Monday, April 19, 2010

I am not a driver. I am an insurer.

I am not a driver. I am an insurer. Just by being in a bigger vehicle, i have automatically insured everyone in a smaller vehicle against their own stupidity.

Everytime a 2 wheeler driver thinks of overtaking me from the wrong side, they do not have to think about simple things like giving a horn or an indication that suddenly, the left side of the vehicle is going to be scaled by them. If there is a vehicle ahead that prevents their victory, and if, per chance, they bump into my vehicle and injure themselves, it is magically my fault, and automatically, a crowd gathers, expecting me to reimburse the guy for his injuries. Last I checked, You did not pay me an insurance premium for guarding u against ur own lawlessness and stupidity.

The Gurgaon Toll Road is closed to two wheelers. Yet, every time an accident happens on that road involving 2 wheelers, no one asks the 2 wheeler driver what they were doing on that road in the first place. In fact, no one anywhere asks a 2 wheeler driver what the hell they are thinking when they drive like they do.
So let me be the poineer:

To the cyclists:
  • There is no cycle track on our roads. And that is not right. But is that, by itself, reason enough for you to take your cycle to the right most lane, and keep it there? Do you realise that if a bus overtakes you, most likely, a small car driver behind that bus will NOT know that you are up ahead, because his view is blocked by the bus?
  • Have you ever paused to think that it is NOT your birthright to jump signals just because no one can stop you?
  • Have you ever considered that when you drive on the right most lane, you may or may not meet with an accident, but there are enough accidents that happen trying to "save" you.
To the adrenaline pumped 2 wheeler drivers:
What, really, is your excuse, other than that you can get away with it?
YOUR TWO WHEELER IS NOT YOUR WILD CARD ENTRY TO THE FORMULA 1.
There are rules. Please follow them. When you don't follow them, don't create a mob and expect the other person to pay up just because 50 of you have surrounded him.
And the end note:
One day, yours truly was at an intersection where, the day before, two scooterists were crushed by a blue line. This is a T intersection. On the long arm of the T, a blueline bus was waiting for the signal to turn green. As soon as the signal turned green, the bus started moving to the left (there was no free left) . Within 2 seconds, a scooter appeared on the right of the bus, overtaking it from the right just as the bus reached the divider on the left. This scooter, instead of stopping and waiting for the bus to make the turn, cut and appeared right in front of the bus just as the bus turned into the divided lane. The bus driver screeched on the brakes to avoid crushing them. The pillion rider turned back and grinned shamelessly at the bus driver. I was too busy observing these 2 to see what the bus driver was thinking or saying. But one could say what one was thinking - Those 2 deserved to die.
Disclaimer: Not all 2 wheeler drivers are bad. Not all bad drivers are in 2 wheelers.

12 comments:

BK Chowla, said...

There are two reasons for this
1---We have no respect for law as we can always pay up and get away. This precedence has been set already.By nature we are corrupt.

2---In a city like Delhi , which has 60 lakh vehicles, has human population of 1.30 crores, has all the VIPs blocking the roads and has 1(one) traffic constable for 8.70 km of road, what can be expected of traffic movement and traffic management?.
Driver is bound to break rules.
Have you ever heard of a Blue line driver being charged for any traffic offence?

J P Joshi said...

Agree with you that most two wheeler drivers have no clue of what they are upto, or more pertinently what they are upto making others driving around and with them do. I too get very angry and frustrated with them and share your thoughts that in the crowd that gathers in the aftermath the bigger vehicle is always at fault.

WritingsForLife said...

this is sort of funny but painfully true. I am glad I dont live in India... but we have our own drama on the roads here as well :-)

Neha said...

I so know what you mean....personal experience!

Varun said...

Drink and Drive. Then it feels like a video game :-D

How do we know said...

Chowla Sir: Your figures are very apt. and yes, i have heard of blue line drivers being booked, but also left scot free bcs their owners pay the traffic valas an insane amount..

Joshi sir: Yes, i knew there were fellow sufferers :-)

Hi Raaji: Tell us abt the drama..

HI N: Dont we all ? :-)

Hi Varun: Why just a video game? Even that needs some concentration na?~

The Phosgene Kid said...

Italy was a lot like that. I'd be at a stop and cyclist and scooter drivers would come up through the cars behind and get right in front of my car. When the light turned green they were off, apparently not realizing my Mercedes accelerates a lot faster then their bikes.

B said...

LOL i loved reading this :)

Onkar said...

Two wheelers can fit into small road space and their drivers have a much larger view of the road and the traffic. I think, that leads them to make dangerous moves.

How do we know said...

Hi Phos: :-)

Hi Amrita: :-) Bhukt bhogi..

Onkar sir: Yes, that is one other explanation..

Mampi said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Mampi said...

l say, after seeing the mad traffic on mad gurgaon roads, I agree 200 percent.
Tere des wich koi sabr hai ke nahi?