It’s your head, silly!
An hour spent at the Kaumudi office in Kochi last weekend, waiting for a friend to finish work and come along, threw open before me a shocking episode in human life. As I sat inside the not-so-cool comforts of the news bureau there, the arterial MG Road down below was witnessing painful moments. Every fifth minute or so, I heard the yell of an ambulance, bearing a hapless soul fighting for life and rushing toward the famed Ernakulam Medical Centre in search of a second birth.
I counted. A shocking six ambulances whizzed past the busy traffic on MG Road in that one hour I sat there. Accidents are made, they never happen, someone said. Does that mean that every hour at least 5-6 accidents happen around us? May be the real numbers are even more.
The way two-wheelers and other vehicles juggle past every moment makes me feel I’m a video game addict trying hard to keep pace with the other gamers on the road. I slow down a bit, only to be treated to a flurry of abuses, some aloud and some, somewhat soliloquies. I try and maneuver through a maze to help the man behind reach office on time, and this time the man in front makes sure he has a mouthful of literary brilliance showered upon on poor me. Lane discipline? Bullshit! The so-called expert drivers flounder on the middle of the tarmac, leaving hapless first timers and novices look losers. Losing is not my cup of game, nor is it for any one on the road.
All the world is my road, come in front and you are sure to be bombarded with all abuses, language no bar. I, too, have added more words to my lexicon of abuse. Can’t help it!
Incidentally, realizing that two wheelers are a menace on the road, the helmet rule was pronounced. Welcome to Kerala, where any rule is no rule. We protested by riding our bikes wearing broken pots and palm leaft hats on our heads. We waylaid poor law abiding citizens, grabbed and threw away their helmets. We even shouted on TV when we were invited to voice our opinion on the helmet rule. One of us argued: “If Tamil Nadu has a helmet rule, good for them!!! Why should we Keralites eat reptiles only because it happens to be a delicacy in another country?” Brilliance, of the first order, indeed!
Close on the heels of the helmet rule, the administration is planning to bring in a seat belt rule in the state. Drivers are being advised to have his/her seat belt on while at the wheel. The rule adds, for the umpteenth time notably, mobile phones are an absolute NO while driving/riding.
Welcome again to Kerala, where any rule is no rule. We are sure to have protest meets against the rule. We may even tear off the seat belts in our cars and throw them in front of the Secretariat building. We may also protest by wearing seat belts while riding our bikes and wearing helmets while inside our cars. We are capable of anything, we are God’s own men and women.
As I write this, the news ticker on my PC gives me the latest news:
Five killed in three accidents in state
Thiruvananthapuram, 4 July: Five persons have been killed and two seriously injured in three separate accidents in the district today.
In an accident that occurred near Daivappura Temple at Kallambalam, three persons of a family were killed. The accident happened when the Maruti car in which they were traveling collided with a container lorry .
In another incident, an eleven-year-old girl of Pattom Kendriya Vidyalaya was killed when the bike she was traveling collided with a transport bus between Arikkadamukku and Idakkod at Nemom.
Another person was killed when a bus hit his bike in front of the assembly building at Palayam.
May their souls rest in peace.
An hour spent at the Kaumudi office in Kochi last weekend, waiting for a friend to finish work and come along, threw open before me a shocking episode in human life. As I sat inside the not-so-cool comforts of the news bureau there, the arterial MG Road down below was witnessing painful moments. Every fifth minute or so, I heard the yell of an ambulance, bearing a hapless soul fighting for life and rushing toward the famed Ernakulam Medical Centre in search of a second birth.
I counted. A shocking six ambulances whizzed past the busy traffic on MG Road in that one hour I sat there. Accidents are made, they never happen, someone said. Does that mean that every hour at least 5-6 accidents happen around us? May be the real numbers are even more.
