A matter of life and death

A few days back one of my friend was supposed to have an eye operation. Signing the formal papers and understanding the whole operation process and its complications she all set for the operation. But then this doctor had a great idea of inviting her to see the operation procedure on the other patients before her in the line. While she was seeing the patient getting anaesthesia, then the cornea being cut up, things started getting too messy and raw and may be too frightfull for a non medical person to see. The whole idea that these things would be done on her eyes was enough for her to get scared and drop the whole idea of her operation. People around her had a good reason for laugh and make fun of her. But somehow I could relate to the whole incidence quite well, as I was a witness to such raw and scary incidence myself.

Travelling in Bangalore is always a nightmare and specially for the two wheelers riders with the Cabs and Lorries zipping and zooming around. Though the two wheeler drivers are no less responsible for reckless driving and creating a dangerous situation for themselves. Since the day I came to Banalgore there has not been a single week when I have not witnessed an accident, luckily they were all minor ones. But last week I saw the most horrible scene in my life. While coming on the Outer Ring Road from KR Puram to Hebbal I saw a motorcycle driver crushed to death by a lorry. The accident had taken place about 4-5 mins before I reached the place. At first I could not see what has happened and there were some cars arround the place and then I saw a body lying on the road. My first intution was he is just injured and we can take him to the hospital, but then i suddenly noticed that his skull was wide open and his gray matter spread around on the road. It was a horrifying scene and I could feel blood getting freezed in my veins and my brain just stopped working. I ould not think what I should do, should I stay there and do something but what do I do? I could not stand the situation and just drove away. I know I was a coward but that moment seeing all that I could not do more and I dont think that I could have done anything staying there also.

A few kilometers down the road I found a Lorry stopped in the middle of the road and 1-2 people talking to a guy looking like the driver of the lorry. On the next traffic signal I went upto the traffic police man and told him about the accident. He got busy on the wireless and started directing the patrolling vehicle to the accident spot. Then he cam up to me and told me that the lorry driver has been caught and been beaten like a donkey by the mob, and from his tone it looked like even he was not interested in saving him. At that moment I was left wondering will beating the driver help anyone or can it bring back the life of that biker. Though it looks quite evident that the fault would have been of the lorry driver as he was driving the bigger vehicle and by default he has to be the one responsible. But I am not sure if that would be true becuase one thing that I had noticed and which got stuck in my mind was the biker's helmet was perfectly fine and single piece, that means he was not wearing a helmet at the fatefull moment. As I had not seen the accident so cannot tell who was the person responsible for the accident but I am sure the biker was reckless in taking care of himself. Driving on the Ring Road at late night was never safe and on top of that if someone is not wearing a helmet its almost an open invitaion to death.

I myself luckily escaped a similar accident during college days when I was not wearing a helmet and was stuck by a lorry on the highway, but I have lost a very very close friend of mine when hit by a speeding truck. With the stressed life we are always carrying a burden on our heads may be of not missing the project dealines or reaching office on time, we are always under the time pressure. Over speeding cars, trucks, bikes, cabs and lorries are all part of this time pressure. Looking back at these incidences is very painfull but gives me only one lesson, though the matter of life and death is not in our hand but to try to save ourselves is surely in our hand. If we drive safely and sensibly and understand our responsibilites on the road we can surely save our life and may be of others.