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A 4 km drive in Bengaluru took 35 minutes at 7 kmph. The viral post says the city has accepted traffic so deeply that it feels like Stockholm syndrome.
Image: AI
A Bengaluru resident’s viral post has sparked another traffic debate in the city after revealing that a journey of just 4 kilometres took 35 minutes to complete. With the car crawling at an average speed of barely 7 kmph, slower than many people jog, the user argued that Bengaluru’s biggest problem is no longer traffic itself, but how completely residents have learned to live with it.
The post explained how the issue is no longer about the traffic itself but about how people have accepted it. Instead of questioning why a city moves at the pace of a bad jogger, residents adjust their schedules. Leaving 50 minutes earlier has become the normal solution.
The user compared this acceptance to a collective mindset. At some point, Bengaluru looked at its crawling pace and decided it was fine. What should feel frustrating has turned into routine. The post highlighted how this quiet acceptance is now part of the city’s identity.
While Mumbai is often praised for its “spirit,” Bengaluru’s spirit, the post suggested, is closer to Stockholm syndrome. People have adapted so deeply to the slow traffic that they live with it without protest.
The viral post struck a chord because it captured the everyday struggle of millions. A 4 km drive that takes half an hour is not just a statistic; it is a reminder of how the city has normalised gridlock.
The viral post about Bengaluru’s traffic sparked strong reactions from users. One person shared their jogging experience, saying, “I do jog in the city, the lack of pavement or any proper footpath makes it an obstacle course (sic). Your alertness level is heightened/ stressed. No solution, unfortunately.”
Another pointed out the irony of jogging as an escape, noting, “The joke is, even if you want to jog to beat this traffic, you can’t because there are no sidewalks. Cars parked on them, holes dug out, construction material and dust everywhere. They don’t even give us a choice other than suffering in this traffic.”
A third comment highlighted the bigger issue of driving habits, stating, “Everyone wants to travel in his/her own car, a big one. Also none follow the basic traffic sense. Then what u expect. It starts with u, me or us first.”
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