My Tryst With Driving!!!

“Forti et fideli nihil difficile”, I thought as I sat down at the driver’s seat int the instructor’s car. Years of watching my dad drive, I was bubbling with knowledge about the car’s control. As the instructor started explaining about the controls, I brushed of the advice, thinking that I already knew about all the things he was saying right now. With his consent I put the key in.

Cars have always been a passion for me. Always I am lapping up magazines, newspaper clippings about cars. I soon started thinking that driving cars is a very easy thing and when the time comes I would fare well at the very first attempt. Being a passenger all my life I have criticized and many a fault with drivers be it my dad, my sisters or any other driver. My sisters are a favorite target of mine. Though my sisters drive very well (don’t tell them that!!) I like to make fun of them like when they make a small mistake I take pleasure in magnifying that. Once I went along with my sister to her driving class. Being highly underage I sat at the backseat and started my running commentary. “Kya baat hai!”, “Wah! Car chalana toh koi inse sikhe” and something to that effect. I didn’t realize how my bluntness could have hurt. Now it was my turn

I turned the key and the engine sprang to life. I started pushing the accelerator without putting the car in the 1st gear and my other leg on the cultch already. The engine roared in response. “Take off your leg from the accelerator”, the instructor ordered. Dutifully, I pulled it back and the engine fell silent. “Now put the car in 1st gear and leave the clutch slowly” he said. Eager as a child to do his bidding I put the car into 1st gear and pulled up my foot from the accelerator. The car gave a huge jolt and the engine died.

“I said, leave the clutch sloooowly” the instructor reminded me. Now really tensed, I put the car in neutral gear and started the car. Putting the car in the 1st gear, I started pulling my feet off the clutch. Real slowly, as he had told me. “Not that slow!” the instructor barked. With great care I pulled my feet off the pedal. The car gave a little shudder and to my delight started rolling. “Brake it” he said, “now put it into 2nd gear.” “Okay dokee, as you say boss” I replied. Putting the car in the 2nd gear I started to accelerator. “hold the steering wheel”. God!!! How was I supposed to handle so many things together? After moving for about 500m he told me to put the car in the 3rd gear. I Glanced down to ascertain where exactly was the 3rd gear. Suddenly a great honking of horns started to take place. I could feel the wheel suddenly turn in my hand and looked up to see that I nearly had caused an accident. We were safe only because the instructor had grabbed the steering wheel in time.

After sometime the car was running smooth. Too smooth I realized to my great discomfort. Looking down I saw that the instructor had the pedals on his side too. I managed to complete the run without any further incident and as I got down from the seat, I realized that driving is not my cuppa tea and that I was better off reading about it. So drivers, anyone?