Shift Zone

What's the most ideal vehicle for our roads? First consider our roads. They are usually pointlessly narrow. So bikes would be good? No. How about a small hatchback called Platzypus? Small cars would be a smart move but then everyone would have one, and they would all drive into potholes the size of houses. Last time I was in Gulshan, it felt like the entire neighbourhood was one big pothole. I still can't find my friend who drove into a pothole in Road 24. Then big SUVs perhaps? Those suffer from high tax rates and need two people to steer. So not everyone can have one, or more importantly, park one. So that brings us back to bikes. Except bikes keep getting in everyone's way. They get on footpaths and on other cars. They're fast, economical and often beautiful. But then the bikers themselves often feel the fastness and economy makes them invincible. Then they end up under buses. How about buses? Well, those always end up facing the wrong way into a divider. So what is the ideal vehicle for our roads? We already have it: rickshaws. Clean, efficient and highly customizable. Just pick any shade of plastic you want.
On second or third thoughts, I think the exhaust fumes may have finally gotten to me.

- Ehsanur Raza Ronny, Editor, Shift