On the wrong path

Any road in the city, during peak hours or otherwise, is the usual setting for a few instances of rule breaking.

A common sight are two-wheeler riders who feel that  footpaths are included in their 'rideable' territory.  Apart from riding on the footpaths, some of these riders even have the audacity to honk at the pedestrians walking on the pavement. Some Bengalureans tell Tini Sara Anien the ways in which they react if they see a motorist on the footpath.  

 Divya BR, project
manager with an MNC  

"Unfortunately, this is a common sight on every road now, especially on the stretch between KR Puram and Whitefield. As a woman, I  try to be careful about the way I react when I see instances like these. But I do make it a point to take a picture of the violation and post it on the Bengaluru Traffic Police website and social media platforms. This is the only way the situation can attract attention. It's not easy to catch the rule breakers on the spot."      

Simi Choudhury,
HR Leader for an IT firm  

"I get startled when I see a vehicle
behind me on a footpath, where I believe  that I am quite safe. In the last few years, I have noticed that this is a common sight. Whenever I encounter such a situation, I  stare at the perpetrators, sometimes even gesture with my hands to ask them if they know what they are doing. Some stare back while others
give an apologetic look, as if trying to explain their situation. It is sad that
Bengaluru doesn't have many good footpaths and  even the best ones see
vehicular movement on it. The worst part is when the lawmakers themselves break the rules. How does one react to that?"

Biju AP, businessman

"Some  two-wheeler riders are so used to travelling on the footpath that even at 6.30 am, when there is no traffic, you can see them on the pathway. If I could, I would physically stop them from moving ahead and give them a piece of my mind. Even if the  talk doesn't help, the lawbreakers will remember the quarrel for some time.  Clicking a photograph of them and sharing it with the traffic authorities is the only way out."  

Mohammad Mujahid Altafhusain Kittur, HR professional with a hospital.

"The first thing that  my friends and I do when we see a motorist on the  footpath  is to shout out 'Superman', for the way they whizz past pedestrians. When we scream this, some riders turn around. Sometimes they pause for a few moments, where we approach them and explain that what they are doing is wrong. Most people know this but don't care anyway. I particularly dislike it when some are bold enough to even honk at pedestrians. Once a similar incident happened at Marathahalli and I didn't allow the motorist to go any further.  Nothing  happens even if you voice out though."