Traffic woes in India’s tech capital, Bengaluru, are nothing new. There are several social media posts highlighting the never-ending traffic, and it seems like Wednesdays might just be the worst of them
all. Wondering why? A Bengaluru resident recently shared a post on social media, detailing his hour-long struggle to book a cab on a Wednesday morning.
Titled with the question, “Is Wednesday officially the day you avoid work from the office?”, the commuter ranted about the city’s worsening midweek commute and skyrocketing cab fares.
In the Reddit post that has struck a chord with thousands, the commuter shared how he struggled to book a cab on a Wednesday morning. With no drivers accepting rides, he also mentioned the surge in the price that reached a staggering Rs 415 for a mere 6-km journey.
What Did The Post Talk About?
“I know the brackets for when to leave home to avoid all this drama, and I’m well within my bracket,” the user shared, frustrated by the rising unpredictability of commute timings. “What next? Should I leave at 7? Then gradually at 6?” he added.
The user further revealed that autos, non-AC and AC cabs quoted similar fares, but they refused to accept rides, adding, “What do these guys want? A pot of gold?”
Concluding his post with an unsure tone, the commuter wrote that while it typically takes 20 minutes to cover 6 km, he had no idea what chaos awaited him once he stepped out.
Is Wednesday officially the day you avoid work from office?
byu/introvertcat09 inbangalore
Reddit Users’ Reactions
His exasperated post quickly sparked a debate on whether Wednesday has become the new nightmare commute day for office-goers in India’s tech capital. Social media users found it relatable, and they promptly shared their own Wednesday commute horror stories.
“Roads are literally crazy this morning. I stepped out at 6:40 am, and even then it felt like the rush hour madness. Some part of it is contributed by cows,” read a comment.
Another wrote, “Good luck to all of you. I started at 6.30 and reached the office. I will now go back home at 2 PM.”
“Think there’s a bus strike today, and the fares are too high because of that,” said a user.
An individual stated, “I felt the same thing yesterday and thought Tuesday was the worst.”
“Traffic is really bad on Wednesdays. I have felt this too,” added another.
“What you get on Wednesdays: migraine-like headaches, dizziness till you reach the office, forgetting motivation, culture and all that crap. Sitting at the same place for more than 3 hrs – heart problems are welcome,” commented a user.
‘Work From Home’ On Wednesdays
As Bengaluru is continuously being labelled the “most congested city in the world”, the IT capital’s traffic police are now turning to the tech industry for solutions. In a direct outreach to the city’s IT giants, the city’s joint commissioner of traffic, Karthik Reddy, has asked tech companies to consider implementing “work from home” on Wednesdays, which data shows is the worst day of the week for traffic snarls.
After a meeting with ORRCA (Outer Ring Road Companies Association), Karthik Reddy revealed that they made three suggestions. The first one was to stagger start times between 7.30 am and 9.30 am to help spread out traffic. The second request was to promote public transport, and the key pitch was around working from home once or twice a week.
