#Roadrage in Delhi: Biker incident rekindles safety debate

The incident has alarmed social media users, especially bikers in the city, who admits feeling unsafe on the city roads.

Most people in Delhi-NCR were left speechless after seeing the video of a man driving a four-wheeler hitting a biker on Sunday near Arjan Garh Metro Station.The victim who identifies himself as Shreyansh S, shared his ordeal on Instagram, and later the accused driver, an LLB student, was arrested.

The accused, a 26-year-old LLB student, allegedly tried to mow down a biker in the national capital. The video went viral on social media, prompting Delhi Police to take cognisance of the matter.

‘Scared to drive post this incident’

The incident has alarmed social media users, especially bikers in the city, who admits feeling unsafe on the city roads. “I am scared to drive my bike post this incident,” says Mohit Kharbanda, a Delhi-based who rides as part of Highway Players. “It is very unfortunate and quite disappointing to see how the road etiquette in the Capital has deteriorated, to such an extent. As an avid traveller and motorcyclist, I have never seen such gross negligence of traffic rules. I hope the concerned authorities take all the appropriate measures to bring the accused to justice,” he adds.

‘This treatment from egoistic people is unacceptable’

Sharing a first-hand account, Dr Neharika Yadav, a dental surgeon and a superbike racer from Gurugram, tells us: “A month ago, on a ride, a couple of us riders were almost thrown off the road by a man in a car. He came really close and tried to hit our bikes. It seemed like he was just (full of) ego. It’s really sad to see such behaviour towards bikers. As a community, you will see that in most instances we ride with all the safety gear and follow all road safety rules to protect not just ourselves but also each and everyone on the road. But this treatment from egoistic people is unacceptable. This road rage must stop!”

‘Being a female rider I always try to avoid any conversations with strangers’

“Incidents like these show how anger overpowers one, and how they get ready to play with someone’s life,” opines Nupur Agarwal Kalra, from the biking group Rustic Riders. “Being a female rider, I always try to avoid any conversation with strangers, on roads. There are people who try to follow or overtake you. I just avoid any unpleasant situation and quietly follow my route without paying any attention to them. But this incident has shook me! You never know where you can encounter these kind of people.”

Expert says don’t respond, give space

“The best way to avoid any such incident is to avoid getting into any argument with anyone while riding. Secondly, when riding in a group, always ride in a line with proper lead and tail along with the ride marshals, who know how to lead the convoy,” adds Kalra.

Psychologist Aishwaraya Goud suggests if you, as a rider, encounter a situation where you could be a possible victim, then must not respond to individuals showing aggression, physically or verbally, and give them space to go ahead. She adds, “The behaviour of road rage comes down to the emotion of displaced anger, which could be rooted in high levels of stress and frustration that an individual faces in their life. These individuals, who display road rage, are more likely to be aggressive and impulsive in nature. To prevent and reduce such incidents from occurring it is important for individuals to practice relaxation techniques on a daily basis and use deep slow breathing exercises as a coping mechanism on the spot, when they feel angry. Box breathing particularly helps in calming oneself down. Additionally, it is important to seek help from a psychologist who can teach cognitive reframing techniques to cope with anger in healthier ways.” 

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