Car, car away  ( July '1,2006, BS)

There was a time when I would have refused the offer of a car to commute in. If you had come up to me and proffered the keys to a four-wheeler, I would have politely declined and said “Thanks, but I’ll stick to my bike.”

Bikes were more involving, more immediate, more direct. In practical terms, they were easy to park, a cinch to manoeuvre through traffic and light on the wallet. On Sundays, with most of Mumbai wisely staying in bed late, it was a hoot to blat up and down blissfully empty roads for no reason whatsoever.

However, something unusual has happened to me of late. I haven’t been on a bike for over two months and I don’t miss them a bit. During this time, I’ve driven a CR-V, a Scorpio, a City VTEC, an Accord V6, a Fiesta TDCi and a Bolero DI and I’ve enjoyed every one of them.

The V6 was a monster, accelerating like it was going out of style. The CR-V is almost perfect in every way. The Fiesta is great to drive, for a diesel. The Bolero is rugged and cheerful. The VTEC’s refined but unexciting.

Though different in character, all of them have led to parking trouble, longer commutes and much bigger fuel bills, but I still don’t feel like getting on a bike. I can’t quite figure out why this is, though.

Maybe it’s because cars are more comfortable, with aircon and stereos and the ability to shut out the chaos around you. Maybe it’s the ongoing monsoons and the assurance of getting to work fully dry. Maybe it’s due to the increased safety factor. Maybe it’s the “image”. Heck, maybe I’m just getting lazy. Whatever it is, I’m certainly not complaining.