These days having a two-wheeler is a basic necessity in urban & rural parts of the country. People in India specially the youth enjoys riding their bikes. I have been riding a bike on daily basis since 1998. I have seen several road accidents in my tenure of riding in city roads as well as highways. 90% of the two-wheeler accidents are caused due to people neglecting very simple things.It is sheer irony that maximum of our youth get a motorcycle to showoff these days and they forget to ride the bike in a proper & correct manner. People riding a bike should always have their side mirrors. Many people these days remove the rear view mirrors as they feel that would be a reduction in the styling, instead they put some fancy brass items in place of the mirrors. This is one big mistake. The rear view mirrors are meant for getting a clear view of the traffic coming right behind you, this is one of the basic safety features provided by the manufacturer. Without mirrors you loose the vision & absolutely have no idea about the traffic at the back of your head. That makes life difficult for people riding behind you as well. While changing the lane or overtaking with no vision from behind may lead to a minor or a major accident.
As said one mistake leads to another. People riding without rear view mirrors often don't use the helmet. As using a helmet on a bike without rear view mirrors make life difficult. Some youngsters also don't use the helmet just to showoff. But, here they forget that they are playing with their own lives. They don't tend to value life. Some say that carrying a helmet everywhere is a big pain. But they forget something that is called a "helmet holder" that can be fitted to the bike which also comes with a lock (for people who don't know what a helmet holder is). Some say that what's the use of wearing a helmet when it covers your face & people wont recognize you in a helmet. Please stop this bull***t guys. You get only one life & life is beautiful. Helmet is a must on any kind of a two wheeler.There are people who use fog lamps & HED lights for city riding. These selfish a**holes using these lights in a upper mode to show off how they are different from others. This is extremely dangerous for the people travelling from the opposite side as it blocks the vision of the rider or the driver. This can lead to an accident. Either the person from the opposite side might bang you head-on or might end up banging on the side of the roads. I have seen such incidents. Some idiots rip off the side indicators from the bike, as it makes the bike look more aggressive without indicators (WTF!!!). They play with their own lives along with others.
Most riders tend to ride beyond speed limits in the city area. Result, losing control over their own bike & causing an accident. People also ride or drive from opposite lanes in order to overtake someone. This has also led to several accidents where the road is narrow or a single lane road. Due to such foolish people several riders meet with a nasty accident which might lead to a life-time injury or even death.
However, there are riders who respect not only their lives but also care for other's, these sensible riders often are part of biker groups and they value the safety and traffic rules. Responsible riders like these and many others who not only understand the value of life but also respect the basic traffic rules are our ray of hope and they are the ones who can be considered as ideals and must be taken as inspiration. Hence, I would say that 90% of accidents are caused due to negligent riding & not following traffic rules. If we follow traffic rules & ride with a sense of responsibility our country would altogether be a paradise for riders.
By: Kshitij Bhavsar