Racing on roads is the stupidest thing to do: Priyanka Kochhar

Popular biker and model Priyanka Kochhar has been breaking stereotypes by storming into the male bastion of biking. She is probably the only female motorcycle blogger in the country who has been travelling across India sharing her biking experiences and inspiring many young women to take up biking. The youngster was in the city recently to speak about her passion for bikes, travelling and the challenges she faces on a daily basis. Excerpts from the conversation…
“Bikes happened to me when I was going through an extremely difficult phase in my life. I didn’t have many friends, my parents weren’t happy with what I was doing in my life and I was feeling lonely. I randomly wanted to ride bikes at that point of time. When I called my friend to teach me to ride a bike, he laughed and hung up. So, I watched many videos online and read about it. I learned on my own.”

When quizzed why she wants to share her experiences with others, Priyanka says, “There are people who tell I am the only female bike blogger in the country. But, that is not true. I wouldn’t call myself a proper blogger. I just want to share my biking experiences with others. I am here to spread message about biking, brands, biking schools and more. I also want to say that girls need not always have to be engineers or doctors. They could be destined to become someone else, too. I never thought I would become a biker in life. But, I would say I am in the best phase of my life now. Parents should let their daughters do what they want to do.”

Though Priyanka persuades other parents to let their daughters take bold steps, she herself had a tough time convincing her parents about being a biker. “They were extremely reluctant to let me do this. Even today, they are not completely convinced with what I am doing. In fact, convincing them was the biggest challenge in life because parents are extremely protective of their children. I had to tell that it’s okay to ride bikes and I will be safe on road. You have to be determined in what you are doing only then can you convince people. Though they are scared, they have been really supportive, if they had not had the smile on their faces when I went out to ride, I wouldn’t be riding with the amount of passion that I have now.”

Talking about how society reacts to women riding a bike, she says, “Being a woman in our country comes with its own baggage. People give those weird looks when they see me ride sports bikes. Some even tease me. It is the other way around, too. Sometimes when the cops stop me for the routine checks, and they realise that I am woman after I remove my helmet; they let me go without a question. I have even asked them why they don’t ask me for my license and documents; don’t they think woman can make mistakes on the road? We have to stop doing that.”

Priyanka is extremely particular about road safety. “I have been constantly telling people not to race on roads, it is probably the stupidest thing one can do. If you want to ride fast, go to race tracks. One should go join riding schools, where they actually teach how to overtake others without hurting them on a race track. You shouldn’t ride fast knowing when you know that you can’t control your vehicle. These are very basic things which people should learn before getting on their bikes. Wearing helmets are extremely crucial. I have had a crash just 10 mtrs down the lane from my house. If it was not for my helmet, I would have had a head injury.”

Priyanka believes more number of people in India are trying their hand at motorsports. “We are looking at a good deal of people going to race. We just need more sponsors. There are so many talented racers out there who can’t afford the bikes and gears. It would be nice if more brands came forward to sponsor young children. My job, this year, is to bring all these talented children in front of sponsors and show them how talent is going waste without proper funding.”