When in Rome

With front page headlines claiming a scoop an English daily claims that car companies are forsaking safety features, such as airbags and anti-lock braking systems, to keep costs down, thereby endangering the safety of car users. The writer is surprised that some of these companies include all safety features, such as 6 airbags even in a compact car, in their export models but omit them in the cars they sell in India. At 10% of deaths due to road accidents India has the highest number of road fatalities in the world. The World Health Organisation estimates that we have 18.9 deaths per 100,000 population compared to 8.7 in rich countries. Even our neighboring SAARC countries do better than us. The huge population, large numbers of 2 wheel vehicles, potholes on roads, no traffic police, non-functioning traffic lights and driving licences for bribes all contribute to the high mortality rate. There is no coordinated trauma service even on highways where you pay toll every 30 km. Almost no one will take an injured person to hospital but will leave that to the police, wasting valuable time. This is because of police harassment and the endless appearances as witness in case there is a trial. All companies in India are crooks, always looking for short term gains at the expense of fellow citizens, so foreign companies copy them. Not one company will provide you with a phone number or email address where you can complain. Phone numbers will take you to call centers, which have no powers, but only after being thoroughly frustrated by recorded instructions to press one number after another before you can talk to a person. But the biggest responsibility falls on the government which should be working to protect citizens but functions on an adversarial system left behind by the rapacious British. It is shocking to learn that of the base price of Rs 1 million, or 10 lakhs, for a SUV, 90%, that is Rs 9,01,267 is the tax on a diesel variant and 84%, that is Rs 8,42,021 is the tax on the petrol model. For a compact hatchback costing Rs 400,000, the tax on the petrol model is Rs 2,33,178 or 58% and on the diesel variant Rs 2,53,978 or 63%. Total number of cars sold in 2013 was only 1.9 million in India while in China an estimated 20 million vehicles were sold last year. With the government acting as a bandit we cannot blame car companies for trying to eke out some profit. Finally, we should not forget our munificent judges whose pity for criminals floweth over. Fines are derisory, a pedophile is let out of prison after 6 months and murderers are allowed out on parole to attend nightclubs. Foreign car companies are only following our rules. When in Rome etc.