IT Highway

This morning, when I was commuting to office in the company-provided deluxe bus ( High platform, Cushioned Chairs, Comfortable leg-space, Air conditioned, the local FM radio channel ) I was curious to see how much longer my bus has to wait in the heavy traffic. So I stood up and gave a quick glance to see that the road was completely packed with buses like the one I was travelling in. There were a few cars, quite a number of city cabs, a very few bikes and a few maxi cabs. No cycles or pedestrians in this part of the city at this particular time of the day, as you just cannot expect to wade your way by a bike or walk, through the very heavy, heavy-vehicle traffic.

I was glad that I don't drive a car - as in this city's traffic, you would be one among the rare herd of people who love to drive to work in an office that is out of the city - and certainly am not the kind.

I also noticed that people in most of the cabs, cars and buses dozed off... I wont blame them for it as they probably wake up very early to take the bus to office at 6:45A.M and catch up on the lost sleep in the bus. But coming to think of it, where is the morning freshness, where is the morning briskness, where is the morning speed and efficiency that we have all been taught so much in school?

While I was still wondering about the missing early morning enthusiasm in most of us, - thanks to IT life - my bus reached my office and it was time to get down the bus and get into the wonderful office space that I have. I get down the bus and didn't fail to notice the slow walk and dull faces and extremely slow paced ID swipes... I try not to question.. but can't help at times...

Why is the speed so low?
Is it traffic? Is it work? Is it life style? Is it practice? Is it home life? Is it chilling out? Is it relaxed mind state? Is it weather? Is it the I-don't-care attitude? Is it I-don't-have-life-outside-work nature? Is it plain boredom?

As a contrast, if you look at people working in other sectors, there seems to be a better briskness expressed, among the very fewer luxuries that their work life has to offer them. There is no plush office space, there is no transport, if at all there is, there is definitely no AC transport, there is no flexible working hours, there is no Friday evening excuse, there is no.. let's just say, a lot of other things..

I have no clue what fits into the description of a very slow IT professional with all the luxuries.. But I surely know that IT highway today got me thinking...and that this kind of pace is not good for the supposed-to-be young and energetic crowd.