Simple_car BHPian



Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Dance Bar City! Posts: 340 Thanked: 615 Times

Why I love driving in India! Disclaimer:

1. The following lines reflect purely my thought. I don't have the privilege of sharing my thoughts with friends or my family members since none are even remotely interested in cars.

2. Some of the things stated are made up, for a little theatrical effect. Largely though, they are my thoughts only.

3. If you find any, and I mean ANY discrepancies or shortcomings in my thought processes, please feel free to point it out to me (in private or public). I always look forward to learn.



Why I love driving in India





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I love driving. It comes to me very naturally. I mastered the art of driving manual cars in a week. I mastered driving an auto in the first day itself when I drove in U.S.. No tutoring. Just read the traffic rules, and I was off. When I say, mastery, I mean in all possible driving situations encountered in normal day to day life. Traffic, slopes, parallel parking etc. I never got the opportunity to drive on a track. Still haven't.



Give me a day with the car, and I will tell you exactly how it will behave in different situations.



I know I am a good driver.



But, a glance over the net will reveal the frustrations which different people feel while driving in this country. Here are just a few of the threads here at team-bhp itself which will give you a general idea what I am talking about:



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There is just too much negativity in the air in general. We complain, complain, and then complain some more.







"People in India just don't have basic traffic courtesy. Look at the buffoon driving on the wrong side of the road."



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"God help this country. These bikers think they own the road. They squeeze through the traffic breaking ORVM's. Today, I saw some of them driving on the footpath when they couldn't have their way on the road. To top it off, when some pedestrians stopped them, they pushed them aside!"



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"This country is going to the dogs. Why can't people just for once in their life stop at a traffic junction and let others go. Everyday, and I mean EVERYDAY, I get stuck in a jam, for 15 mins. If people were even a little disciplined or for that matter if they even stopped to think for a second, everybody would clear that junction in 2 minutes."



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"God have mercy on us. The devil has come on earth in the form of auto drivers. They drive without a care for themselves or others. They marry early, have a bazillion kids and then don't care for their own lives. They refuse to ply to places they don't want to go, drive like maniacs to places where they accept to go, and then care 2 hoots about their rides which are responsible for their own livelihood."



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"Lousy truckers. When will they learn to stop overtaking on slopes, when their vehicles will take a millenia to overtake. I am telling you darling, nothing is going to change this country."



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VIPs: First, you loot me of my hard earned money through senseless taxes, then you make me wait at a signal so that you can pass with your bodyguards like you own these roads. You and your cronies make laws which make it harder for me to earn money. And then you delay the entire flight since you forgot to give flowers to your mistress, and make me late for an important meeting which will help me earn some money to pay to YOU.



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I could go on and on. These just represent a fraction of the rants that are seen all over the net.



While I agree that they have a good reason behind them, I for one would like to jot down why, inspite of all the problems I face daily, I love driving in this country.



I have learnt a lot by driving here. I too have had my share of rants, road rages, accidents while learning to drive here. Does that mean that I stop driving?



No! In fact, I love driving even more. Read on to find out why..





1. SELF CONTROL

The most important thing that driving has taught me is self control. Yes, in these four years of driving, this strikes me the most. You need to have superhuman levels of self control while driving here. Be it to dodge ricks, scooters, pedestrians, new drivers. If there is that occasional scratch, and ding, I have learnt to control myself and let it pass.



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2. ENTERTAINMENT

Fellow citizens just keep me entertained throughout my drive, courtesy their foolishness. I play a game every time I drive, 'Guess who's going to have an accident'. That indicab who has just squeezed himself infront of the B.E.S.T. bus, or that biker who is tailgating the truck in front of him. Till now, I have a success rate of 97.3% (wish my grades were that good ). Can you name another country which keeps you entertained so much?



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3. CONSTANT VIGILANCE

You are always on your toes, while driving. While this does add to the stress of driving, I have now taken this as a positive point.



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4. SPEEDING

India is one of the few countries which has roads on both ends of the spectrum. No roads, and world class roads. And the best part is most states don't have a speed limit, and among those who do, very few enforce it. Enjoy the thrills (Of course, this is assuming you practice SAFE driving, and good car maintenance). I am not encouraging rash driving. I don't drive like a maniac at all. But I love driving at safe + reasonably high speeds too.



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5. PLANNING AND STRATEGY

Lets have a race. We define the start and finish points. Let's see who reaches the destination first. I bet you, I can win by a good margin. Why?

