Riding Vlogs – Giving the flavour of virtual travelling

Travelling has been one of the primary victims of the prolonged pandemic. Sitting at home has been stressful while many now resort to virtual travelling through their screens following major vloggers or influencers who claim to live in their pannier and take the viewers through a topsy turvy journey on a bike. Biking or riding is an enduring and engaging sport. The thrill and excitement it provides are unmatched. The hobby of riding in India has certainly increased after many social media influences and YouTubers started to share their travel stories with the general masses. The term “Riding” was popularized by Mumbiker Nikhil aka Nikhil Sharma in India through his YouTube channel since 2016. Before that riding was an elite hobby enjoyed by the rich, who could travel in their expensive motorcycles exploring the unknown. At present riding has become so popular that the vehicle does not matter only the passion and skill of the rider matter. The perspective or point of view while riding and driving are two completely different things, while driving one can feel claustrophobic and motion sick but riding can fill one’s mind with satisfaction and joy. The cold breeze embraces you; the green fields mesmerize you; the highways call you then you know that you have developed a liking towards riding. As much as fulfilling and happening riding is it is always important to understand the importance of safety gear while riding. Gears such as helmets, gloves, and shoes are the most important ones. Safety gears protect the rider during any mishappening like an accident, gears provide the necessary protection and saves lives. The difference between a professional rider and an amateur rider can be drawn by the type of safety gear they use. A professional will use all the necessary gears whereas the amateur might think only a helmet is necessary. For me, I have always enjoyed riding as a hobby and love the bond between man and the machine. One of my most memorable solo riding trips was a trip to Tezpur in the year 2021. It was the month of February; the weather was still chilly during the morning and mildly warm during the daytime. I started my journey from Guwahati at 8.30 in the morning and took the NH 37 route to Tezpur via Jagiroad. The cool breeze on the highway was enough to make me fall in love with riding all over again. The luscious green trees near Raha also grabbed my attention. The majestic view of Kolia Bhomora Setu provided a different perspective. I reached my destination at noon. Riding culture in India is very important as it promotes road safety and teaches riders to be disciplined. It creates awareness about following traffic laws and the need for safety gear on the roads. The glamour associated with riding is sometimes hyped. There is a great degree of risks and responsibility involved and hence before riding one should always take this into account.