'She reached Dubai, I am still in traffic': Bengaluru woman's viral post on city's commute woes sparks online frenzy

Economic Times

20-07-2025

Synopsis
A relatable Instagram post by a Bengaluru resident revealed how city traffic outlasted an international flight. While her friend reached Dubai, she hadn't yet made it back home. The post triggered a flood of similar experiences, sparking memes, outrage, and satire across social media, once again putting the city's growing traffic problem under the spotlight.
iStock A Bengaluru woman's viral Instagram post sparked online uproar after she claimed she was still stuck in traffic while her friend, whom she had dropped at the airport, had already landed in Dubai. (Representational Image: iStock) For most people, dropping a friend at the airport is a quick errand. But for a Bengaluru resident, it turned into a journey so frustrating that the internet couldn't help but relate. In an incident that's equal parts hilarious and heartbreaking, a woman recently took to Instagram to share that by the time she made it home from Kempegowda International Airport, her friend had already landed in Dubai. Yes, Dubai. Content creators Priyanka and Indrayani posted the now-viral story on Instagram: 'Dropped my friend at Bangalore Airport as she was leaving for Dubai. She reached Dubai, and I'm still stuck in Bangalore's traffic.' The post, stamped with the wry line 'based on true incidents,' instantly resonated with a traffic-weary city and has since garnered over 19 million views and more than a million likes.
Known for its booming tech culture and enviable weather, Bengaluru has long battled its other reality—one of roads choked with cars, impatient honks, and hours lost to gridlock. For residents, it's no longer just a minor inconvenience. It's a lifestyle. Netizens poured into the comment section to share stories that sounded less like exaggerations and more like collective trauma therapy. One user quipped, 'In Bangalore, 1km by car = 3 hours and 1km by walk = 10 minutes.' Another chimed in with lived experience, 'My sister boarded a last-minute flight to Mangalore, and she reached before I got home from the airport. Not even kidding.'
For some, the ordeal goes beyond inconvenience. 'I took a 2-hour flight from another state and spent FIVE hours just to get home from the Bangalore airport. It's not travel anymore, it's trauma,' one frustrated commenter wrote. And then came the sarcasm. 'But the weather and salary is good,' said one, accompanied by a pair of smug-face emojis. Others questioned the irony of complaining about traffic while contributing to it. 'You are the traffic,' a user pointed out, sharply. While the post may have been intended as a light-hearted take, the overwhelming response speaks to a deeper exhaustion. Bengaluru's infrastructure hasn't been able to keep pace with its population growth and IT boom. The city's airport is located over 40 km from the city centre, and during peak hours, the journey back home can be longer than most domestic or even short international flights. 'Just leave Bengaluru, problem solved,' one user remarked. But most Bengalureans know it's not that simple. Many find themselves in a love-hate relationship with the city—loathed for its traffic, yet loved for its opportunities.