No path for the feet

Short cuts

There was a time when roads were meant for vehicles and the footpath for pedestrians. However, the picture is no more a flawless one. With the increase in the population in the city, there is a drastic increase in motor vehicles too. So much so that each day is a struggle for commuters to reach their destination on time.

With an intention to fight this problem, many bikers tend to seek an alternate route, which amounts to nothing but conquering the space meant for pedestrians.  As soon as the lights turn red, two-wheeler riders take on footpaths with pride, least bothered about traffic rules and how people around them are getting affected.

Melvin George, an MBA student, says, “I ride a two-wheeler but never dare to ride on footpaths. Roads are meant for vehicles of all kinds and everyone is in the same situation when it comes to traffic. We all get stuck in traffic and I understand it might be annoying. However, riding on the footpath is not a solution at all; it causes inconvenience to other people especially pedestrians.”

He points out that there have been times when this behaviour has led to arguments and even fights between pedestrians and riders. These riders tend to argue with others when clearly, they are the ones at fault. This certainly creates a lot of traffic congestion and adds to the confusion.

“Footpaths are not for vehicles to ride on, they are specifically meant for pedestrians. There are a lot of problems that everyone on the road faces because of this careless attitude of bikers. Use the roads to ride and drive and let pedestrians walk on their side,” says R Hitendra, Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic). He highlights that there are a number of cases that are registered on a daily basis and the owners are faced with penalties.

Melvin suggests that the authorities plan for a separate lane for two-wheelers which can be of some relief to the troublesome jams. “There is an app introduced by the Bengaluru Traffic Police that helps one trace any kind of traffic violation and report it to the police. A simple step of clicking a picture of the violator and uploading it on the app can penalise the violator,” he states.

Zeishah Amlani, a professional, says that although riding on footpaths is not a solution and is totally uncalled for, there are times when it becomes absolutely unavoidable. She says, “Sometimes there are no traffic cops at the signals when there are heavy traffic jams and the traffic signals also doesn’t work properly.

That’s when some people take this desperate step.” However, she too feels that violating traffic rules is not justified. “I believe that there are two kinds of people on the road.  There are those who violate traffic rules everyday; it has become a habit for them and they somehow get pleasure breaking rules. Such people have complete disregard for authority. And then there are those who are sometimes bound to resort to such desperate measures.”