Riding Kathmandu

Someone who rides fast, makes good turns and clears a traffic jam quick and easy is a good rider. Definitely, but not here in Kathmandu.

Pedestrians face problems walking the roads in Kathmandu. Perhaps they don’t have enough road to walk. Bicyclist are most vulnerable to accidents here. Motor bikers have so called bigger difficulties. Cars, micro-bus and big buses have their road problems to deal with. What is wrong with the traffic system? Or is it the people who have lost their senses?

I listen to all kinds of people who walk every day; ride- bicycle, motorbikes, cars, micro-bus and bus. Bus and micro bus drivers accuse motorbikes for causing jam. I tell you micro bus drivers are the roughest riders here in Kathmandu. Perhaps they must be responsible for increasing stress and heart disease in people; inside the vehicle and pedestrians too. Nevertheless, unnecessary use of horn is an irritation.

How irresponsible are the bus drivers? They stop their bus behind another bus and when the front one doesn’t move they rotate their handle bar to its optimum capacity to turn it right leaving all other stuck vehicles to kiss their back. To them, ‘I am big means I am powerful, I am the King of the road’.

The motor bikers curse micro-buses for riding rough, big vehicles for blowing horn, pedestrians for being careless (old, women and children) and don’t even spare dogs. The motor bikers in Kathmandu are the busiest people on earth. He owns a bike means he owns the road.

A car normally acts as a show off or display item to relatives, pals and competitors rather than fulfilling its true purpose (not all). Car owners are afraid if someone makes scratch on their property and therefore are very slow.

Bicycle users want to compete with the motor vehicles.

Hey buddy! You don’t fit in middle of the road. Take the left side. You are small, don’t get crushed.

Pedestrians never fail to blame anyone. They don’t own a vehicle thus never learn how to cross the roads. Who cares how difficult it is to put the emergency brakes? ‘Zebra crossing is for Zebras and flyover for birds’ isn’t it?

Then, who is a decent road user?

In Kathmandu, a sensible rider is a good rider. More precisely an empathetic person is a better road user. Care and have a sense of belonging. Most importantly ‘be careful’. How to be careful? Keep only one thing in mind while riding, ‘I am riding’ and ‘I am walking’ while you are walking.

P.S. No offense to anybody 🙂

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