Road discipline is basic form of respect for others

Team members and Western India Automobile Association officials at the flag-off at the WIAA office in Churchgate on Wednesday evening

Mumbai's Western India Automobile Association (WIAA) at Churchgate, has been the site for some interesting flag-offs in the past few months. On Tuesday, an Ahmedabad family and other team members were flagged off from the Indian Merchants Chamber (IMC) where the WIAA office is located. The family was off on an adventure where they aimed to traverse 12,000 km and 16 countries in a 1950 vintage car.

Earlier, the WIAA had seen yet another flag-off of an Indian off road expedition team, which planned to drive from Mumbai to Magadan (in Siberia, Russia). The all desi vehicles and team are on their way ready to tackle the most hostile weather conditions and tame the most challenging terrain, one could encounter as a driver.

Even before this, the WIAA saw an all-women team from the North at the WIAA city office to complete formalities and symbolically be flagged off, to compete in a rally called, "The Mongol Rally - Poles of Inconvenience 2023." The rally needs them to drive 30,000 km in Europe and has an August 30 finish.

All these adventures may be personal journeys for the competitors, and not competition in the strictest terms. Yet, these intrepid wheel warriors are also flying the Indian flag on their adventure. We all may never be in a race or rally. We may not be motorsport enthusiasts. Yet, let us be inspired at least to practise discipline on our roads.

Drive with caution and concern for the other in the city traffic. We may never go on a motoring adventure like them, and yet, we need skill, patience, a cool mind and immense responsibility even in something as banal as a daily driving commute to work or home. These journeys should teach us that the roads, whichever and wherever they may be, are to be treated with respect, and your life and that of others are absolute priority.