Sunday, January 13, 2008

My First Scratch

While reversing the car out of my parking, the bent right front wheel got stuck at the basement pillar. Shifting the gear to first, I inched ahead, but did not get the calculation right and the front of the car kissed another pillar. I did not feel the impact, but the security guard told me, and I got down to see four horizontal, small but visible lines at the corner of the bumper.

This happened barely a minute after I sat down for the first time at the steering wheel without someone who knew driving beside me. I bought a car last week, and this was meant to be a surprise birthday gift for Mom. My parents had been out for a month and had returned early morning last Thursday, and the car was delivered the same day in the evening. When I asked Mom and Dad to come down to the basement, they had thought I had wanted them to meet the girl I had finalized, and she had been shy and hesitant to come up home. Even after they reached the basement, it took them a couple of seconds to realize it were wheels and not heels.

So, the ten-day-old car has a minor scratch thanks to the overconfidence gained through three hours of driving lessons. Just because I did not want to argue, the other day I agreed with a friend otherwise, but driving a car is more difficult than riding a bike, for the simple reason it adds an extra dimension. On the road, a bike can be considered to be one-dimensional, and you don't have to bother about the far left edge scraping something.

Also, a bike is completely integrated with your body once you alight, and you can do everything without lifting either of the hands or feet, unlike in a car, when you have to constantly shift your extremities. Due to the linear nature of a bike, it is much easier to manoeuvre small gaps between vehicles and switch lanes. Of course a car is more comfortable, and poses lesser risk for you (and more for others) on the road.

Well, a four- and a two-wheeler are meant to serve different purposes, and have their own sets of comforts and discomforts. I could ride a geared two wheeler around eleven years ago, even though I had my own only last year. But never started learning driving a four wheeler till I bought one. And now that I have put my money into it, I'll have to learn driving, and no level of listing the problems of a car against the merits of a bike can really help.

30 comments:

Anadi Misra said...

Congratulations for getting your 1st car...:) and congratulations for getting your 1st scratch :D...More will follow as you ascend on your learning curve if you are anything like me :P
But honestly, It sucks...and hurts a lot...jaise chand mein daag :P

That dimension theory regarding driving the car...thoda 50-50 sa hai...and I think it works mainly coz your view is obstructed (e.g., backing up and parking)..so I would say ki agar view clear hai, toh dimension shouldn't matter...Khair, you will know when you get more practice.

Violet said...

I totally agree with you.. still have the same thoughts whenever I drive.. wrote a similar sounding post sometime back :)
But am glad that you are learning to drive really quick.. and take that scratch in you stride. The four lines are stripes you earned while learning to drive :)

Dimple said...

Its good ki ab tum driving seekh rahe ho. Aur jasie chota sa bachcha jab chalna shuru karta hai to girta hai phir baad mein ekdum fundu bhagne lagat hai usi tarah tumne bhi abhi driving shuru ki hai to agar ek scratch aa bhi gaya to achcha hi hai, jaldi hi tum bhi mast khoob fundoo car driving seekh jaoge.

Ye main isliye keh rahi hoon taaki jab main ghar aaun to mujhe tum apni next vali seat par bitha kar khoob ghumao:)

Anonymous said...

I feel bad to say but ashutosh this pathetic blogging ,words sentences seem to flying off in all directions ,try to glue them together it seems quite bad in narration.
Regards,
Venkat

Unknown said...

Anadi,

Thanks a lot. Even though I am pretty sure I shall fail, let me try not to scratch it further.

Maybe the extra dimension does not matter in the US, where you have three-meter wide six lanes on roads. Come to Bangalore, and here you will find two-meter wide, two lanes on a road, and auto-rickshaws and bikes manoeuvering between cars. So you have to be careful about the extra lateral dimension not only on traffic signals, but also on straight streches of road where people overtake you from all sides.

Unknown said...

Violet,

Yes, I remember your post, but I don't think my driving aptitude is that less.

Thanks for the encouragement. I actually am proud of my first scratch, this post proves that.

Unknown said...

Roli,

:) Yes dear, khoob fundoo driving seekh jaunga jaldi hi. Aur khoob ghumaunga, aa to sahi tu. Par fir tu baithegi mere saath, jaisi bike chalata hoon waisi car chalaunga to?

Unknown said...

Venkat,

Thanks for the comment. I shall try to be more fluent and cohesive for my next narration.

Anonymous said...

Congrats on new car dude. Kaunsi li?

Anonymous said...

Congrats on the new car. Kaunsi gadi hai?
Koi foto woto bhi laga deta scratch ki...

Anonymous said...

Kaun si gaadi li? didn wait for nano?
Mom Dad happy? At times mom dad say ki kya zaroorat thi.. all that
Good that u did...bikes r way too dangerous.

Anonymous said...

Actually really cute. So did u buy a car for ur mommy and managed to dent it before u couldn even give it to her? Nut! Anyway i am sure she would have been thrilled ...

Anonymous said...

Hey ! Good One yaar :) Chalo Koi ni ..... "Woh Chand hi kya jismein dag na ho". Beauty Spot .... samjh lo yaar

I wish ... My First Scratch .... Last Scratch ho :)

Anonymous said...

Which one? Congratulations...Which color?

Unknown said...

R, Kani, Swapnaja,

Thanks. Its a wine-red colored Alto.

Unknown said...

Siddharth,

Yes, parents happy. No, did not wait for Nano.

Bikes are fun. And smooth. And enjoyable. And mobile. And fluent. A car is a hindrance actually.

Unknown said...

Sanjukta,

Thanks. :) It is not a dent, however, it is only a minor scratch, barely visible unless you are very close to the car.

Unknown said...

Shruti,

Thanks. The beauty spot is not so beautiful. :) But yes, I wish your wish come true.

Anonymous said...

Congrats on ur first scratch. I too have the same colored Alto. I got a dent even before a scratch :(

Never mind..u will be more careful next time :)

Unknown said...

Rashmi,

Thanks. Yes, I am extra careful while parking in and out now. :)

Anonymous said...

kewl.. konsi gaadi li ...kitne ki padi ..
congrats for your first scratch :P

Unknown said...

Diya,

Thanks dude. I have an Alto. Got it for 3.52 with the accessories sans the music system.

Anonymous said...

badaai hoo car ke liyee!! not for My First Scratch :)

kaun see car hai? kitne kee padi?

Unknown said...

Subodh,

Thanks. Deepak had similar questions above.

Cuckoo said...

Congratulations !! For the car, for the beauty spot on it and for the beautiful girl.

Yes, you are right. Cars and bikes give different joys and experiences. Any reasons why you settled for Alto ?

Unknown said...

Cuckoo,

Thanks. Well, there is no beautiful girl yet. :)

The reason for settling for an Alto: car was becoming a necessity, and it is my first car. Hence the most economical and popular choice. Shall run it for a few years before switching.

Shilpee said...

Congratulations for your new car !!

Bike is definitely a comfortable option for bangalore roads but car is a safer choice..and as you say.."Of course a car is more comfortable, and poses lesser risk for you (and more for others)" hope others count is still zero :P

Unknown said...

Shilpee:

Thanks.

Yes, fortunately the others count is still zero :).

Anonymous said...

i hope u will write when u will be scratched for the first time tooo

Unknown said...

Bhuvan:

Sure dude. I shall blog my first scratch too as soon as I get one. However, I pray I am cautious enough to not let that happen.

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