I simply plan out my route, I anticipate other drivers behavior and navigate accordingly. Do you take 10 mins. to pass a junction? I'll do it in 5 mins WITHOUT breaking any rules. Simply, by anticipating behavior of others. Management guys should learn this from me



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6. NATURAL BEAUTY AND THE THRILLS OF ADVENTURE

Tourism in India is still in its infancy. It has a lot of potential. Although beauty is subjective, I for one, just enjoy nature and its beauty while driving through the mumbai goa nh17 highway (the fact that its branded as a killer stretch and my young age thinking only make it more desirable). Or while I am stranded in ladakh due to a landslide. There are a lot of places which for the lack of better word are best described as 'raw' in India. Few years back, Ladakh was one such place (though the signs of commercialization are now clearly seen). The seven sisters are still a mystery to most of us. Exploring the western ghats by road, during monsoons is an experience in itself. Driving to these 'raw' places is so rewarding (help me out here with a better metaphor).



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These are just some of the most immediate things that come to my mind.



But Simple_car,

Don't you think that we should learn from other countries? Afterall, their laws on driving and speed limits, are largely based on scientific evidence

Aren't you running away from the harsh realities?

That auto-driver cutting you, the SUV drivers driving like they own the road, that biker's cutting lane and endangering his and our life; shouldn't you sit up and do something about it?

I mean whats the point if we don't learn from history?



I agree, we are at the mercy of the Almighty himself when we take control of the wheel. No matter how good, how careful, how intuitive a driver you are; at the end of the day, you cannot trust the other drivers.

Heck, psychologists will tell you that I have formed some sort of defense mechanism in my brain and blah blah...



During my limited travel to other developed countries, I happened to meet a gem of a person, who remarked to me: 'I was an atheist, until I visited India' (I think he has picked it up from some book, but nonetheless, I consider it a privilege to have met him)

This line has always stuck with me since. I mean, no matter how I look, I am always amazed at how we Indians live out here. But, that is a topic for another time.



I would like to hear from fellow bhpians,

1. Do you love driving in India? IF YES, then continue,

2. What do you love the most about driving in this country?

3. What has driving here, taught you?

4. Bikers and off road enthusiasts. Please do tell us, what is unique to Indian driving conditions. I am not into biking and off roading.

4. Feel free to describe some your best memories while driving here. I don't want to hear your travels (that's already covered in the travelogue section), just the good times.







