Well, Friday was a lucky for me. Was on my way to office riding on Hosur Road. Suddenly, I felt like one of the Gaulish villagers in Asterix comics who are always worried that the sky would fall on their heads. I felt something go 'thunk' on my head. Slowed down my bike and looked around. Realised that it was a big piece of the overhanging branch from the one trees that line the road. Patted myself for wearing my helmet. Else, it would have been a closed chapter! Not that I am a major fan of helmets or anything, actually I would prefer not wearing them! Today was travelling in an auto, and was thinking about different, innovative uses for bike accessories in Bangalore. Here goes:
Helmet - Used commonly as an oversized elbow guard. You can see most younsters on bikes with the helmet neatly safeguarding the elbow. Uh sure, the head is stronger than the elbows, so they need more protection ;-)
Horn - Used as a musical instrument. Especially at traffic signals and traffic jams! Any of them could give Rahman and Reshammiya a run for their money! I guess the typical Bangalorean is taught when learning to ride/drive that at any point of time, either the brakes (ref:see below for brakes) or the horn has to be used! Not using any one of the two would lead to harmful consequences!
Brakes - Used as an alternate to the horn in most vehicles in Bangalore - especially buses. When they got to slow down or stop, it almost sounds like an earthquake ready to occur!! Also vividly reminds me of the Hercules MTB bicycle (a brown colored one on which the guys used to try circus tricks and patao-fy the school babes ;-)) They used to have the loudest brakes around! (not the babes, the cycles)!
Rear View Mirror - Used almost ubiquitously as a green-room mirror - adjusting hairstyles, counting pimples, applying lipstick/kajal, and also to check out the Python (for the uninitiated, Pretty Young Thing on a kinetic HONda/HONda Activa :-D) behind you!
Petrol tank - Used commonly as an extra seat (especially where the family has 2 children). Usually the youngest child gets the dreaded tank seat. Something similar to the silly-point/short-leg position in cricket, where the newest team member has the honor of being in the firing line! No wonder the kid would grow up permanently scarred for life (no pun intended)
Headlights - Used as a WMD. Blind 'em out seems to be the motto! Always used on high-beam except for during daytime when they flash winking signals at passers-by.
Tail-lights - Eh? What are they? Does something like that even exist??
3 comments:
brings back memories of the chaotic Bengalooru .. been there done that eh ? :-)
... tho personally, having made my Helmet a means of statement (not necessarily a fashion one alone) , I started using the same reg .. and I rem u took a feather off my cap .. err helmet too :-D
How about the variuos 'stickering' on cars and bikes and the horrendous air horns ?? nary a mention !
You got tagged !!
http://www.luciferian.blogspot.com/
Once they said it rains cats and dogs
Now they say it just rained logs.
Once he said helmets are very uncool
Now he says hey i was such a fool:-d
Anyways good to note you wear that helmet of yours!
You missed one quinessential part of the bike, the oasis of love - "The Seat"
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