats one reason Ronald Reagan was so fond of using it in his political metaphors.

And yet a funny thing has happened. The experience has actually turned me into something of a hippy, a loved-up citizen rather than a hyper-rational hater. Ive found talking to Taz, my instructor, therapeutic: his 10 siblings and four daughters seem like old friends already, even when he is screaming RELAX, bruvva! CALM your BEANS, my son! as we reverse- park into a bay in Wood Green.

Despite such commotion, being behind the wheel has struck me as a beautiful vantage point. Like Louis Armstrong, I see trees of green, red roses too, I see them bloom, for me and you. Like with cycling, I find driving helps me appreciate the beauty of our environment. Best of all, Ive found other drivers to be communicative and kind, albeit probably looking after their own interests when they see a learner driver.

All this is cheering. Theres just one drag, which is that I hate traffic so much it might stop me driving altogether.

I know everyone hates traffic. But I really, really cannot bear it. Traffic is like a huge grater scratching away at my soul. I feel like my whole life is a war against time, with a constant sense that there is so much to do. Traffic, even with the radio on, is dead time.

And these two sentiments surprise at the generosity of fellow drivers, and hatred of traffic combine to give me an idea. Its bonkers but should we think about abolishing traffic lights? If not all, then some at least?

I know anecdotal evidence is the worst kind but I cant help but make the comparison with India, whose roads I have spent ages on, including recently. Yes, there are 150,000 road deaths in India each year, half a million recorded accidents, and the new government is planning radical action.

But in many cities, the crazy traffic, with cows, rickshaws, mopeds, bikes, lorries and cars in constant, frenzied negotiation, just seems to work, like a highly adaptable organism. People pull off the most outlandish manoeuvres and constantly get away with it.

They do this, I think, because there is a presumption toward maximum communication which traffic lights (which Indians do have, at big junctions) censor. When we come to a traffic light, we all look at the lights one reason nearly half of personal injury accidents happen there.

What if we looked at each other instead? Sure, traffic lights send much clearer signals than the infinitely complex human face. But over time wed learn to trust each other.

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Amol Rajan: Its about time we abolished traffic lights in the capital