Thanks for reading,



Always Drive safe,



Simple_car 1. The following lines reflect purely my thought. I don't have the privilege of sharing my thoughts with friends or my family members since none are even remotely interested in cars.2. Some of the things stated are made up, for a little theatrical effect. Largely though, they are my thoughts only.3. If you find any, and I mean ANY discrepancies or shortcomings in my thought processes, please feel free to point it out to me (in private or public). I always look forward to learn.Pic source: https://www.facebook.com/IIT.Chronicles/photos_stream I love driving. It comes to me very naturally. I mastered the art of driving manual cars in a week. I mastered driving an auto in the first day itself when I drove in U.S.. No tutoring. Just read the traffic rules, and I was off. When I say, mastery, I mean in all possible driving situations encountered in normal day to day life. Traffic, slopes, parallel parking etc. I never got the opportunity to drive on a track. Still haven't.Give me a day with the car, and I will tell you exactly how it will behave in different situations.I know I am a good driver.But, a glance over the net will reveal the frustrations which different people feel while driving in this country. Here are just a few of the threads here at team-bhp itself which will give you a general idea what I am talking about1. http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/street...situation.html 2. http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/street...ndia-pics.html 3. http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/street...i-traffic.html 4. http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/street...ng-school.html 5. http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/street...ian-roads.html There is just too much negativity in the air in general. We complain, complain, and then complain some more."People in India just don't have basic traffic courtesy. Look at the buffoon driving on the wrong side of the road."Pic source: http://www.lovepunjab.com/threads/73...ing-wrong-side "God help this country. These bikers think they own the road. They squeeze through the traffic breaking ORVM's. Today, I saw some of them driving on the footpath when they couldn't have their way on the road. To top it off, when some pedestrians stopped them, they pushed them aside!"Pic source: http://www.mumbaimirror.com/mumbai/c...w/21152646.cms "This country is going to the dogs. Why can't people just for once in their life stop at a traffic junction and let others go. Everyday, and I mean EVERYDAY, I get stuck in a jam, for 15 mins. If people were even a little disciplined or for that matter if they even stopped to think for a second, everybody would clear that junction in 2 minutes."Pic source: http://bc9project.blogspot.in/ "God have mercy on us. The devil has come on earth in the form of auto drivers. They drive without a care for themselves or others. They marry early, have a bazillion kids and then don't care for their own lives. They refuse to ply to places they don't want to go, drive like maniacs to places where they accept to go, and then care 2 hoots about their rides which are responsible for their own livelihood."Pic source: http://dkamath.blogspot.in/2013/05/d...-men-need.html "Lousy truckers. When will they learn to stop overtaking on slopes, when their vehicles will take a millenia to overtake. I am telling you darling, nothing is going to change this country."Pic source: http://www.motorindiaonline.in/corpo...cles-act-1988/ VIPs: First, you loot me of my hard earned money through senseless taxes, then you make me wait at a signal so that you can pass with your bodyguards like you own these roads. You and your cronies make laws which make it harder for me to earn money. And then you delay the entire flight since you forgot to give flowers to your mistress, and make me late for an important meeting which will help me earn some money to pay to YOU.Pic source: http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/...6.ece#comments I could go on and on. These just represent a fraction of the rants that are seen all over the net.While I agree that they have a good reason behind them, I for one would like to jot down why, inspite of all the problems I face daily, I love driving in this country.I have learnt a lot by driving here. I too have had my share of rants, road rages, accidents while learning to drive here. Does that mean that I stop driving?No! In fact, I love driving even more. Read on to find out why..1.The most important thing that driving has taught me is self control. Yes, in these four years of driving, this strikes me the most. You need to have superhuman levels of self control while driving here. Be it to dodge ricks, scooters, pedestrians, new drivers. If there is that occasional scratch, and ding, I have learnt to control myself and let it pass.Pic source: http://www.tydonsafaris.com/kruger-p...wildlife-memes 2.Fellow citizens just keep me entertained throughout my drive, courtesy their foolishness. I play a game every time I drive, 'Guess who's going to have an accident'. That indicab who has just squeezed himself infront of the B.E.S.T. bus, or that biker who is tailgating the truck in front of him. Till now, I have a success rate of 97.3% (wish my grades were that good). Can you name another country which keeps you entertained so much?Pic source: http://21stcenturythenali.blogspot.in/ 3.You are always on your toes, while driving. While this does add to the stress of driving, I have now taken this as a positive point.Pic source: http://www.sonofsci.com/madeye_moody...ant_vigilance/ 4.India is one of the few countries which has roads on both ends of the spectrum. No roads, and world class roads. And the best part is most states don't have a speed limit, and among those who do, very few enforce it. Enjoy the thrills (Of course, this is assuming you practice SAFE driving, and good car maintenance). I am not encouraging rash driving. I don't drive like a maniac at all. But I love driving at safe + reasonably high speeds too.Pic source: http://www.clipartof.com/portfolio/t...r-1048359.html 5.Lets have a race. We define the start and finish points. Let's see who reaches the destination first. I bet you, I can win by a good margin. Why?I simply plan out my route, I anticipate other drivers behavior and navigate accordingly. Do you take 10 mins. to pass a junction? I'll do it in 5 mins WITHOUT breaking any rules. Simply, by anticipating behavior of others. Management guys should learn this from mePic source: http://www.cyburbia.org/forums/showthread.php?t=12543 6.Tourism in India is still in its infancy. It has a lot of potential. Although beauty is subjective, I for one, just enjoy nature and its beauty while driving through the mumbai goa nh17 highway (the fact that its branded as a killer stretch and my young age thinking only make it more desirable). Or while I am stranded in ladakh due to a landslide. There are a lot of places which for the lack of better word are best described as 'raw' in India. Few years back, Ladakh was one such place (though the signs of commercialization are now clearly seen). The seven sisters are still a mystery to most of us. Exploring the western ghats by road, during monsoons is an experience in itself. Driving to these 'raw' places is so rewarding (help me out here with a better metaphor).Pic source: https://www.facebook.com/ThrillsNAdventuresWA These are just some of the most immediate things that come to my mind.But Simple_car,Don't you think that we should learn from other countries? Afterall, their laws on driving and speed limits, are largely based on scientific evidenceAren't you running away from the harsh realities?That auto-driver cutting you, the SUV drivers driving like they own the road, that biker's cutting lane and endangering his and our life; shouldn't you sit up and do something about it?I mean whats the point if we don't learn from history?I agree, we are at the mercy of the Almighty himself when we take control of the wheel. No matter how good, how careful, how intuitive a driver you are; at the end of the day, you cannot trust the other drivers.Heck, psychologists will tell you that I have formed some sort of defense mechanism in my brain and blah blah...During my limited travel to other developed countries, I happened to meet a gem of a person, who remarked to me: 'I was an atheist, until I visited India' (I think he has picked it up from some book, but nonetheless, I consider it a privilege to have met him)This line has always stuck with me since. I mean, no matter how I look, I am always amazed at how we Indians live out here. But, that is a topic for another time.I would like to hear from fellow bhpians,1. Do you love driving in India? IF YES, then continue,2. What do you love the most about driving in this country?3. What has driving here, taught you?4. Bikers and off road enthusiasts. Please do tell us, what is unique to Indian driving conditions. I am not into biking and off roading.4. Feel free to describe some your best memories while driving here. I don't want to hear your travels (that's already covered in the travelogue section), just the good times.Thanks for reading,Always Drive safe,Simple_car Last edited by GTO : 22nd July 2013 at 13:20 . Reason: As requested on point no.4