Driving on the roads of Chennai can make even a saint cuss...I really think that it applies to Driving, period!
The other day while I was stuck in a fashionable traffic jam my mind started to wander. I realized there were three types of people driving on the road at any given time. Most people vary between the two types and never adhere to any one type but the third category is a specialty one. Here is how my classification goes:
The Dreamer: I am sure that every driver has had the moment where he suddenly wakes up from a staring-into-oblivion gaze to realize that he has driven a few miles without actually paying attention to anything. He is really surprised and shocked at any small change to the driving monotony and is the one who will typically screech to a halt when awoken from a slumber.
The other day while I was stuck in a fashionable traffic jam my mind started to wander. I realized there were three types of people driving on the road at any given time. Most people vary between the two types and never adhere to any one type but the third category is a specialty one. Here is how my classification goes:
The Dreamer: I am sure that every driver has had the moment where he suddenly wakes up from a staring-into-oblivion gaze to realize that he has driven a few miles without actually paying attention to anything. He is really surprised and shocked at any small change to the driving monotony and is the one who will typically screech to a halt when awoken from a slumber.
The Driver: The driver who is honestly awake and is aware of his surroundings. This driver can be dangerous when they get on the cell phone because they feel they are aware. They are so aware of their surroundings that they drive 40 mph on a 70 mph road on the left lane while multitasking because they are confident. They are also the ones who might have their turn lights on because they forgot to turn it off, they are following the rules, at least parts of it. They also sometimes confidently apply make up while at a signal and spend a few extra seconds after the green light. They definitely get annoyed when you honk them awake or overtake them because according to them they are driving perfectly normal.
The Danger!: He/she is your maverick. The one with an amazing car with amazing brakes, amazing power, and the car with the looks...typically black or red sports car and can sometimes be the annoying pimped up pick-up truck. You have to watch for these guys, they are always doing 20 over speed limit, slipping and sliding in and out of the lanes, cutting everyone and waking up the dreamers. They tailgate the ones on their cellphones, honk when you slowdown and sometimes they even drive on the shoulder...and the best part is when there is a traffic jam, you sometimes tend to over take them and I always make it a point to try and make eye contact and smirk...most of the time they are so self absorbed that they are not watching you but their own reflection :) These guys can make your evening ride back home dangerous (I never see them in the morning drive, maybe they tend to sleep late).
And like everything else in life, if not for the different personalities on the road how boring the driving experience would be? And the only thing holding me back from saint hood is the few curses I throw around while driving home morphing anywhere between a dreamer and a driver.
And for that...I thank all the drivers...
ART
And like everything else in life, if not for the different personalities on the road how boring the driving experience would be? And the only thing holding me back from saint hood is the few curses I throw around while driving home morphing anywhere between a dreamer and a driver.
And for that...I thank all the drivers...
ART
4 comments:
I hear your feelings. I decided i didnt want a heart attack this early when in India.
Driving in Seoul is not too easy either... I see lot of double parkings, sudden u turns, stop light runnings except these are all royal cars- Mercedes, BMWs, Ferraris :)
I also heard that Koreans are really bad drivers!
Chennai traffic is always like that...
I personally always felt that there was an order in the chaos in Indian driving. We drive expecting the unexpected and the speeds are low...but here the speeds are crazy and when someone does something out of the norm everyone gets flustered...
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