Why do people race…??

I never got the answer to this question, simply because the bike i ride answers a second question, “why do people cruise..??”

But, at 200cc /18 BHP, she is capable of answering the first question, and she did that today.

It was Adventure Biking day today!!!

It wasn't planned to be, nor has the adventure got anything to do with taking on challenges, steep and slippery roads or any such thing, it was just a state of mind and the bike responding to it. Because, it was the same home to office , office to home stretch that i do everyday. Typically, in a single line, last lane,  sedate speed, and calm mind. You see, normally i am not very adventurous with my bike.

Today, of course, was different.

Set off for office – normal style, and for some reason (some thought or remembrance that  bought about a sudden rush of blood) kept on increasing my speed, weaving in and out of traffic(at one point i had a ST bus behind me), mostly in the first lane, super fluctuating speeds and at one point i suddenly came down from about 60 kmph to zero. My lovely bike, stable as ever, stopped but not before i had almost touched that guy and he fell on the ground.

Hua aisa, the suman nagar signal turned green, all the trucks moved ahead and this fellow , who was in a hurry, decided to cross the road in front of the trucks. On the left, i was speeding in, but instinctively cautious ( cos people do this at that place everyday!) and this guy came just in front…. eyes in front, eyes on both mirrors, horn, left hand fingers (clutch),right foot (rear brake) and right hand fingers (front brake) all worked in a co-ordinated manner for me to stop – the fellow was still startled and fell down. I was about remove my helmet , but the traffic guy helped him up, whacked him and said “tumhi jaa saheb, traffic jaam karu naka”.  So, off i went.

I had reached office in about 7 minutes less than i normally do (its 19 kms). reflecting on the ride as i sipped on to the lassi, i said, i’ll drive normally on the way back.

That was not to be the case.

For the mind has been far from normal, far from calm for the last 2 days. As i set about doing things, all the irritation built up and finally when i did not get any partner for the movie (i had 4 potential partners the previous day – next day all vanished for reasons ranginging from  “going with wife” to indecision) i just left. With the mind racing already.

I probably recorded the lowest time from office to home. My bike might describe the ride as brutal and violent – quite the opposite of what its used too.

But it was fun. Now i know the answer.

(PS: Guruji’s response to these adventures - “With great power, comes great responsibility.Be careful”. Guess this will be useful when i get my Triumph!!)