traffic rules

footpath riders

Senior citizens keep two-wheeler riders off the footpath in Banashankari 01:00

Usha Srikantan with a placard

Bengaluru

By Reya MehrotraThis elderly duo sacrifices their siesta to keep two-wheeler riders off the footpath in BanashankariIf you’re a footpath rider, and you’ve turned a blind eye and a deaf ear toand warnings from the police, this should guilt trip you into stopping this offence right now.Even if you’ve been a victim, haplessly watching pavement riders putting your life and limb to risk, then these two senior citizens will inspire you.Meet Usha Srikantan, 75 and Subramaniam CP, 64. For the last 10 days, they have been standing on the footpath at Banashankari 3rd Stage, near their apartments, with placards in their hand, pleadingto stop taking over paths meant for pedestrians.Every day, they’re there between 2 pm and 4 pm, ordinarily siesta time for senior citizens, standing on 100 Feet Ring Road, Banashankari 3rd stage. Bravely they stand in the sun, in the path of footpath riders, who come towards them at break neck speed and stop a foot away. Their frail frames are undeterred by the speed at which these bikes approach them. They’ve resolved to direct footpath riders away from pedestrian walkways, because some riders are just too indifferent to the safety of pedestrians.They don’t impose fines, nor can they march you off to the cops. All they do is tell the errant footpath riders to go all the way back from where they had got on to the footpath and ride on the road.The two senior citizens say that they were driven to take this extreme step because they saw their footpath had been taken away by vendors. For Subramaniam, a resident of Shankari apartments, it was a long-standing dream to reclaim the footpath, but he didn’t find the time since he was working. After retirement, he teamed up with his neighbour, Usha, to stop footpath riders. Says Subramaniam, “I take my dog for a walk everyday on the footpath on the Ring Road but it is always crowded. A few days ago, my dog and I were almost hit by a biker who was riding on the footpath. That’s when I decided to start this initiative with my neighbour.”Usha Srikantan, a social activist and resident of Sterling Terraces apartment says, “I always tell my grandson to walk on the footpath when he comes home from school. But he tells me that there is no space to walk on the footpath. The corporator and a BruhatMahanagara Palike personnel promised that they will take initiatives for pedestrian safety but nothing ever happens. When we contacted the traffic police, they said they were understaffed and could not deploy anyone in the area. When I asked them to make Subramaniam and me the traffic wardens, they laughed at us for pitching the idea at this age. But when we started volunteering, they called and appreciated us for our efforts.”While most commuters are encouraging and appreciative of the duo, some still refuse to comply and give them a tough time. But the duo tries to persuade them at first and then say that they will report them to the police.Subramaniam and Srikantan’s families are supportive of their initiative but are worried for their safety. Subramaniam adds, “I have problems with vision since I suffer from glaucoma. But nothing will stop us from volunteering. We also plan to change our timings as we don’t want riders to get accustomed to our afternoon watch and avoid riding on the footpath between 2 pm and 4 pm.”Seeing the elderly duo volunteering alone, their neighbours too have joined them in the afternoon watch. However, residents are wary of volunteering once it is dark as they fear getting run over by two wheelers speeding on footpaths