Winter fog has tightened its grip over North India, creating a daily spectacle of dense, low-visibility conditions that are severely disrupting life and travel. Motorists are facing significant challenges, forced to adopt extreme precautionary measures to navigate the dangerously obscured roads. Amidst this recurring seasonal crisis, a video showcasing a remarkably inventive solution has captured the internet's imagination, highlighting the resilience and quick thinking often associated with Indian youth.
The Viral Fog Navigation Hack
A video shared by Instagram user @davldeed has taken social media by storm, amassing a staggering over 13 million views. The clip presents an unconventional scene: a man is perched on the bonnet of a moving Mahindra Scorpio, acting as a human navigation system for the driver inside. With visibility reportedly near zero, the individual on the hood uses clear hand signals to direct the driver left or right, turning a perilous, fog-choked path into an improvised driving exercise.
The video, humorously captioned "Fogg Light❌ Dost ✅", begins with a voice explaining the situation: "So guys, the visibility is zero. We have a man sitting outside who's giving us instructions." The faint glow of headlights from passing vehicles is barely visible in the thick blanket of fog. On-screen text adds to the jest, calling the setup "ADAS Level 4. Only 1 in India Scorpio," a witty nod to advanced driver-assistance systems.
"No Light Can Help, Get a Man to Sit in the Front"
As the car ventures onto what seems like an off-road patch, the voices inside detail their dilemma. "We are on a slightly off-road patch, and we cannot see anything here, where to turn," says one. Another voice chimes in with the pragmatic, if extreme, solution: "No light can help, get a man to sit in the front (at the bonnet)." Throughout the journey, the bonnet rider diligently indicates directions, with the driver inside joking, "We got the indicator."
Netizens React with Amusement and Jokes
The comment section on the post exploded with humorous reactions and cultural references. One user quipped about how the scene might appear to other drivers, writing, "Dusre cars- Ye mahadev tathastu karte hue ni lg ra dur se (Other cars: From a distance, it doesn’t look like 'Mahadev' doing 'tathastu')." Others offered their own tips, with one suggesting, "Always open the camera. It works best in fog and will show u a clearer image on screen." Several comments also drew parallels to the recently viral "aura-farming" kid trend, showcasing the internet's penchant for connecting viral moments.
While the video is lighthearted and showcases ingenuity, it underscores a serious and recurring annual issue: the severe impact of dense winter fog on road safety and transportation across North Indian states. The viral hack, though not recommended for safety reasons, vividly illustrates the lengths to which people must sometimes go to adapt to challenging environmental conditions.
