A viral dashcam footage has led to a lot of outrage on the internet following a couple who were captured sitting in the center of a busy highway in India to take photographs and just escaped being hit by a high-speed car. The social media case that was initially reported this week evokes mounting anxieties regarding civic sensibility and the safety of citizens to seek viral content.
The video, being widely circulated on social media websites such as Instagram, shows a car abruptly halting in order to avoid hitting the couple who had stood in an active traffic lane posing during a photoshoot. The clip showed the car missing them by a few inches, and there was panic among those who watched the clip over the life-threatening danger they posed.
Rather than expressing regret, the couple is audible in the video where they are arguing with the driver as to why he failed to see them on the road, even though it is evident they posed a serious risk on the road. Their response drew immediate criticisms on social media, where most people termed the behaviour as “irresponsible” and “reckless”.
“Such irresponsible behaviour not only puts the individuals at risk, but also every human being on the highway”, as one of the users remarked, and in fact, other users insisted on penalties or fines against blocking a live traffic lane to take a snap.
This viral incident adds to another worrying trend in road safety advocates, who note that people take needless risks on Indian roads in the pursuit of aesthetics in social-media-driven feats in plain sight of the dangers. According to experts, sitting or standing on active highways is unlawful, and it may cause severe accidents or legal repercussions under the traffic safety laws.
This episode echoes other recent viral videos depicting dangerous behaviour on the roads, such as cooking on highways or driving socially dangerous stunts in social posts, which is why there has been a new wave of urging people to be more aware of road safety rules and regulations and be more responsible as travellers or content creators.
