Does anyone need to look for death anywhere? Not to worry — it’s waiting to nab you right there outside your doorstep. Just step out and you may land in death’s arms or at least an arm’s length away. The roads of Kathmandu — the notorious ones have the knack of knocking you off your feet or throwing you into the air like a piece of dirt rag! Be it one’s umbrella, handbag, briefcase or God forbid, a child in arms — anyone of these could be whisked off by oversized vehicles. It’s a reality show played on our streets day in and day out.

For daily walkers it is mayhem. Ask those who confront crazy helmets, overweight bully vehicles, deadly buses (as micro as they may be) and murderous motorbikes loaded left and right and centre. Surely there ought to be some restriction imposed on these obnoxious extensions of sorts that encroach space and pedestrian rights. Yet, the four wheeler giving in to the rickshaw, the fat four wheeler to the thela gadi, and the motorbike to the bicycle is often interpreted by foreigners as a manifestation of our peaceful “Live and let live” attitude.

As a walker myself, I have had numerous opportunities to witness the picturesque and often grotesque truths of a pedestrian life. Based on my experience and observations I can now offer an expert’s advice. Look for drains and ditches where you need to place your foot and lean against walls to avoid killer vehicles coming head on. Never say “sorry” if you happen to be in a squeeze. The word has become so mundane that all you get is a dirty look in response.

All said and done, get yourself a motorbike or better still a car. Heed the generosity of the banks. Try to mobilize a moral outrage about Kathmandu drivers to modify their driving behaviour. And if none of these work then anticipate the worst scenario — that of the computer game Carmageddon featuring pedestrians who beg for mercy before being run over. There is plenty to thrill — animals to kill and more! And wait, hold your breath, keep praying that our roads in future don’t become more lethal than they already are. Finally await a donor to bring about a change of heart and walkable roads as last resort. Have we gone too far down the road for this?