Okay, this has happened to me several times. Well not exactly. Every time I get caught by the traffic police, I pretty much ride right into their trap. There is no adrenaline rush that would make me take swift decisions to escape from the wrath of paying 100 bucks for preferring to let my head and hair enjoy the "breeze" while riding!! Lemme count. Over the last 2 years, I guess I have been caught about 5 times (equals 500 bucks!!) for riding helmet-less. Thankfully, all my other vehicle documents were intact, else I might have ended up paying way more than a 100 bucks!!
When I first got my license to ride a two-wheeler, pretty soon I got into my first helmet-less incident. When the police uncle tried to stop me, I being a scardy cat, slowed down in terror. When he saw how scared I was, he turned his attention to other law-less riders as he was sure that I would park my vehicle and dish out money. But that day, the other riders who were caught, egged me with hisses "Hey, don't stop, GO, GO, GO!!" , and so I neatly obliged them (though shaking from head to foot) and gave the accelerator of my Dio to its full extent and despite the shrill sounds of blaring whistles that followed me with an authority that I should stop, I managed not to dare and look at the angry police uncle's face through my rear view mirror and ESCAPED. My very first adrenaline rush at breaking a rule and getting away with it!!
I know, my moral compass is twisted but who cares. These police men, they catch people for not wearing helmets even near their homes and make them pay fine and use that money for their own personal use (which probably involves getting drunk at the end of the day!!). But not every policemen are like this. But most of them are (even policemen are humans and its a human tendency to go against set rules now and then!).
I wish I was this lucky the other 5 times I was caught at different places in Mysore (I could have bought a nice dress with 500 bucks!! :-/ ). Now-a-days riding without helmet would probably make you pay 500Rs as fine. Yep, they have increased the fine. So, better be careful. Helmet is itchy and heavy and irritating and makes my forehead sweat, but still I can't deny that it did once protect my head when I fell off my vehicle by accident!! I still hate wearing it, but the thought of losing 500 bucks makes me stick it ruefully on my head, every time I head out of my house!!
P.S: This was intended to be just a Flash 55 but I got a lot of stories up my sleeve where ever my vehicle and helmet are involved!! :P
That Adrenaline Rush is intoxicating whenever I see a Police Man from a distant and I can't escape.
ReplyDeleteMost Policemen who use a bike don't have a Helmet for themselves.
And Flash-55 nicely written.
Thanks Ajay and yeah, you are right. I've seen policemen without helmet and yet we are the ones who end up paying fine!!
Deletehahaha brilliant and i loved that story as well. nicely done with the fiction as well as breaking the rule :D.
ReplyDeleteThanks Deba :)
DeleteEven better than the previous 1.
ReplyDeleteWell, being in the health care, all I can say is: by riding a two wheeler without a helmet, people are increasing their chances of being candidates for organ donation. Many of those whom we see in the Trauma Emergency with extensive brain damage are those unfortunate people who met with an accident while on two wheeler without their helmet on. Is'nt our life more valuble than those 500 buks or the comfort we enjoy by not wearing helmet?
Thanks Leo. Thanks really unfortunate :( . We often forget our safety in the face of comfort.
DeleteI know helmet wearing can be pretty uncomfortable...Just yesterday I saw an accident site with the bike lying down and the first thing I thought was 'Hope he was wearing a helmet' ...So atleast for saving the 500 bucks do keep your helmet on whenever you r on your bike :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the advice Jaish :)
DeleteFlash 55 is excellent. You really seem to have lot of experience which can serve as useful tips. The best tip perhaps is to wear the helmet.
ReplyDeleteThank you Hariharan and thanks for the tip ;) :)
DeleteI loved the fiction but being a Mom I must naturally rebuke you for taking the risk without wearing the helmet.
ReplyDeleteHonestly if you had seen some of the road accidents I have seen then you would not dare venture out without helmet.
Ya I know :( ... but I'm a really good rider. But can't tell anything about the way others ride their vehicle. So I never forget to wear helmet while going to college as its quite far from my home.
Deletehonest. flash 55. ever. :)
ReplyDeleteand ya, i kinda agree with Farila... it aint how safe you are.. its how safe the other guy is that matters