Usually, fastest drivers / riders win contest in the vehicle rally. However, the rally held at Padua School grounds, on Sunday, was unique as the winner had to ride (two-wheeler) in the slowest possible time on the track. On the other hand, four-wheeler drivers had to reverse their vehicles on the stipulated track.

Though there were more than 25 contestants, only a few could complete the rally without any faults.

Speaking after inaugurating the ‘The great lions reverse show’ and ‘two wheeler slow race,’ organised by Lions Club in association with Coastal Times and Prasar Conqni TV channels, to create awareness on safe driving, at Padua High School Sports Grounds in Mangaluru, on Sunday, Mangaluru South MLA J R Lobo lauded the efforts of Agnel in organising the unique rally and said though Mangaluru City is the eighth cleanest city in the country, according to a survey done by Ministry of Urban development, efforts need to be carried out to take it to the first position.

Lobo said Mangaluru is one of the cities where highest number of vehicles are being registered. Hence, there is large amount of pollution. People should actively involve in cleanliness campaigns.

ACP (Traffic) Uday Nayak said there is an estimate that in 2020, there may be 18 lakh road accident deaths in the country. Among road accidents, 50-55 per cent reason is negligence to traffic rules, he said. While driving, one should always give chance to others. Hurry to reach faster than other, will only lead to traffic deadlocks. Be cautious till you reach homes and avoid drunken drives.

Traffic department carries out raids every week to control drunken drives and hefty fines are imposed on the defaulters, he added. In a lighter vein, he said that a number of times doctors are caught during the drunken drive raids.

Lions Club district Governor Manjunatha Murthy, Lions Club first Vice district governor Kavitha Shastry, Sri Devi Education Trust Chairman A Sadananda Shetty flagged off the first vehicle. Lions Club district coordinator for accident awareness Agnel Rodrigues was present.

Courtesy: Deccan Herald