2 hrs ago
Indian Women Bikers Seek Recognition as Ordinary Riders
Urvashi Patole has ridden motorcycles in India for almost 20 years.
She says women riders sometimes face harassment and dangerous behavior from men on the road.
Some men have tried to block riders, follow them, or push them toward the side of the road.
In one case, Patole and a friend rode faster to get away from a group blocking their path.
She also describes helping another woman rider who was being harassed by people in a car.
These situations can be frightening and dangerous.
Patole says women should not have to stop riding or avoid roads because of this behavior.
She believes riders should carry emergency contacts, wear protective gear and learn basic self-defence.
She hopes people will eventually see a woman on a motorcycle as just another rider.
Urvashi Patole has ridden motorcycles across India for nearly two decades, alone and in groups.
She recounts men blocking roads, harassing riders, forcing them toward traffic dividers and causing crashes.
In one incident, she and another rider accelerated to 120–140 kmph to escape men blocking their route.
Patole says women should not be told to stop riding alone, but should remain prepared and prioritize safety.
She hopes women motorcyclists will eventually be treated simply as fellow riders rather than unusual or suspicious figures.
- Who
- Urvashi Patole, co-founder of The Bikerni, and other women motorcycle riders in India.
- What
- Patole describes harassment and dangerous encounters faced by women riders and calls for their freedom to ride without being treated as unusual.
- Where
- On roads in India, including routes toward Bhubaneswar, Gurugram and Gujarat.
- When
- Patole has experienced these incidents over nearly two decades of riding; the situations described occurred at various times, including during late evening and daytime rides.
- Why
- She wants women to be able to travel and ride motorcycles freely while being treated as ordinary road users.
Key facts
- Writer
- Urvashi Patole
- Organization
- The Bikerni, which Patole co-founded
- Riding experience
- Nearly two decades
- Reported dangers
- Road blocking, following, heckling, forced swerving and physical crashes
- Escape speed in one incident
- Approximately 120–140 kmph
- Safety measures recommended
- Emergency contacts, phones on different networks, proper riding gear and basic self-defence
- Core message
- Women should stay aware and prepared, but should not be discouraged from riding alone
Quotes
Urvashi Patole
Motorcyclist, writer and co-founder of The Bikerni
“There goes another rider.”
indianexpress.com
Sources
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