By:Curtis Morton
The way I see it, I believe that the powers that be, should put laws in place to ban the use of motorbikes within the federation of St.Kitts and Nevis.
I am of the firm view that ‘only boasting people ride motorbikes.’ And if you are not that way inclined, the more you ride, you will eventually get there.
I speak from personal experience. As a young Public Health Inspector, it was necessary for me to get some means of transportation. I could not afford a car and for that matter, I did not even have a license.
I decided to buy me a motorbike. The day I picked up the cutie from TDC, I could not even ride it yet. So I proceeded to push it up the road towards the Police Station, in order to get it licensed.
I had only gone about 20 yards or so, when a guy I know well, rushed up to me: ‘Morton lend me da bike day. I got to make an urgent errand.’
Well I newa!
Based on my response, he did not speak to me for weeks after that.
And so I learnt to ride the thing and I consider myself a very humble, quiet, shy, type of guy and so I rode carefully and at moderate speeds.
However, as the weeks rolled by, I realized that I was increasing my speeds and becoming more daring.
I remember heading down Church Ground Hill one day and I was holding the handle bar with one hand, because I had a bag in the other.
Somebody hailed out to me and idiot me, lifted the hand from the handle bar to wave to the individual. I mean then, none of my hands were on the handle bar and I felt a thrill in doing it.
As time progressed, I discovered that I was leaning stylishly in corners, especially when I saw people. There was a thrill in that too.
One day, I borrowed my brother’s (Walter ) big bike and as I was heading out of town, just close to the Charlestown Police Station, I saw a number of persons close to the bottom of Government Road.
I could have just gone on my merry way……but here was the opportunity to LEAN.
And so I LEANT big time, but as I took the curb, it was too late to realize that there was an oil spill in the road, from a vehicle and so the bike started to slide and I failed to get it righted in time and I went CRASH BANG!
Now normally after such an impact, one should really be down and out and maybe in need of the ambulance service but I heard footsteps running towards me. I was embarrassed. Hurt but embarrassed.
I don’t know where I found the strength from but I got that bike back up. By the way, it was still there purring and waiting for me! I then jumped on and roared out of that place, just as the people arrived on the scene.
Later, at a safe place, I checked my wounds and by the way, they were plenty and went to the Gingerland Health Center where the nice Nurses sewed me up.
After that, I vowed to myself that I would stop speeding and would stop ‘cutting styles.’
The first day, I went back on my beloved bike and heading off to work, I must have frustrated the traffic.
I was riding so slowly that I had quite a number of cars lined up behind me, until they could pass.
Eventually as I got to Hill’s gas station at Morning Star, a vehicle’s horn urged me to clear the way for it to pass. I meekly pulled over and allowed it to pass.
What I saw stunned me and maybe even infuriated me.
Guess who had passed me? Mr. Newton—Sydney Newton’s father!
Now you would not understand. Mr. Newton was then the most careful driver in Nevis. He would go to town and country and back at one set pace.
Boy, I forgot my self made vow and I ‘shot off’ down the road like a mad man!
So I know what it feels like to speed on motor bikes and I know what it feels like to fall from them too and I know how dangerous they can be.
Last year, it was Julius Manners. This year it is Shaquille Bertie. The question is: Who will be next?
Guys, put down those motorbikes and go get a vehicle license.
That’s the way I see it. How do you see it?