The Unequal Road!

Imagine a traffic crossing where a car driver and a motorcyclist jump the red light. Now imagine the cop snatching the keys from the vehicle. In your imagination, did the cop take the motorcycle keys or the car's? You thought of a motorcycle, didn’t you? It’s difficult to imagine a cop snatching a car key—unless it’s an old Maruti 800, an Alto, or maybe a small commercial four-wheeler. With motorcycles, it feels obvious. Yes, the number of traffic violations is much higher in the case of two-wheelers, but the treatment? Well, that’s a different sociological study altogether. The law may be the same for everyone, but its enforcement is not.

- Kranti Sambhav

I'll be honest: I tried looking for other ideas, but the visuals kept coming back on my timeline, and I couldn’t stop myself. This isn’t the ideal New Year or typical January-mood topic (as the editorial hinted), but in a way, it is optimistic. While many Indians seem to have given up, I am hopeful that we can try to revive India’s road safety record and make the roads safer—especially for the two-wheeler guys. What if our agencies (and the popping-a-wheelie-on-city-streets, helmetless, self-proclaimed bikers) add this to their resolution lists—respect motorcycles and motorcyclists!