What’s the first thing that comes to your mind when we talk about modern India?
Undoubtedly, the beaming IT sector and the hustling modern cities! No matter how advanced the technologies get, we haven’t really gotten over the daily issues like traffic, long queues, etc. And honestly, we, ourselves, are the ones to blame!
With fixed routines being a common practice, we often tend to stick to what we do a little too much – no variety, no experimenting – just because it ‘works for us’. We never really deviate from our schedules and when we do, we often just end up cribbing about it! Especially, the working professionals.
While there are somethings we can’t really help, like the queues at a popular bakery, there are things we can do to make life competitively easier – case in point being, traffic.
How?
Well, you can’t really go about demanding expansion of roads or construction of highways. But ditching a few taboos, can really go a long way!
Cycling to a nearby store isn’t going to deem you as low standard, carpooling isn’t going to make you sound like someone trying to save too much money, and walking till the next block definitely doesn’t make you seem like someone who doesn’t have a car!
Here’s talking about the common notions Indians have around commuting:
The “showoff” trend!
Yes, we Indians are big time show offs – you might or might not want to agree to it, but that is the truth! Owning a car is considered an ‘achievement’ in our society and driving to work is considered as a boost to self confidence. But think about it, how does a vehicle define who you are and what you do? If everyone followed the show off trend, the roads too would begin to cry – think about all the traffic you will have to face to and fro from office!
How can we make this better?
If 6 out of 10 people actually opted for other commute options like carpooling, walking, cycling or a public transport, the number of cars on the road would drastically decrease! Instead of making these daily trips alone, let’s just tie up with a bunch of friends who travel to the same area and share the ride. 4 people in one car – 3 cars less on the road! Sounds good?
The “stranger danger”
Security is a major issue these days. Every now and then, we come across news related to crime against women or thefts. And apart from that, the constant threats of terrorism leave absolutely no room for trusting a stranger. When concepts like carpooling are introduced to people, safety is their prime issue – who am I going to travel with, what does he do, did someone check back on him – these are just some of the thoughts that come to one’s head.
How can we make it better?
We don’t ask you to put yourself in danger, but what if you could check on someone’s background before sharing a ride – which is the primary concern when we ask people to carpool. We, at sRide, verify all our users before they can share a ride with someone – leaving absolutely no room for false identities!
The “sharing” problem
While we Indians are really friendly with people, we aren’t really ‘there’ when it comes to sharing resources. The most common problem faced by those carpooling is being able to split costs effectively and fairly – and then again, there is always a problem when it comes to change. No one really wants to let go of even single Rupee!
How can we make it better?
What if you could make the exact payment for each ride you shared without carrying all that change in your pocket? We hear you! sRide is the first carpooling app to offer online transactions via Paytm to make it easier for commuters to share the cost. Not only does it do away with the need to keep track of each rupee, it also gives you enough time to bond with your co-commuters and make some friends minus the money drama!
While the idea of carpooling might seem a little more welcoming to you now, where do you start with to encourage people to actually start opting for it – instead of only talking!
Spreading awareness amongst the ‘cool’ youth.
Yes, no doubt it’s the age of IT and digital information. But there is still a lack of information in some segments. Majority of the urban population is unaware of the idea behind carpooling and the benefits it can reap. Let’s discuss it online more often and engage all that youth that is active of social platforms, in meaningful conversations! And not just restrict ourselves to lecturing them, but also awarding them whenever they try making a difference.
We are doing our part, are you?
Catch us in action at IGATE Hyderabad, where we are taking the concept beyond just going ‘car free’ on one day. While the city takes part in the great event every week, we are nudging them to make it a regular habit!
sRide at IGATE, Hyderabad
Stay updated with everything we’re doing to spread awareness, on our Facebook page.
Tweet to us and let’s have a conversation around this. We could help you convince all your friends for carpooling!