At the road crossing

My nephew and I were returning home from shopping. We had to take a right turn. Ahead of us were a few more two wheelers. Checking both sides, we noticed a bus standing on the right side waiting for passengers to alight.. Seeing no vehicles moving on either side we decided to take the right turn. The bus driver was seeing the vehicles take the turn. But hasty that he was he did not want to stop for more time. When it was my turn to take the right turn I slowed down a bit to at the turning. I came half way through crossing the bus, when he hit my bike and my bike slid down. Luckily neither my nephew nor I was hurt, a little shaken though. As I lifted my bike I turned to the driver who fortunately stopped the bus. And he had the nerve to shift the blame all on to me. Initially I remained silent. But as he made it look like all was my fault, I retorted back.

Why did I not go fast – that was his question? While turning one usually slows down the vehicle which is what I was doing I replied. But he was not keen in accepting it and blah blah he went on.

Oh please I said, the fault is yours to keep moving the vehicle when you have seen us pass through to the right. Just please stop speaking and do not make it look like it is my fault I yelled at the driver and left in a huff.

It took me back to another incident in Delhi. My sister in law and I were returning home and just that time the driver of a mini truck behind us stopped his vehicle on the right side of the road near the road divider but decided to go straight though the signal given was red for him. And hit he did our vehicle. Wanting to support myself from falling, I used my right hand as a balance. Well my little finger and the ring finger are yet to be relieved of the pain, even though one month has already passed.

It probably is not much to bother about I suppose. But the attitude of the drivers and the way they drive the vehicles…surely makes me wonder - is there no chance of some brightness seen in the way we discipline ourselves on roads.

Careless I was...

Though the incident occurred last month….it is fresh in my memory and I know it shall be there forever.

During our stay in Delhi, my husband and I went out for an early morning walk. And so it happened on this fateful day, of course I had a lot of restrictions this time – not to sit in a park, only half hour and not more than that and so on…and
he willingly obliged and off we set for our morning walk.

Adhering to my restrictions, we were returning back home. Having entered our colony I noticed a two wheeler zip past us, something made me just tell to myself, the people in Delhi are really morning birds, out so early to start their work. How right I was. The bike made a U turn and came near us and within a few seconds, I found myself trying to call out to my husband who was few feet ahead of me. Words failed to come instantly. Finally a frantic attempt and I called out to him. He could not make out what I was telling? And at last the words stumbled out from my mouth – my chain….those guys on the bike have snatched my chain. They had already done a turn and were no longer within our vicinity. We just noticed that they wore helmets…so no recognition of anything at all – no idea, about what two wheeler they used – I thought it was a motorbike and my husband thought it was a bajaj chetak, no idea if it happened to be men or women. I just noticed that the pillion rider was wearing an orange shirt. With that information, nothing seemed bright at all. Tears streaming down, we entered our home, with my husband consoling me saying that I was indeed fortunate that they did not use anything so as to injure me in the process.

That afternoon, we had to visit a doctor. And there we noticed a group of people and a policeman had been called. Soon there arrived a jeep with three more policemen. One of the shop owner had called the police. Reason – 3 more chain snatching reported in that area. My husband took that chance to inform the police of that morning’s incident. Well it was just information to the police only – not that we expect any action whatsoever.( From what I heard, some of the police are hand in hand with the chain snatchers.) As I climbed up the stairs to return home, I found three ladies giving me a – we are of the same group smile – they were the 3 victims of that day. Smiling back, we returned home.

Well this episode could have been avoided – if and if only I had agreed to go to a nearby park and just enjoy nature, if and if only I had agreed to go for an hour’s walk rather than a half hour walk, if and if I had been on the left side of my husband giving little chance for the snatchers to get away with their booty.
And the best way to have avoided this incident was - if and only if I had paid heed to the caution given by my aunty and I had something to protect my neck.
Now I know it will be a regret that I will carry always.

Graffiti - The Hindu

I like the quotes that are published in The Hindu - Metro Plus...Graffiti
today's graffiti:

Heredity is the worst traits coming from the other parent.