Insights during insane driving

Firstly I thank my stars and fellow drivers on the road that I am still alive to write my experiences of insane driving in India.

I have learnt a lot of things most of them coming from inner voice and some due to the outer noise. Nevertheless it has been interesting and I would love to share them with you all my fellow sufferers (in Hindi HUM SAFAR) of this bumpy yet interesting drive of life.

So put on your driving belts and here we go…

Tip no 1: Live in the present

Looking too hard at the road ahead or often looking at the rear view mirror may often catch you unawares by a small obstacle near by (read pedestrians, bikes, bicycles). This translates to us seeing the distant future with a telescope or reliving the past so much that we do not enjoy the present moment.
Use mirrors (soul searching?) only to detect mistakes made in the past to avoid them again.

Tip no 2: Be a good follower to be a good leader

Very often we are either irritated by the idiosyncrasies of the driver in front of us, or sometimes we do get a fantastic lead whom we can blindly follow with the twists and turns. In either case there is a good learning, not to be a crazy leader whom no one can go behind nor be enamoured by some one who is awesome that you lose your own identity. While it is definitely a plus to be a good leader, blindly following someone may have it’s undesired results too.

All along though, it would be nice to give signals if you are changing tracks. If you have someone behind you absolutely dependent on your moves it may be give a signal saying “Hey I want to take a different lane, mind you!”

Tip no 3: Have achievable goals and space them well.

Not everyone can drive comfortably at 140 km per hour. The key is to find what you are comfortable with and operate from that point of course enhancing when you can.

People will always be richer, more successful, and more beautiful than what we are. If we just keep comparing, life would be such an endless sob story. See where you are today and just analyze what can be achievable. For e.g. I cannot make it to the Forbes magazine of richest people in the world for sure, I am happy I could see the building where Forbes is located in New York !

An interesting observation here is to space goals with the right time in between. Make it too short and you may miss the next one and if too long smaller problems may start filling in taking your eyes off the next big goal. This comes from keeping a safe distance between the vehicles in front, if too spaced you may have smaller vehicles filling in the gap making the maneuvering difficult and if too little you may hit the guy in front.

Tip no 4: Honk if you like, but nobody is hearing.

If you become aware of the amount of honking that happens in any place in India, it is astounding how people manage to drive at all! The end result is that no one cares for horns anymore it is an accepted process (& more often justified as necessary) in driving which does not move anyone anywhere.

So for all the “silent spectators” who have moved mountains by just a word and all the eternal talkers, cribbers who don’t get their way ever, did you get it? Talk only when needed and you shall make a difference (hopefully positive!). Listening is stopped automatically with an overflow of words anyways, then why waste energy and lose the hard earned respect?

Tip no 5: Follow the right path and reach the highways safely

All along the road there will be bigger vehicles and better ones who may zip all over you and take the wrong road to get ahead. It may necessarily not be right and safe too.

Do not get intimidated. People may be better off but do you know what path they followed? Listen to your conscience and keep yourself on the right lane, though the by ways of life may seem difficult, when you reach the highways you will thank your stars you made it right.

Lastly

Tip no 6: Remember Big Brother is watching

No matter how big or small each vehicle is on an average most do make it to their destinations safely. Reason? Every one is a special creation and is looked over by Big Brother. Do not underestimate yourself. You are special. Follow the general rules laid down and you shall be respected for what you are and can reach your destination safely.

God bless and drive safely J