Hi Guys!
I guess it’s kind of an achievement for me to post something before celebrating an anniversary of my last post. Fell short by just two months..huh!!
Well, the customary thing to do right now would be to launch a horde of excuses to defend my disappearing act. But instead, let me just offer you the trump excuse – Well, I was busy getting married! 😉 Hope that explains a lot! 😛
Yeah, and about him…
Though he’s been hanging around here, heaping amazingly biased praises and egging me on since the inception of this blog, yet, let me just introduce my Mr. Right here formally!
(Don’t we all love a bit of melodrama?? :-D)
Mr. Gunjan Srivastava — My Missing Puzzle Piece! 🙂
And life’s never been better! 🙂
Okay, I do realize that the title and the content of this post seem insanely inconsistent. So getting back on track…
This post is about my first-hand experience at full-fledged driving and the ensuing intellections. You see, earlier, I always considered the driver and the car to be a single entity. You know, like a package, two-in-one sorts. It makes me look so mean but I can’t distinctly recall having ever given much thought to the ordeal a driver faces while manoeuvring and motoring his harassed vehicle through the on-road mayhem. It always felt like the invisible thestrals
My sis and I used to go shopping with our driver and oh, how we drove him crazy! We would screech excitedly if we spotted something interesting and no matter what be the traffic conditions, we would plead and beg for him to let us out. The combination of being so sweet and such a pro at the same time proved quite troublesome for our poor driver.
OK, that’s about then.
But when I started driving in Gurgaon a few months back, my instructions were quite curt and clear to the passengers. Here are some of them:
1) You tell me the right turn at least two turns before or else I don’t turn at all.
2) You announce the way well in advance or get ready to receive an earful.
3) Air condition usage – my discretion (You’re not the one who has to worry about the pick-up and stuff!).
4) Music – again, my discretion (Why, you’re not the one who needs all the attention and concentration!)
5) Chit-chat – Huh! (Does this feel like a picnic? Well, certainly not to me!)
6) Parking – No, I don’t have the heart to talk about this one. Just know this that it was the Achilles’ heel of my rudimentary motoring skills.
Sounds like a shrew, I know! But trust me, the rules have mellowed quite a lot since I spent some time behind the wheels. I used to get so exasperated. The traffic in Gurgaon frequently makes me think of an unrehearsed sports day – a day when everyone’s out on the roads with their props (read cars) with no coordination whatsoever! It’s all about heaving, shoving, cursing, coaxing, honking,barking – ya, totally maddening! But thanks to the dedicated efforts of Kush Bhaiya and Luv Bhaiya (for accompanying me on those early morning lessons), Shelly Bhabhi (for being my learning partner), my papa (well, for many things but a huge one for passing the driving gene along! 😛 ), Gunjan (for dragging me in the most awful of traffic conditions so that I had no other go than to find a way out 😛 ) and to my ‘driver saheb’ (for his patience and very handy tips, like- just ignore the honking lot! 😀 ), I can proudly say that I find myself quite useful these days!! 🙂 And what a liberating experience it is!!
And apart from this essential skill, I learnt an even more essential by-product lesson:
“Always put yourself in other people’s shoes,
If it hurts you, it probably hurts them too!”
Yep, that’s about it for now!
Happy Living, Safe Driving!
And as Gunjan reminds me only too often — (esp for us girls, with the ubiquity of these shopping places causing constant distractions!!):
“Eyes on the Road”! 🙂
February 16, 2016 at 9:04 am
Hey Arshita, what a pleasant surprise! Very happy to see you here 🙂 And I hope you enjoy some other articles too! Good luck with your driving endeavors.. 😀 You’ll soon be a pro and start to enjoy it 🙂
February 16, 2016 at 5:30 am
So true!
“You tell me the right turn at least two turns before or else I don’t turn at all.”
hahaha, nailed it!!
The phrase completely fits in for me when car steering is in my hands. 😛
You have one more fan for your blog now!..
November 30, 2015 at 12:06 pm
Ah, I hear you! And I’ll soon be in the same boat as you, when I start driving here 🙁 Don’t know why the whole world cannot drive on the same side! But you’ll be a pro soon :):)
November 30, 2015 at 12:04 am
“Does this feel like a picnic? Well, certainly not to me!”-Exactly how I feel:)So true and so well written:)
September 4, 2012 at 1:47 pm
Hey! Glad to see you here.. 🙂 and thanks for reading this manual even though you hardly need it! 😛
September 2, 2012 at 8:12 am
Nice and practical "Driving Manual" for all.. 😉 🙂
July 27, 2012 at 3:39 pm
Thank u, thank u! 🙂 N lemme congratulate you on becoming such a skilled conductor!! 😛 n there's no hurry for u…because i totally love to drive u around!! :):)
June 20, 2012 at 6:21 am
You may not mention it, but the truth is that I have given up on those driving lessons because you have become such a skilled driver. 🙂 That said, I think the onus is now on you to teach me how to drive and make a skilled driver like yourself.
June 19, 2012 at 3:13 pm
Thanks Vasudha!! The next time you're here, you don't have to worry about the little sightseeing that is there to do in Gurgaon!! 😛 n all the best for ur renewed efforts!! :):) Go for it, girl! 🙂
June 19, 2012 at 3:03 pm
Thanks bhaiya!! :):) yep, that 'shooting daggers' thing really makes one cringe.. 🙁 and also makes us quick learners!! 😛
June 19, 2012 at 6:58 am
Super post mam!!!…when do I have the honor of getting a ride?? 🙂 On a serious note, have been trying my hand at it for quite some time but never really succeeded…so this post is an inspiration for me to start afresh!! cheers 😀
June 18, 2012 at 6:45 pm
So proud of you… No more awkward moments when you're learning how to drive and you kill it & there's another car honking behind yours like what the hell you're doing. 🙂
June 18, 2012 at 4:36 pm
ha ha..so sweet! from FB to blog! 😛 yep, you're quite a patient and encouraging passenger. 🙂 And about the incident you're talking about…m totally clueless!!! :(:(
June 18, 2012 at 4:34 pm
you should have also mentioned me in your blog 😛 and what about city center mall incident 😀
June 18, 2012 at 4:25 pm
Hi bhaiya! You're making fun of us!!! 😛 but i can't deny the fact that we do have advantages. 😀
Ya, I am glad I didn't throw in the towel…'cuz I've started to enjoy now! 🙂 will surely go for a weekend drive soon. Hope you'll be able to join us sometime! 🙂
June 18, 2012 at 4:05 pm
Driving for Girls is quite easy. Two reasons-
1. If some thing go wrong, no body will screeme. Instead, they say " take it easy baby"
2. Girls need not to look any one. Because every body is looking at her.
Nonetheless, driving is really a pleasure. I am sure you will enjoy after some time. Take some more risk. Gor for long drive in weekend.
June 18, 2012 at 3:48 pm
Hi Sumit! Thanks a lot! 🙂 Yes, driving here used to make really nervous earlier!
June 18, 2012 at 3:43 pm
Hi Kamni! Thanks a lot! 🙂 And really glad to see u here!! 🙂
June 18, 2012 at 3:41 pm
This post totally resonates with what I feel during driving
June 18, 2012 at 3:39 pm
I can surely relate to your experiences…and really loved your instructions….;)