Beware of L - Boards!

       I wanted to write this post right from the day I started taking driving classes but it didn't seem wise. So I held on till finally my driving license came through and now that I am not an L - Board anymore, I take the liberty to write this post.

       Have you read the fiction post I wrote about driving? If not, read it here. Even though the experience was not as scary as it was for my protagonist, it was not anything grand either. Yes, I did love the whole 'I-am-learning-to-drive-a-four-wheeler' experience but in the beginning, it was a little scary. The first day, as soon as I went to class, he made me sit in the driver's seat, told me about gears and clutch and told me to start driving! A shiver went down my spine when I thought of different outcomes that could occur because of this action. Thankfully, none of those happened! But I have learnt one thing - To be careful of the driver's with L-Boards! Why? I will tell you!

       I have been riding two wheeler from a long time. I know legal age to start riding is 18 but I had learnt it when I was 11! That too secretly, without letting my dad know. But that is another story. Riding two wheeler was easy. It just had one handle and riding it was cake walk. But the car? Steering wheel, brake, clutch, gears, accelerator and what not! Think about one and you will forget the other. I even once got so confused and instead of pressing the brake, I pressed the accelerator! Bless the driving instructor for saving me from causing an accident!

       Remembering was one thing. But facing the traffic was another. It was so confusing to get used to the width of the vehicle. In the beginning, I had to often remind myself that I have to be careful about the left side of the car, which is the part of the vehicle I am driving. And then there was trouble when someone was coming from the opposite side. Would I be able to pass within the space? That was another big question. But the worst was when someone was overtaking. They used to zoom in and go to the left and suddenly I used to turn the wheel to the left too, earning a string of expletives from the instructor! 

       The instructor was a headache too. "Don't drive too speed" was the command and if I slowed down "Press the accelerator harder. Didn't you have food" was the response. If I had the car jump on a speed breaker without slowing down or if I as much moved an inch sideways from the track I was going, then I could as well get ready for the tornado of scoldings that would follow! "Are you sleeping?" seemed to be his favorite dialogue. "I can't even manage everything with my eyes wide open. Pulling a stunt while sleeping? No Thank You!" I wanted to say. But I thought better of it and remained silent.

       Before joining the classes and experiencing all this, I used to take the L-Board drivers lightly. If I saw one driving ahead, I wouldn't have taught twice before overtaking or speeding away. But now that I know the pain, I will go easy on them! I know how the heart beats when someone is overtaking aggressively. I know the confusion that clouds the mind.

      You better go easy on them too. Because, you never know when they intend to apply brakes and end up pressing accelerator! Or when they try to give way for you to go ahead and end up smashing into you instead! Well, I was just saying ;)

PS: This is my 200th blog post :) Yay!! Time for celebrations ;)

Until the next post,
Keep Smiling :)

Love,
Swathi :)