Driving 101

The first lesson in driving

No, no, no, boys and girls at home, dont run off to get your car keys. Not yet, sit back down. The first lesson in driving is the toughest one, and it is this:

Driving is a responsibility, not a privilege.

What does that mean? It means that if you're driving it is not because you have a certain prestige to own (or rent) a car. It means that you have a responsibility towards other vehicles, people, protruding poles, animals etc on and around the road. So, understand "the road." The road is a road, it is not a joke, it is serious business. That goes for pedestrians, thelay walas etc as well. I'll elaborate.

If you're driving wrong way, bang, you're wrong, there is no excuse for it. You're risking life and property, you are constituting a "traffic hazard." You should be taken off the street, license suspended, and put behind bars immediately. If you're backing up on a road for a short distance, fine, otherwise, you are again becoming a traffic hazard. Trust me, it doesnt cost a lot to drive forward a kilometer or so and the take a U-turn back to where you want to go, and it will be a hell of a lot safer, will cause fewer traffic blocks and will be convenient to everyone, including you.

For pedestrians and thelay walas, being on the road is a big no no. Off the street, right now. You're not risking anyone but yourself. Think about it, you are weighing your life against a little bit of dust that will be on your pretty little shoes if you would walk on the earth off the road. What is better? A bit of dust or a few feet underground? You're lucky if you get away with it, but is it a gamble worth taking? Only a matter of time until someone comes up driving behind you, who is as reckless as you are and is lighting a cigarette and doesnt see you until it's too late, and then two days later, others will be eating biryani in front of your house, but you wouldnt be there to hear them saying "Yaar, achchee see botian to lay ker ao." Yes, the driver would be to blame, but you would be to blame more, because you were doing the first wrong, he only helped you on your way, by doing the second wrong thing. The first error is always the culprit, other errors will immediately, automatically follow.

So, be responsible, think about it, be safe. They've wasted a sh*t load of money on building walkways in NED University and everyone is still walking everywhere from one end of the road to the other. Maybe they should now just build ramps on the walkways so that at least I could drive my car on them.