Maniac on Mehrauli-Gurgaon road Guys, I've been busy shifting house from South Delhi to Gurgaon and today is probably the first time in almost a week that I've logged in. Just thought I'd share an experience that happened yesterday morning.......(pardon the long post!)
I normally drop the kids to school in the mornings, gives me a chance to spend some time with them and stretch my heavy-foot with the car what with good roads and no traffic! Well, having just moved to G'gaon, was in the process of trying out alternative routes to their school in Chanakyapuri, so went via the highway the first day and was trying the Mehrauli-G'gaon road y'day.
It was a little after 6.50 in the morning, a fair sprinkling of cars but moving fairly fast. In my usual style I was moving along quickly, there were a couple of cars in front and ahead of that I could see a Scorpio...all of a sudden, I sensed and then saw the Scorpio braked HARD, cars in front started stopping, looked in my mirror, saw the left was clear so swerved and went past. Then I saw the reason for the Scorpio having stopped so suddenly, there was a White Tucson that had just STOPPED in front and from the gesticulations of the gentleman in the Scorpio, I realized that he was (probably) furious because the guy had stopped deliberately.
So I just give a glance at the Tucson (looked like a driver or mechanic to me) and carry on at my pace (around 90 kmph)....the next thing I see in my mirror is the Tucson STREAKING up the left hand lane at what I felt was breakneck speed....I was just about to overtake a tractor & I realized that the lunatic was going to overtake at any cost so I slowed down a bit (didn't want to get up to my old tricks with the kids in the car). Guess what next? He overtakes and cuts in violently in front of me (I'd anticipated that seeing his style in the rear view mirror), then he slams on his brakes......again, I was prepared so I was ready and slammed on mine as well from about 80 kmph, car stopped without a squeal (the brakes on the Fiesta are awesome, this just reinforced it, had it been the Ikon, anticipation and all, I would have probably tailgated him!).
Now, given my normal hot headed tendencies, I would have probably gone after the bugger from the left, pulled across him and stopped...something told me this guy wasn't in his senses so we just watched what he did next (kids were not scared, nor was wife but were all a little jolted nonetheless, you don't expect this kind of stuff when you are on your way early morning minding your own business!).......he just went after one of the call center Sumos that was next in his way! He just overtook him from the right and then veered SHARPLY to the left as if he was going to ram him off the road....the Sumo guy was so rattled, he swerved left and braked hard and went off the road and stopped so that the guy couldn't have another go at him.
Next, he overtook another vehicle from the left at a bus stop (there was a bus waiting and people were getting off and were crossing the road) and CUT IN at high speed in front of that vehicle to avoid the Bus (I though he was going to topple over but maybe he had the traction control activated or something) so he avoided what may have been a major skid (mind you, ALL THE WHILE, he was at breakneck speed) & also running over a few people!
By now, I was maintaining a safe distance behind the lunatic - around 85-90 kmph nonetheless but no attempt to overtake him (It was like watching an action movie unfold). Even that was not enough for him so he slows down and indicates that I should pass him....so I go past and he is grinning like a cheshire cat...he must have been stoned or sloshed out of his senses....then again, as soon as I went past him, he came up from the left again and overtook me at full pelt!
For those of you who are familiar with that road, by now we were at the Chattarpur crossing and I would be taking a left turn into Vasant Kunj and so did our man ahead of me.....and then, he stopped at the bus stop there to leer and (probably) ogle at some women who were waiting there. I went past him but he had other vices on his mind so he didn't follow.
Now guys, can you imagine people of this nature with a new expensive SUV being out on the streets early morning, trying to goad people into perhaps getting off their car and into an altercation....and then what!? He's stoned or pissed so either he runs you over or maybe he's armed and he shoots you!
Needless to mention, there was not a single Delhi Police vehicle anywhere on this stretch and no one wanted to stop because I'm sure the same thing would have been running through their minds...what if this was a local criminal who was armed?
Sometimes, I really wonder...where are we headed as far as indiscipline and lawlessness in road behaviour are concerned? I'm not sure if I've managed to convey the crazy 7 or 10 minutes that all cars on that stretch faced but believe me, my adrenalin was flowing and I really had to restrain myself because I had my family in the car (their safety has always been of paramount importance to me and I really control my short fuse as far as possible these days) and (also) because it was a new car and I didn't want to bang it up.
Anyways, life moves on, just though I'd share my experience with you guys...he wasn't there today though! And Godfather, just read your post and can understand why you lost your cool. Pity about your car and thank God the biker didn't have serious injuries!
Cheers!
Last edited by suman : 20th April 2006 at 19:08.
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