The great road show

When I was young, I was thrilled by circus shows where daredevil stunts were performed by men and women who would ride motorbikes on a globe. Nowadays, such stunts are witnessed on our city roads, performed by the youth on their two-wheelers. There are many brave hearts who can zoom through the crowded traffic by zigzagging their way without losing balance while riding. These riders can excel in manoeuvering their way more craftily than a stunt man.

Our roads are made to order for such dashing acts. Even our scientists who spent all their life in studying the crates on the moon would be baffled by these craters and humps on our roads. Our two-wheeler riders who successfully beat these obstacles should be crowned with gallantry awards of the highest order.

On many roads, there is hardly any difference a road and a footpath. Here the riders in order to beat traffic congestion at junctions ride on the footpaths itself. If a pedestrian questions their trespassing he will get a scornful look by these riders which is slightly offset with their helmets on. Otherwise, the sharpness of their stare would have destroyed the man in front of them.

Sometimes the luggage carried on two-wheelers will be more than what a mini tempo can accommodate. Hamara Bajaj scooter is the best example which acted as a carrier of both human beings and their luggage for many decades. Sometime back, I saw a two-wheeler approaching fully loaded with plastic toys, balls and balloons. Even my sharp vision could not make the presence of the rider. He stopped in front of a shop, coolly unloaded the bulk material and zoomed away.

Some riders will keep talking on the mobile by clutching it between their ear and shoulder. They must see objects in front of them sideways. Some others will fix the mobile inside their helmets. More sophisticated ones use hands-free earphones. Some others are service-oriented, the pillion rider will hold the mobile for the rider.

The great road show will not come to an end without its latest invention. Young riders, helped by their pillions, ride their bikes on the back wheel. These drag racers can outmatch many characters from Hollywood sci-fi films or even our own super star’s Endiran –The Robot. While they are doing their hair-raising acts on the roads they are raising the heartbeats of the chicken-hearted.