Koramangala, 80 Feet Road-Intermediate Ring Road Junction, 8:45 AM IST - License to thrill.

In the Driver's Seat - I drive in Slow mo, better to be slow than non existent. Abide by traffic rules and avoid hazardous stunts. Well, I don't exactly rely on cheap thrills for a rush of adrenalin. When I get behind the wheel, I'm just driving to my destination.

I curse under my breath, coz I narrowly miss clearing the green signal. Thanks to a pedestrian who runs into the road at the nth second, while showing me a restraining hand as he saunters across the street, when I have the right of way, forcing me to a sudden stop. This triggers off a blaring horn orchestra behind me. Honk and honk extravagantly is the motto.

I look casually into the rear view mirror, right behind me revving up his mean machine with swank accessories, I see a rich brat with a sense of superiority due to owning a bigger vehicle (no one can touch me yaar, my papa is……), who steadfastly continues to keep his engine running (his contribution to rising petrol prices, leave the petrol conservation thought to normal mortals), a cell-phone in one hand and a cigarette in another , all set to shoot off into a testosterone-packed chase , giving no room to some suicidal road hog, who might dare overtake him and injure his ego.

The scooterwallah sneaking his vehicle on the wrong side of the road, the snaking auto-rickshaw who is sure to leave the jam behind him very soon. The cyclewallah, who very matter of fact, just gets off his cycle and deftly maneuvers it into the moving traffic and disappears from sight. The harrowed middle aged gentleman who seems to consider it a personal affront when a learner overtakes him. The learner herself paranoid at the sudden melee around her, with the trainer barking out instructions for all and sundry to hear. The regular office goers with their 'I've seen it all' expressions, the school kids who under duress undertake the arduous morning journey, with their 'School is such a drag' look, the old gentlemen, whose cadre don't usually drive like dervishes, even in peak traffic hours - all jostling for the same road space with very keen spatial perception, and chances are the road itself is seeking to find its own identity, marked as it is by potholes, steep shoulders and squatters. And the icing on the cake, the sloppy cop at what he does best, in traffic-(mis)management mode.

In Koramangala, urbanization manifests itself as chaos on the road and aggressive flouting of rules. Respect the 'No-Parking' boards. The closer you park to the board, the better, aesthetically. And nothing's more inviting than boards which say 'No-Parking in front of the gate'. Never bother to use your indicators. They are purely ornamental to the vehicle. Why bother to give a clue to the guy behind you as to where you are heading and what's he have to do with it anyway? Come nighttime and its time to get dazzling. Switch your lights onto high-beam to blind the guy in front of you. 'Lane Discipline' is a misnomer. It has nothing to do with either lanes or discipline. The entire road is yours. 'Follow lane discipline' actually implies that you are free to use the road the way you want to. Have you ever played Sega- "Crazy Taxi "? This is where you put the game to practice.

And you thought you could never alleviate the traffic problem. It is just about changing the way you drive and a little about changing the way you think. Eschew any empathy for your fellow travelers on the road; now the road is your playground…You've got the license to thrill.