Manipur, Sept. 11 -- Practically every sane driver on the Imphal road would have welcomed the new traffic laws just announced that would put stiff penalties on traffic several extremely irritating and indeed dangerous offences, but most particularly the use of mobile phones while driving. In Manipur, this habit seems to be a fad amongst an emerging nouveau-riche crowd eager to announce their opulent windfalls, most likely from government contract jobs. It is almost as if they want to impress upon onlookers that they are so familiar with handling their automobiles and they can multitask while driving, like most first-generation car owners often do. It is true this silliness is their own business, but the truth is they irritate and endanger a...