Day 17 :: Driving Force

I recently started driving a four wheeler after a big gap of four years. While now I find it very liberating and exhilarating, the prospect of having to step onto the road again was not that pleasing. Yes, over the four years, I had lost my confidence to battle it out on the road.

Hence when we decided to buy a car, husband suggested that we go for a test drive. He doesn't know how to handle Indian cars. Thus it was me who had to do the test drive. To say that I was scared to the core would be an understatement. I shivered at the thought of having to drive. I knew I no longer had it in me to face the cruel traffic and the crazy no rule policy in Pune. I prayed, wished and hoped that the test drive would somehow be postponed. Cutting the long story short, I made it through the test drive without hurting the inmates or anyone on the road!

As soon as we bought the car, and I started driving, the lost confidence started creeping back in me slowly. I am immensely loving the feeling. It truly is an adrenaline rush to drive on a roadful of traffic, because this is where one's skills are tested.

Otherwise, not much has changed. It is the same mindless driving... as long as you don't bang into anything or anyone, you are a good driver. The rules... oh wait, what rules? Green means go and red means go too. In fact red means go faster. The morons are still there. The pests (read two wheelers) are increasing. The careful drivers are still there. And then there are male drivers with ego so large! The last category that I speak of give dirty looks to women drivers, trouble them while overtaking, ogle shamelessly, and do not yield even if it is our right of the way.

There was a time when I used to get irritated and angry even with these species. Not anymore. I enjoy their stupid sense of superiority and take pleasures in popping their bloated egos when I get a chance.

It's fun and it's not too. In a sense it is a big headache to continuously keep an alert eye and drive without banging or getting banged on. In another way it is pleasurable to have freedom of transport.

For the moment I am enjoying being the sole driver of our car. But I am sure it is a matter of a few more days before I get bored of doing the chauffeur duties and hand over the keys to my husband.