No adventure is as good as riding a Suzuki in Rawalpindi. If there is no seat accessible inside the vehicle, just hold on tight to the outside bars and prepare for an adventurous travel.
“If you’re fortunate, you’ll survive your trip up to Raja Bazaar without a scratch. But if you’re ill-fated at least your dress may rip open in an adventurous way. “This is exactly what happened to my new dress on Eid day while stepping out of Suzuki door and brushing against its cracked frame,” says Mureed Hussain from Dhoke Piran Faqeeran.
“Every time I ride a Suzuki in the city, I am taking a chance. My driver does not know what he is doing and he does not know what he’s seeing. Yes, the poor guy is almost blind, says Haider Ali living in Chaklal Village near Airport.
“If ever you want to spoil an absolutely good day, one simple step: Travel by Suzuki in the city It’s enough to put you in a foul mood. One day I was forced to stand on the foothold of the Suzuki, which was crowded, uncomfortable and somewhat dangerous at times when the driver indulged in speeding and tried to race with others to reach at the vehicle-stand fist to pick the passengers before others do. At times, he drove in a zig-zag manner and that too near a sharp turn,” adds Haider.
“I think most of city’s Suzuki’s drivers lack basic driving skills. Now I have come to know why so many indulge in rash driving, after working as a conductor for a few months they end up as a driver,” says Naghman Naqvi, from Shah De Talian, Murree Road. “If you test these drivers you will be surprised to know that many of them will be found unaware of the traffic rules,” adds Naghman.
“These drivers who lack driving skills are likely to cause more accidents. Why don’t the authorities probe whom did they pay bribe to become public vehicle drivers,” says Alamdar Hussain from Sir Syed Chowk.
Alamdar adds, “Such findings may seem shocking to you, but perhaps you shouldn’t be too upset. Isn’t it laudable that the transport owners are so sympathetic that they are ready to employ conductors as drivers in this age of less job opportunities?”
“Don’t you think conductors also need to be promoted? They need promotion, too, and what better way to keep them occupied than to make them drive a Suzuki around a crowded city even without a driving license. What a way to show off empathy,” says Manzoor Ali from Gulzar-e-Quaid.
“If you think allowing conductors to drive on the roads can lead to more accidents, then you are gravely mistaken because as conductors they have often shouted at their drivers (who also worked as conductors previously) whenever they did make driving mistakes and must have learnt much from their blunders to do better driving than their masters,” says Bashir Hussain from Faisal Colony jokingly.
Narmeen Ali from Chungi no. 8, says: “It doesn’t make a difference, of course, that some Suzukis carry more people than you’d find at a city wagon. The wagon may have a capacity of 20-25 passengers, but you’ll find 12 aboard, not to talk about the huddle of hanging around riders. Some lucky guys out of them find themselves comfortable on the roof and the pedestal of the vehicle. Who needs a better public transport when people are so brave?”