The way two-wheelers and other vehicles juggle past every moment makes me feel I’m a video game addict trying hard to keep pace with the other gamers on the road. I slow down a bit, only to be treated to a flurry of abuses, some aloud and some, somewhat soliloquies. I try and maneuver through a maze to help the man behind reach office on time, and this time the man in front makes sure he has a mouthful of literary brilliance showered upon on poor me. Lane discipline? Bullshit! The so-called expert drivers flounder on the middle of the tarmac, leaving hapless first timers and novices look losers. Losing is not my cup of game, nor is it for any one on the road.
All the world is my road, come in front and you are sure to be bombarded with all abuses, language no bar. I, too, have added more words to my lexicon of abuse. Can’t help it!
Incidentally, realizing that two wheelers are a menace on the road, the helmet rule was pronounced. Welcome to Kerala, where any rule is no rule. We protested by riding our bikes wearing broken pots and palm leaft hats on our heads. We waylaid poor law abiding citizens, grabbed and threw away their helmets. We even shouted on TV when we were invited to voice our opinion on the helmet rule. One of us argued: “If Tamil Nadu has a helmet rule, good for them!!! Why should we Keralites eat reptiles only because it happens to be a delicacy in another country?” Brilliance, of the first order, indeed!
Close on the heels of the helmet rule, the administration is planning to bring in a seat belt rule in the state. Drivers are being advised to have his/her seat belt on while at the wheel. The rule adds, for the umpteenth time notably, mobile phones are an absolute NO while driving/riding.
Welcome again to Kerala, where any rule is no rule. We are sure to have protest meets against the rule. We may even tear off the seat belts in our cars and throw them in front of the Secretariat building. We may also protest by wearing seat belts while riding our bikes and wearing helmets while inside our cars. We are capable of anything, we are God’s own men and women.
As I write this, the news ticker on my PC gives me the latest news:
Five killed in three accidents in state
Thiruvananthapuram, 4 July: Five persons have been killed and two seriously injured in three separate accidents in the district today.
In an accident that occurred near Daivappura Temple at Kallambalam, three persons of a family were killed. The accident happened when the Maruti car in which they were traveling collided with a container lorry .
In another incident, an eleven-year-old girl of Pattom Kendriya Vidyalaya was killed when the bike she was traveling collided with a transport bus between Arikkadamukku and Idakkod at Nemom.
Another person was killed when a bus hit his bike in front of the assembly building at Palayam.
May their souls rest in peace.
Comments
Simply I am not getting why the law is still stubborn about imposing rules. I am damn sure about you can't eradicate anything by banning it or making something very strict (don't tell me about the nations which are doing 'pretty' well by making life a hell with rule umpteen. I am capable of giving you the crime graph of those nations).
What you will do if the govt made it strict to wear umbrella when it rains? They say people get sick when they are wet :). So, isn’t it the responsibility of the govt to save its citizens from the rain and the diseases. Silly, of course :)
Helmet or not. Let the the rebels live long :)
But to be fair,wearing a helmet does reduce the hearing of a person doesn't it?But if it can prevent bigger problems,isn't that better??
But I've got sumthing 2 say 2 latheesh....using an umbrella,a helmet or a seat belt is plain common sense and only for safety.If ur willing to take a risk with ur life,fine...no probs
Raj, Manu, Bhama: Thanx for making Latheesh do a bit of thinking.
Peter Ivan: Thanx for the nice words.
See, I agree with Manu who says 'using an umbrella,a helmet or a seat belt is plain common sense'. 'My-life-is-precious-for me' is some attitude that surely make sense. But it's a personal thing. You have to behave and think like that in order to make a healthy society.
Rules can dictate the way the society lives, but neither it makes sense nor the awareness.
Teachers beat students up when they fail to convince them. Govt does the same :)
After all, common sense is not that common.
I presently stay in Chandigarh, where its mandatory to wear helmets,seatbelts and take all sorts of safety measures(and they are strictly implemented also).
My personal opinion: I wouldn't have ever minded wearing a helmet, only if it didnt scr*w my hairstyle ... LoL
Regards
TechXtreme
Will be visiting you often, now on!
Good going.
Regards