it is basic courtesy, which lacks in us....

Now the government of India will educate people of this country about ``mobile phone etiquette''. Interesting! The country has largest number of mobile subscribers and sadly enough, majority of them have no clue if there are some etiquette to be followed in its use.

It is basic courtesy - like keeping the mobile on silent during meetings, or in a cinema hall or at a restaurant, or keeping the ring tone so low as not to disturb others - the same goes for voice while talking on phone - etc etc. As the number of mobile users grow - the government too, I suspect, started noticing the social hazards of cell phone and decided to teach people some common etiquette.

Soon, a person buying a mobile phone will be given a hand bill full of instructions - like - ``keep your mobile on silent or turn it off when in hospital or school as it might disturb the patients or the students'' or ``talk softly on mobile phone so that you do not annoy others with your personal conversation'', or during movies keep your phone silent so that others who have come to enjoy the movie do not get disturbed.

I welcome the move which is much needed for us Indians, who often care less for others' convenience.

I recall my two former colleagues who used to keep their mobile ring tones at the highest level. When they left their phones on their tables and that time if by chance someone called them up - the whole office used to be full of those annoying sounds. It was like a small orchestra band playing for some kitty party. Their phone rang in the meeting also drawing every one's attention to the sound. People joked about them, gave them advice and also showed displeasure - but neither these colleagues changed nor the volume of their mobile ring tones.

During my visit to England last year, I came to know that the British government along with smoking, had banned use of mobile phones at certain places like pubs, cafeteria, restaurant etc. Although in the western world I found people in comparison quite considerate - it is not only mobile but their etiquette was visible even on the road. No one flashed high beam at night, vehicles stopped and slowed down for cyclists, they gave way to pedestrians, also gave way to vehicles reversing or turning. Not only this, majority of the drivers waved their hands in a gesture of thanks when the other one gave them way.

It was such a pleasant sight unlike India where the driver of a SUV tweets behind a fragile rickshaw puller asking him to get away and let the bigger and more powerful vehicle pass. These big vehicle owners reflect an attitude as if the road belongs to only the powerful vehicles and the pedestrians or cyclists have no right to walk on the road. The drivers , I think, have no clue what the low beam switch is for in a car. Almost everyday I see a big car honking behind a cart full of 500 tonnes of iron rods, being dragged with difficulty by a frail old man. People generally do not know what road manners or road courtesy means.

Alas! to such men the government is planning to teach manners for the use of mobile phone.

I wish this education bring some sense onto them to use their phone with consideration to others' convenience, as expecting them to behave and be courteous on the road would be too much to ask.

Nonetheless, I feel that courtesy and consideration comes from within and cannot be taught. We inculcate these values in our children from the day they are born. Still, we can only hope that the handbill which the government will give to mobile users will imbibe some etiquette in people which they might replicate on the road as well. Amen!!