Living Dangerously

The sight was chilling. From the corner of my car's windshield, I saw the mangled remains of what was once a motorbike. The mishap must've occurred minutes before I reached the spot. Pieces of glass and metal were strewn everywhere. Somewhere under the mass of twisted metal lay a man, but only a bloodied arm was visible. It wasn't moving. My heart skipped a beat on watching the ghastly scene in front of me. The sight of blood - gushing out uninterrupted - was rather unsettling. While fervently wishing the driver had survived this terrible accident, several questions immediately popped in my mind - WHY do these bikers drive the way they do? WHY do they risk their lives by speeding like maniacs-on-wheels? WHY do they try to overtake the vehicle in front (from the left side) without giving any indication whatsoever, despite there being very little space to manoeuvre ? WHY do they zip past vehicles in rash zig-zags, with every turn potentially perilous enough to go horribly wrong? WHY do they drive inches close to the vehicle alongside - at risk of making contact with the vehicle any moment? WHY WHY WHY???

No doubt they are cheaper and more convenient than their larger four-wheeled counterparts, but I personally feel two-wheelers are the most dangerous inventions ever created for roads. The entire concept is based on balancing a vehicle that is probably 4 times heavier than you are! At blazing speeds, the slightest contact with another vehicle or a minor oil-spill on the road is enough to render the bike to turn turtle and the cause immense injury, even death. Several lives and limbs are being lost due to such mishaps everyday. Bikes are extremely unsafe and hazardous modes of transport and sureshot disasters-waiting-to-happen for the more reckless lot of drivers.

That one unfortunate sight was enough to make me swear off motorbikes or any other biped. It may not for the others, the ones who live life on the edge, who think they can get away with such brash daredevilry. However, today I make a heartfelt plea to all such motorists - please DO NOT drive amok like someone possessed. Whatever it is that requires your attention - be it at home or work - it is NOT worth your life. Neither does whizzing about at top speeds render you a heartthrob of your locality/city/nation. Live a little less dangerously. Value your lives. We all have short ones anyway.

On a lighter note - here is a bumper sticker (crude painting, rather) that I spotted on a rickety tempo plying the roads. Now if only all of us could adopt this chap's spirits!

The wise words: मालिक का दौलत, ड्राईवर का पसीना - रोड पे चलती है बनके हसीना! (LOL!)