Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Killers on mobikes!

There has been a spate of accidents, involving two-wheelers, on the roads of Kochi. Six year old Christina Jose, hit by a speeding bike on Monday, is the latest to lose precious life for no fault of her's but to the reckless error of a speed crazy monster. And to understand the magnitude of the crisis, I'm gonna reel out statistics even at the cost of being considered ruthless!

According to police records, 95% of two-wheeler accidents have been caused by 100cc, 150cc and 200cc bikes and the ones, courtesy the superbikes - >500cc - were less, perhaps showing that their ownership is restricted to a clutch of super-rich brats, flaunting their wealth and exhibiting a false sense of bravado! But the menace of the mobikes is here to stay.

Being a frequent driver myself, the one thing that amazes me is that most of us behind the wheel seem to be short on two things - patience and compassion. I was fortunate to be taught the rudiments of driving by the offensive moustached, yet gentle-as-a-lamb, Sasi - our family's trusted 'saarthi' for years. It was he who'd ingrained into my system that one must drive in such a manner so as to never give any sort of discomfort to the other motorists.

Driving, today, has become a night mare. Let me try to list out the 'nays', generally, indulged in by the mobikers:-

            (a) driving at prohibitive speeds.
            (b) weaving through traffic through gaps that aren't there but forced to provide by the four-wheeler
                  driver who wants to avoid any form of disfigurement to his/her own vehicle.
            (c) using high capacity horns - usually meant for heavy vehicles - continuously and menacingly.
            (d) flouting rules and overtake from either sides, giving lane-driving the go by. Overtaking from
                 the inner side of a turn is the most bizarre of them all!
            (e) using cellphones or listening to music on headphones with a gay abandon. How do they get
                 to hear the other vehicles, I wonder?
            (f) breaking into conversation while driving abreast of each other, giving the other motorists the
                scantest regard.
            (g) indulging in offensive driving to scare the wits of those who might try to give sane advice and
                 a tip or two to safe driving.
            (h) risking their own lives by not wearing helmets.

With such sort of fellow travellers, how can one ever think of safe driving?

Stern measures are the need of the hour. To begin with, how about 'on-the-spot-cancellation-of driving licences' for dangerous drivers?


Tailpiece.

1. My prayers for young Christina and may her folks have the strength to tide over their grief.
2. Wonder what Sasi would have to say if he'd been witness to the chaos on the roads today?
3. Driving should invoke comfort and pleasure while attaining the intended destination. It should generate a 'feel good' emotion failing which, it's gonna affect the health of the driver!      

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