When truck hit my bike

It was the Friday evening and I was on my way home. Everything was usual until I stopped at Jogeshwari signal.

I was about to leave my office when my colleague asked me to wait for 5 min as he was also joining me. I gave him a lift till the bus stop and then headed towards the highway. I really had no idea about what the coming time had got for me. Just recalling the happenings of the whole day I was enjoying my ride.

It was the pedestrian crossing at Jogeshwari when the signal just turned from Orange to Red and I decided to stop my bike and not jump that signal. I wish I should have…

In just 15 seconds a Sumo raced in a great speed and in next 15 seconds a truck came and hit my bike from behind. “BANG”…. “$#%^%^#%^#^^”

My bike and I fell down on the road. I was shocked to the core.

Thanks to my luck that there were no injuries as such. I got up immediately and shouted at the truck driver. (#$#$#$###$##$)

In seconds huge crowd gathered over there. A fellow helped me to pick my bike and took it off the road to park it. The whole crowd yelled at the truck driver and told him to take the truck off the road.

I had lost my composure; I didn’t know how to react. I was thankful that I was safe but my bike’s taillight and reflector were crushed into pieces. Also there was some damage to the side body of the bike. Everything happened so fast that there was no time to think about anything.

As soon as the truck driver came out of the truck 2-3 people just slapped him left right. (“Thad”… “thad”… “thad”). The crowd was yelling at him. He was brought near my bike.

He was a very young chap, might be 21-22 years old. I could clearly see the fear in his eyes of getting beaten by the public or being handed over to the police. He explained to me that he tried his best to put on the breaks but still was unsuccessful to prevent the accident.

Thankfully I didn’t over reacted and yelled or slapped him else public would have taken him left n right, up and down, in and out. More over as there was no major injury to me things actually cooled down to a certain level.

It was the public who told me not go to the police, as it will be a big scene. They told me to just take away the damages. It was the public who negotiated with him from Rs.500 to the final claim of Rs.300. I was still not out of the shock to really take control of the situation or command anything. I was just accepting the happenings.

Thanks to Mumbai public, you really don’t have to worry; they are there to take care of everything.

The driver handed me the money and went away, the public also got scattered. Some asked me if I was fine? And some gave their comments on the possible damages to the bike.

I knew 300 Rs would be peanuts considering the damage but I was really thankful to god for being safe.

People say riding a bike in Mumbai is risky. As my dad always says, “You might be the best driver but there are others on the road, you may have to pay for their negligence”. But then accidents can happen anywhere. That is why there are said ACCIDENTS.

When I took the bike and headed towards my home, I was not the same. My confidence had gone for a toss, my hands were shivering and I could hear my heartbeats. Not many bike riders are lucky to escape so easily after being hit by a truck. It was my destiny that accident happened without my fault and it was my luck that I was safe.

Monday morning my bike will hit the road again, may not with the same resilience. For the time being no speeding above 60, no sharp turns and sleek cuts. But soon I’ll be riding the bike with same confidence and fun.

I know there is someone above to take care of me. This accident has made me more mature, atleast I know how much to bargain for the damages next time ;-)