Driving Woes!
This was an article i wrote around 4-5 years back... which was published in Women's Era...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I’ve always had this cool “vision” of myself- at the driver’s seat, cruising on the highway. There was only one problem- I couldn’t drive. So when I turned 19 (yeah, I know the law says
18, but I’m an engineering student, I’m hard pressed for time), I decided it was high time I learnt driving.
“Dad, I want to learn driving.” I declared. “What’s the hurry? You can learn later”, Dad replied.
“Well, if I learn now, I can drive too, when we go long distances.”
Well, this incentive worked.
“Ok. We’ll start from Sunday”.
Sunday came and found me very excited. I was gonna drive!!! Step one towards my vision!!
“Well, I already know the theory so you can skip that”, I said.
“That’s the clutch and brake…..” Dad continued as if he never heard what I said. Oh well.
“So now you can start the car and drive around the colony” my Dad said.
I took the key and was about to start when “WAIT” my dad screamed. “Revise. Point out clutch, brake and accelerator and change the gears once”
“I already did that that thrice” I replied exasperatedly, but proceeded to do it anyway.
Then I started the car. Dad was gave me instructions on how to get the car to move.
Next moment there was a loud screech. The car stayed put.
“What happened?” I asked. “Well, you didn’t leave the clutch entirely. Try again”.
I did. This time, the car didn’t just move, it jumped. And then it stopped.
“Now what happened?” I asked. My “vision” was fast fading.
“Don’t worry, try again.” said dad.
Now I was the one who was tensed and Dad was trying to keep up my spirits.
Again I started, this time smoothly.
“Hey the car is moving!!” I said, relieved.
Soon I was driving in the second gear.
Then, all of a sudden, there was a tree in front of me.
“Brake!” screamed my dad. I braked suddenly and we lurched forward with a huge screech of tyres. The whole street turned towards our car.
“Rule one: when you spot a tree ahead, slow down! “ Dad said.
Again I had to start, something I had already started to hate.
“Here we go again” I said when the car jumped and stopped.
A dog nearby started to bark. “What do you want? I’m the one who’s driving” I told the dog. Rational thinking was beyond me at the moment.
“Don’t become tense. It’ll improve with practice. Now take a deep breath and try again” my Dad advised.
I took a deep breath, and started again. It was a shaky start, but at least the car was moving. I was away from that spot which had begun to attract curious stares and smiles. Then suddenly I braked again.
“Why did you brake now? You were going fine.” my dad asked.
“There was a pigeon on the road” I replied.
“Rule two: you don’t have to stop for birds. They fly.”
Then we completed one round of our colony. My dad wanted to go one more round but I had had enough for the day. Funny how suddenly I was the one not so eager to drive and dad wanted me to drive.
Well, that was the first day. I’ve come a long way now. I learned so many more things. Like, dogs may possess sixth sense, but they surely cannot see a car. They will not budge from the middle of the road till the last moment. But they are much better than some gossiping ladies, who will always talk at a road turning and turn a deaf ear to car horns. Anyway, I’m fast approaching my “vision”. And I’m sure one day I’ll be cruising on the road at a great speed as soon as Dad let’s me drive in 4th gear!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I’ve always had this cool “vision” of myself- at the driver’s seat, cruising on the highway. There was only one problem- I couldn’t drive. So when I turned 19 (yeah, I know the law says
18, but I’m an engineering student, I’m hard pressed for time), I decided it was high time I learnt driving.
“Dad, I want to learn driving.” I declared. “What’s the hurry? You can learn later”, Dad replied.
“Well, if I learn now, I can drive too, when we go long distances.”
Well, this incentive worked.
“Ok. We’ll start from Sunday”.
Sunday came and found me very excited. I was gonna drive!!! Step one towards my vision!!
“Well, I already know the theory so you can skip that”, I said.
“That’s the clutch and brake…..” Dad continued as if he never heard what I said. Oh well.
“So now you can start the car and drive around the colony” my Dad said.
I took the key and was about to start when “WAIT” my dad screamed. “Revise. Point out clutch, brake and accelerator and change the gears once”
“I already did that that thrice” I replied exasperatedly, but proceeded to do it anyway.
Then I started the car. Dad was gave me instructions on how to get the car to move.
Next moment there was a loud screech. The car stayed put.
“What happened?” I asked. “Well, you didn’t leave the clutch entirely. Try again”.
I did. This time, the car didn’t just move, it jumped. And then it stopped.
“Now what happened?” I asked. My “vision” was fast fading.
“Don’t worry, try again.” said dad.
Now I was the one who was tensed and Dad was trying to keep up my spirits.
Again I started, this time smoothly.
“Hey the car is moving!!” I said, relieved.
Soon I was driving in the second gear.
Then, all of a sudden, there was a tree in front of me.
“Brake!” screamed my dad. I braked suddenly and we lurched forward with a huge screech of tyres. The whole street turned towards our car.
“Rule one: when you spot a tree ahead, slow down! “ Dad said.
Again I had to start, something I had already started to hate.
“Here we go again” I said when the car jumped and stopped.
A dog nearby started to bark. “What do you want? I’m the one who’s driving” I told the dog. Rational thinking was beyond me at the moment.
“Don’t become tense. It’ll improve with practice. Now take a deep breath and try again” my Dad advised.
I took a deep breath, and started again. It was a shaky start, but at least the car was moving. I was away from that spot which had begun to attract curious stares and smiles. Then suddenly I braked again.
“Why did you brake now? You were going fine.” my dad asked.
“There was a pigeon on the road” I replied.
“Rule two: you don’t have to stop for birds. They fly.”
Then we completed one round of our colony. My dad wanted to go one more round but I had had enough for the day. Funny how suddenly I was the one not so eager to drive and dad wanted me to drive.
Well, that was the first day. I’ve come a long way now. I learned so many more things. Like, dogs may possess sixth sense, but they surely cannot see a car. They will not budge from the middle of the road till the last moment. But they are much better than some gossiping ladies, who will always talk at a road turning and turn a deaf ear to car horns. Anyway, I’m fast approaching my “vision”. And I’m sure one day I’ll be cruising on the road at a great speed as soon as Dad let’s me drive in 4th gear!
Comments