Sad and Shocking
The biking community suffered another big loss last month with the demise of Navroze Contractor in a road accident on the outskirts of Bengaluru. Navroze was a member of the Next Gen team, specifically Bike India and Car India, from day one and from the very first issue of these two magazines. In fact, he was on our editorial advisory board.
Navroze was a genuine motorcyclist. He loved riding motorcycles and he died doing just that. He had ridden motorcycles across the globe and done photography for none other than Motor Cycle News, UK. The sad part is that he was killed in an accident for no fault of his. It was the other rider coming down the wrong way who hit him at such a great speed that the front end of his bike got ripped off the chassis.
Indeed, it is sad that we keep losing people in road accidents for no fault of theirs just because some idiot is not willing to go those 100 or 200 metres to make a U-turn. Shame that innocent people lose their lives and such morons get away.
To cite an instance, at Koregaon Park in Pune, near the Hotel Blue Diamond, we see four policemen waiting to catch people who take a left turn disregarding the traffic signal, so that they may fine them. About 50 metres from where these policemen stand, people on two-wheelers, three-wheelers, cars, and small pick-up trucks keep going down the wrong way, but they take no action against them. I think riding or driving down the wrong way is a bigger offence than making a left turn where it is not a free left turn.
Dear Navroze, you may be gone but never forgotten. Ride in peace, my friend.
Aspi Bhathena
Editor
