This post is dedicated to all the bikers in the world and Castrol Grand Indian Road Trip. And written for @indiblogger contest #bikercode contest. The satire and sarcasms are all intentional and a part of greater plan to invoke traffic sense in to common people and to infuse sense of responsibility while riding a bike. Play on some Steppenwolf's “Born to be wild” now, will you, Jeeves!
I’m an average Indian male and a biker by necessity. I work at a Marine surveying company as a surveyor and have to travel almost daily to various places and carry out loss assessment surveys. I ride like any other average Indian male who rides out of his basic requirement to go to his office, fulfil his passion (work for boss) and job satisfaction (avoiding overcrowded trains). I am not a biker by passion. I am a biker by necessity. Ironically, I don’t own a bullet either, but a Hero Honda “Passion”.
When I am not biking, I am a regular guy doing regular things. But once I put on the head phones, helmet and glares and am on road to destination, I say screw the travel. I don’t look back. I drive in any lane which suits me and where the road is available. The best part is I am not alone in doing so. Many other daily office goers ride the wind like I do, not literally of course.
Our aim, as necessity bikers, is one and only one. Reach on time and reach by whatsoever means. We don’t care about traffic rules, we don’t care about signals, we do not at all care about jay walkers and heck we sure give a tough time to other 4 wheelers and heavy vehicles that attempt to ply on the road. Of course its our right to pass first. That’s the reason they don’t take toll charges from us, remember?
See this video at 1.50 mins afterwards. See how the dude cuts in across the lane. We live that stuff daily and on minute by minute basis. I am a proud biker.
As a biker, that too by destiny and not by choice, I live by certain codes. Reach early, maintain the petrol tank in reserve condition always and to maintain the tyre’s air pressure. Tyres can make or break lives when it comes to biking. So. Its simpler form of Zen and the art of motor cycle maintenance.
I’m not like those pseudo weekend trip making riders, who believe biking is freedom. It is in a sense, until someone infringes upon it by cutting in to your lane illegally, at least. And in India that happens a lot. As an Indian I know the value of freedom. Hence when I ride the road, its total anarchy, baby. And a million other riders tread the road like its anarchy. Heck, if road was the “road to freedom”, we would enslave it and make it work its ass off like our bosses make us.
Long hauls brings out its moments though. A sense of responsibility creeps in automatically because there are bigger vehicles running on the road as well. The dead of the silence and the revving of the engine brings in a trance when the playlist on the i-pod ends. I feel closer to the nature and the road. Like I dwell in the equilibrium state between God’s creation and man made wonders.
The raiding dust upon the glares brings about a sense of realization. Where one comes from and where one will go. I find peace. Emotionally detached from it all yet being a part of it all and enjoying it in a third perspective. Marvelling at people, cars, nature, birds, animals, mountains, greenery. I find myself in heaven. The grotesque carcases of road kills, sadly, brings me back to reality of it all once again. I rev again. Life is like that. Play it hard until its there. You never know what God has in store for you.
So I live by my life like I live by on the road. Every day I turn the ignition on, heat up the engine, Rev it to reach to my destination. The road gone by remains in memories for later reminiscing. I live my life by distance tread per time and enjoy the journey. Fuck it. No Regrets man.
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