Monday morning, many of us came across a video clip shared by a woman biker from Gurgaon, in which her sports bike was hit by a speeding car that drove away after the collision. The biker shared the video on Instagram and narrated that the incident took place on Sunday morning when she was riding her sports bike with members of her biking group on Golf Course Road in Gurgaon.In the clip, she says she had been chased from the beginning of her ride. She adds that she kept driving ahead to prevent the car from blocking her way, but the driver continued to chase her. It eventually resulted in a collision at a turn, after which the driver sped away. She also says that one of her friends chased the driver and managed to stop him at a traffic signal, but the driver denied hitting the bike and drove away.While many in the comments section of the post expressed anger and outrage over how unsafe the streets of NCR have become, the incident itself did not really come as a surprise to anyone who watched the video. Sadly, such incidents appear all too familiar to those of us who commute across NCR regularly.While watching the video, many of us would have probably recalled a similar incident that we have either faced ourselves or witnessed on the road. Some commuters may get lucky and escape without being hurt, but there are certainly several such cases that never make it to social media and are never formally reported.In the recent video, the woman also says that when she asked the driver to maintain some distance he responded aggressively. Unfortunately, this too comes as no surprise. Many of us know from our own experiences that, in such situations, it can sometimes feel safer not to say anything at all in order to avoid confrontation. One never knows how even a simple request made to a fellow rider or driver about their driving will be received, or what it may escalate into.And that, perhaps, is the more disturbing part. The fear is not only of reckless driving, but also of what may follow if you object to it.We often talk about road safety in terms of helmets, seat belts, speed limits, traffic rules and better enforcement. All of these matter. But there is another element that receives far less attention: Basic road behaviour. No amount of safety gear can fully protect a commuter from another person’s impatience, aggression or disregard for the rules.The incident is yet another reminder that once you are out on NCR roads, you may have all your safety gear in place and may be following every rule yourself, but a significant part of your safety still rests in the hands of the riders and drivers you encounter along the way. And that is perhaps the most unsettling reality of commuting in the region today.
