[Samarth 619]

Voted medium risk, but I can see selfishness in abundance on this thread. Its always about me, isn't it? Let's get an NCAP 5 star vehicle. The other road users and pedestrians, ahh well, they're certainly not my problem.

Why don't you see the bigger picture? If everyone of you who's travelling single or double gets a 2 wheeler, you're bound to occupy lesser space than just cars.

A lot of indiscipline happens because we don't see things from other person's POV, and our licence acquisition routine never focuses on the same. Ask any licence holder on road, what are the blind spots a bus driver faces or what role does suspension play in handling? You'll know how weak we are at basics.

I'm a 37 yr old, who is just like you and knows what fractured bones feels like. And I have a car. Yet, I'm not picking up a car unless I can get 3 or more people as my regular or at least occasional occupants.

Sorry, I'm not leaving my bike, feel free to break my bones. I'll take the right decision with an iron fist.
I know my opinion will be countered with impractical options or hatred like "why not everyone gets bus", "why do you dictate in democracy" or "why don't I have a right to a safe car". I'd rather focus on "we" than "I".

[PAS]

I would vote for Medium Risk, there are simply way too many parameters to conclude. I haven't been on Rides (Over 200 KM) for almost a decade now and mostly the bike/scooter rides are limited to daily household chores. Not sure if I can attribute it to midlife crisis but the urge to get on those long long rides is making a come back.
Have covered over a lakh KM riding in past with many interstate runs covering 800+KM in a day, Never did I feel un safe compared to similar runs in the Car, just missed some creature comforts (nay not the AC who needs it with wind bashing the face )
The chances of any vehicle getting into accident are almost equal. The only concern is around the impact incase of accident. what might define the probability and impact in case of crash

• Safety Gear (How many riders out there really give a damn about this?
• Conditioning of Vehicle : Missing Indicators, side view mirrors, loose side stands etc (I had a friend who removed the side view mirror on day of delivery, why? He seemed to dislike side mirror on bike, another one had his bikes horn removed, Why? it was impacting the performance of his (Yes, you read it right) Pulsar 220. Till date, I am unable to digest these Expert tunings of their machines.
• Distractions: simply way to many distractions, while talking to pillion itself take away the attention, I wonder how people indulge in Whatsapp and snap chat messaging. Frankly, don't we all see this at least once in a day.
• Stigma/Stereotype : Its always big bikes fault, Big Bike : (S)HE was racing and hence the thrashing of this chap.

Will I go on long rides again, heck Yes.

[anjan_c2007]

I would view the perception of risk for bikers (includes scooterists) as high. We can view lots of posts in the thread "Accidents in India" almost daily wherein some two wheeler rider is grievously injured or killed either due to his own fault or due to the fault of someone else from the traffic milieu.

From a truck's or bus' windscreen the driver views a biker as a fly or a mosquito intruding into his roadscape. And from the windscreen of a SUV or some large sedan/sedan or even sometimes from a hatch, the biker is viewed as a bird intruding into the particular driver's roadscape.

[TheARUN]

I voted for 'High Risk'. Wanting to err on the side of caution, I have stopped riding. Not that I would ride extensively earlier. Nowadays I just ride for short errands around the house.

It's not economics, riding is literally riding your luck. One false move by another road user and you could get wasted. Some situations you could end up in would make you prefer death instead. Sorry for the heavy words, but its not worth it.

There are riding gear that can stop you from getting too hurt but I think riding is OK if it is a 'necessity' but definitely not for sport or as a pass-time or even a hobby. Riding at slow speeds is what I do and with abundant caution. Even on the cycle, I choose areas that are less risky when it comes to chances of collision with faster vehicles