Road Rage

The Maharashtra law on compulsory helmet wearing for both rider and pillion comes into force from the 1st of April. It had actually been laid down some months ago, but then the usual complaints from consumer groups about a lack of supply of ISI certified helmets made the High Court pass an order postponing the actual implementation of the rule.

The general public in Bombay and Maharashtra obviously have harder or thicker skulls than others, because I remember this rule coming into force in Delhi when I was there and that was a good 7-8 years back. (Oh god - I'm soooo old!!) I think the main reason Bombay hasn't found the need to implement this rule is that the traffic is a lot slower than Delhi leading to far fewer deaths/injuries. Not that helmets really help, mind you. I recall losing someone I knew very well to a scooter accident. It's been 8 years this month.

One of the main problems for me personally, of course, is the fact that the iPod's earphones are going to have to go inside the helmet. It's not impossible - I did go through the rigours when it was compulsory to wear helmets for a short while. My only complaint is that it gets a bit tiresome to take off my spectacles, put on the earphones, put on the helmet, then put the glasses back on - if I'm riding during the day - clip the dark glasses attachment on and only then kickstart 'the' bike. The whole process is repeated in reverse when I get off the bike...this is going to be a looong summer.

Today was a bad day on the bike. In the morning, on the way to College, some &$%#$)#*($@$*&#*$*@&# opened his door and virtually knocked me over at a signal on Marine Drive. I gave him a taste of my education in Delhi. On the way back, (and this was after an insanely frustrating day in the Library) I was very peacefully enjoying 'Unforgiven II' by Metallica at the Chowpatty signal when I feel something rubbing against my leg.

For the record, I am not an extremely dog-friendly chap. That is to say, I will not randomly pat a cute and friendly looking dog, stray or domestic. Nor will I ever have my mouth licked by anybody's, or even my own canine pet, as I have been witness to many such utterly gross incidents. Further, dogs rubbing against my leg are a big no-no and I often find myself talking to dogs, stray and domestic, telling them to stay away from me - it invariably works.

The rubbing did not stop. In fact, it was now starting to hurt my leg a bit. I look to my right and see a very cute little MARUTI ZEN shoving its left front tyre over my right foot! BANG! (Resonant bonnets these Zens have, particularly when hit hard enough with one's fist.) My Delhi education was not utilised - my Bombay education came to my rescue this time. The driver was oblivious....he not only had no idea what I was saying, but he also didn't know that the tyre had not stopped completing multiple revolutions. Another signifacntly loud hit on the wonderfully accoustic bonnet was required in order to prevent what would have been a fascinating episode for the Bombay public to watch. I'm always up to picking a fight in public in Bombay - the first one screams that the other is a criminal gets crowd support - and that usually means you win the fight too!

My supply of quotes in my mind is running thin these days. I shall take one from this beautiful song by the surviving members of Nirvana - 'Plugged Out' - its a tribute to Kurt Cobain. If you know a little about him, you'll figure out the lyrics:

"It's a drug that finds you dreaming,
takes you just because it can.
Like a gun that finds you sleeping,
kills you just because it's there."