It took me three driving classes over the period of seven years and still when I got my car I was looking for a trainer …..
I realized much later that my trainer was not even holding his original driving license... (Welcome to India!) Also he was unable to understand or speak my language or Hindi or English. So in the process I also tried to learn Tamil along with driving….
Anyway after pulling up the trainer stunt for a month and half and paying him huge I am driving on the Chennai roads.
With the brief span of driving experience, I have come to an understanding why Indian car drivers are always angry ...irritated and frustrated whereas sweaty, dusty and heavily loaded bikers seem far happier and more content …
I completely sympathize and understand them and have become very agreeable to their outburst ... and also regret giving them those JERK looks in past...
“Until you've learned to drive, you've never really learned how to swear.”
Rush hour (Its 24hrs in Chennai) doesn't allow you to drive comfortably....You are mostly stuck with 2nd gear with a huge queue in the front and rear and if somehow you manage to reach 3rd gear some biker comes from nowhere and you either have to stop / or go back to second or first or your engine stops … and Your side mirrors are always at risk…
Smallest scratch on either side of the car costs you huge and you have a whole lot of body and metal to protect against others’ rash driving.
There is red signal or barricade (It’s amusing why traffic police keep barricades on always clogged roads where it’s already impossible to cross 20 KMPH speed) or huge traffic queue ahead and somehow your engine stops and you need to restart vehicle….Mark it...Those 2-3 minutes are most disastrous as people from everywhere start honking and then they start coming from all sides...And manage to go ahead not more than 20/30 meters to stop again … and those looks … I had nightmares during my initial driving days….(I always dream of broken gear shift in my hand and stuck in traffic)
My friend says… Crossing/Overtaking them once your engine starts or just going next to them and giving them mean smile or few decent words mentioning their short lived achievement was so in vain…are some of the cheap thrills of driving …
I can’t agree more and it’s is one of the very appealing reasons I am so keen on learning the local language.
I can’t agree more and it’s is one of the very appealing reasons I am so keen on learning the local language.
Driving car actually means not allowing anyone else overtake you from wrong sides...not letting biker go ahead of you when you are already in extreme right lane and he tries to overtake you from right and then crosses you and others on your left and reaches extreme left .
I am not even talking about frequent honking… but it’s no more protest for me ...and those speed breakers and Potholes ....
I applaud myself every day when my vehicle does not stop on flyover slope and pat when I drive the car back home without any scratches…All scratches and dents on my Car hold no less value than scars on soldiers body…
I wish .......Here
- Bikers are acquainted with concept of lanes and follow lane discipline when they ride … and do realize that unlike them (though they too are not supposed to) Cars cannot overtake from any side. Also stop giving us those looks when they come too close to the car without realizing their own fault.
- Auto rickshaws use rear mirror when they overtake from all sides and stop pushing themselves wherever and whenever possible …
- Pedestrians are allowed to cross road and they do not cross on highways without pedestrian marks just to avoid some small walking distance or walking bridge…
- Buses do follow their lane and acknowledge other life on the road…
- People in general do not always drive in their utmost hurry and rush other vehicles…
- Foreigners and NRIs do not look at driving in India as an Adventure and experiment
- and A Happy Car Driver!
