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India Installs Shades at Traffic Lights to Keep Motorists Cool

Authorities in India have found an inexpensive and functional way to help motorists cope with the severe heat that affects the country. In Nagpur, one of India’s hottest cities, green, lightweight mesh shades have been installed in the waiting areas at traffic lights.
Shades installed at traffic lights in Nagpur, India 3 photos
Photo: Reddit/Twitter India
Shades at traffic lights in Nagpur, IndiaShades at traffic lights in Nagpur, India
These mesh structures are temporary and the shade they cast on the ground is a most welcome break from the searing heat. Also, the local authorities say that the shade should prevent motorists from jumping the red in their attempt to reach their destinations as quickly as possible.

Last year, the temperatures recorded in Nagpur were as high as 48 degrees Celsius (118.4 F), whereas this year they are already in the 40s. The severe heatwave is also accompanied by drought, and over 160 deaths have been related to these extreme weather conditions. The state of Maharashtra where Nagpur is located in the most affected by the heat.

The shades are a boon for motorcycle and scooter riders in Nagpur, as they are riding in direct sunlight and don’t have the canopy or air conditioning system of a car fending off heat. This solution, albeit a makeshift one, could also work quite well in other countries during periods of extremely high temperatures, helping riders keep a bit cooler when stopped at a traffic light.

Surely, this would only be a small improvement when considering having to tackle traffic jams and spending dozens of minutes or more stuck on the highway. And because summer is drawing near, maybe it’s not such a bad idea to review these two motorcycle guides dealing of how to beat the heat while riding in very hot weather and how to prevent the severe and very dangerous effects of dehydration.

And speaking of dehydration, it is an enemy far more hazardous than the heat itself, mainly because it affects both body and mind, putting riders and other motorists at risk. All in all, it's better to be hydrated and riding in the scorching weather than to be dehydrated and feeling seemingly okay.
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