Driving in Chennai - Accident - IV

If you have been living in Chennai or I guess this applies to anywhere in India you will know what I am talking about...AUTO DRIVERS...ya they are something you hate but cannot live without...But Imagine the amount of minor accidents they cause everyday in a Chennai...Where they really wriggle and jiggle around the City trying to get to their destination five minutes quicker...Even the empty ones zoom past you...You wonder what sort of hurry they are in.

Anyhoo, I can dedicate a whole blog on Autos in Chennai but that is not the main point of discussion here, so re-focusing...My accident...Hmm Hmmm...

It was a Sunday, I think, Why else would my father and I both be home (My college was off on Sunday's and Monday's unless ofcourse I bunked Saturday)...Anyway, he wanted me to give him a ride to the bank as my brother was not home...I was soooper excited as it is the first time I will be driving my car without the supervision of my brother all the way to Roundtana from 15th Street (where I lived) and that too legally for the second time, two days after I had received my driving license. Happy Happy, I got ready and drove my Dad to the Canara Bank AnnaNagar Roundtana branch.

After spending a few minutes there we were going to head back home but before finishing some small work at Chinthamani (I guess)...So I am driving...Down towards the Roundtana from Chinthamani on Anna Nagar Main Road (Is it called 1st Avenue? I don't remember) almost near the Canara Bank with an auto driver right behind me almost tailgating me...And one right ahead of me whom I was following (not tailgating)...

So the dude in front of me suddenly cut off and took a left turn in the street before the main road that intersects the road I was in...Looking ahead of me I saw two oldies with one cycle standing and yapping in their white shirt and dhothi (veshti)...I was like Man!...Oops...Screech...Halt...*bang*...From the back...Saw dad's head hit the dashboard and come back and I hit my head slightly to the steering wheel...I made sure dad was okay...Walked out and started fighting with the auto driver...

Who much to my irritation was standing and smiling...I noticed that my tail lights were crushed into by the tail light guard that used to come with Maruti 800's...I was angry...I yelled and screamed and my dad came out...Holding his head and told me that it was no point arguing with these guys although technically since the back of my car was damaged I was not at fault and he either needed to pay up or at least apologize.

I was mad and before I left the scene I gave him a piece of my angry mind and drove off...I was shivering while driving back home. I apologized to my dad like a hundred times who said nothing but "It was not your fault and I am not hurt." Then I felt guilty for having to pay out of pocket to fix the damage...and then my brother's face loomed in front of me, my mother, my friends...God too much tension and embarrassment...

Much to my surprise...My brother was totally cool with it and advised me never to panic after an accident. My mom was happy that dad and I were back home in one piece. My friends laughed a bit but were also happy that we were safe. When I told my dad..."I am sorry we had an accident and now you have to pay money to fix our almost new car and as a punishment I will never drive again..." My dad replied, "I will be upset with you if you let all these small things stop you from moving ahead. No one can drive without having accidents..."

Ten years since and I am still driving...