In a hurry….to die

 Beep-beep, off goes the blaring horn fitted on a new-age sports bike and a young rider, dressed in a black jacket resembling the one that Nicolas Cage wore in ‘Ghost Rider’, zooms past me. I was going to my work place dressed in casuals in an auto. By the time I reached my office, I had witnessed around 20 such bikers. Sounds of brakes screeching, horns booming, engines roaring and the winds buzzing had by now bombarded my eardrums.

Hey, I am not complaining because I don’t own a bike and I am jealous of these ‘speed stars’. I am not complaining at all. What I am trying to tell is the danger which those who ride so fast will certainly fall into if they do not stop. This also applies to all who drive be it a bike, a car or any vehicle whatsoever.
I have been a silent witness to this commotion for long. I have seen how the young broods, some of whom are still in school, defy all laws meant for their own safety in order to satisfy their false ego. If you are a regular traveler like me, you too must have seen how rashly these young boys drive their vehicles. They try to overtake every moving machine running on the road. This habit is not just restricted to the youth but many-a-times middle aged people too practice this. They sometimes abuse other drivers who do not allow them to pass through.

In 90% of the cases, the one who seems to be in a hurry has no need of it. Still, if anyone, especially a young boy, drives his vehicle at a speed of, say 40 km, he is mocked at by his friends. Many believe that to impress a girl one has to ride fast. I asked a boy in my neighbourhood (who drives his bike at a breakneck speed of 70 km even within short distances) about the reason behind his rash driving. In reply he said, “Mazaa aata hai” (it is fun). I was left bewildered. What and where is the ‘fun’ in riding so fast?

Another reason could be the rise in the number of violent games that attract the young minds towards a virtual sadistic environment resulting in aggressive behavior amongst them (also refer to my article 'All is not well'). However, the biggest culprit has to be their parents. With the rise in the income levels of the people there has been a rise in sales of both two and four wheelers. If for some, it has become a necessity to own a bike or a car then for others it has become a fashion statement. The parents allow their children to drive even if they are underage. Most of them will deny this allegation as lying is an inherent nature of humans. Most of them might never have heard of Khalil Gibran who wrote about children in this manner:

“Your children are not your children. They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself. They come through you but not from you, And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.”

A earlier report by the World Health Organisation read, “Speed is the main reason behind accidents. An increase in average speed is directly related to both the likelihood of a crash occurring and to the severity of crash consequences. A 5% increase in average speed leads to an approximately 10% increase in crashes that cause injuries and a 20% increase in fatal crashes."

It might be difficult for those who are rash drivers and those who allow rash driving to understand what has been said above but it is important for them to know. While I was returning from office, another of the countless bikers curved around the vehicles on the road at a high speed and disappeared. The auto rickshaw driver commented, “Bahut jaldi hai….marne ki.” (In a hurry….to die). I just hoped Yama is on a holiday.