Drive

May 22
Its been a week since we bought the car - Santro zing, 2007 model, 38k run, white color, automatic :) 
Yippeeee :D

My first own car :)

May 15
A had started looking for used cars since May 12. On May 15, he went and saw one car, got it checked, bargained on the price and finally decided to buy it. I came back from office around 7pm, and immediately left to the dealer place to pay and take the keys. I immediately liked the car. A drove the car back home, after filling petrol for Rs.1500- 20litres. It was 9 by the time we were back.

May 16
I wanted to drive and goto Pnagar at 6 in the morning, but it started raining heavily. Evening 5.30, A drove the car to Ganesha temple down the road, we got pooja done, and I started the car for the first time to go on the 4 lemons under the 4 tyres :) The lemons are kept to rid the vehicle of bad influences. Pooja involved the poojari doing Arshina kumkum pooja on all sides of the car, wheels, steering wheel, side mirrors and glasses, flower garland, doing mangalarathi, uddkaddi and breaking the coconut :)

I drove from the temple to Pnagar. It felt soo good. And I was surprised that I could drive aaramse. There was lot of traffic as it was 6 in the evening. My one fear was about the clearance of the left side of the car. I was not sure if my car would pass between 2 vehicles. So I kept asking A, if it will go thru.

Took mom and C one round nearby, and later parked in front.

A drove back from Pnagar to Jnagar, as I was scared of night driving. I used to feel I can't see properly due to the glaring lights from the vehicles in opposite direction.

We had to goto cunningham road that night, and again A drove the car.

I took J one round in the car that night, around cunningham road.

From Edwards road, I drove back to Jnagar! I was surprised that I could drive aaramse in the night :) There was crazy traffic on double road till wilson garden - bumper to bumper vehicle. And I could drive! This boosted my confidence a lot. And convinced me again why I needed an automatic :-)

At cosmopolitan club junction, after taking a left, a car stopped in front of me, and 3 buses were to the right coming one behind another. I freaked out, as I am anyways scared of big vehicles. I should have honked at the car in front of me. I stopped and let the buses pass, and drove back.

Things that I learnt -
1. I have to be very very alert, looking at all directions all the time
2. While overtaking a bus, I once went off too much to the right, and a car was at my right rear end.
3. Should not be bothered if people honk while I am driving and get pressurized
4. While taking a left, stay to the left after making the turn

May 17
Asked C to come home, so that I could go for a drive. At 12.30 I left Jnagar, and drove to Pnagar with C. Traffic was less. I parked on the street in front of the house towards left side, leaving a lot of space to the left. So I was more towards the road.

After having lunch, left Pnagar, went on ring road, took a 'u' turn at kamakya (my first u) and I was scared of u turns - took the turn, and while doing so, I didn't see to my right for a second, and a bike zipped past me taking a right turn! I realized that even for a fraction second I could not miss seeing in all directions - dg petrol bunk, bsk, monotype, jnagar.

May 18
Woke up early, and went one round -  to madhvan park via 10th main, 4th blk - sudha aunty mane, 4th blk, 10th main. On 10th main, I practiced parking between 2 cars which were very far from each other. Back home.

I practiced reverse and parking inside our compound 3-4 times in the afternoon.

Things that I learnt -
Don't be over confident! I felt its very easy to get over confident, A reminded me not to.

Didn't drive May 19 as I was away from home.

May 20
Took the car one round frm jnagar to madhvan park to fill petrol at mp. Then went to a friend's house, took S for a round, drove back to jnagar.

Left jnagar afternoon to kanteerava stadium - full traffic, but now I was confident. 

Drove back from stadium to jnagar.

May 21
Morning, removed car from inside the compound, reversed from one gate and reversed back to another gate - a reverse u - wasn't perfect - practised this twice. Kept car inside.

Went to jpnagar from jnagar to aunt's house at 6.30pm.

Drove back from jpnagar to jnagar at 7.30 in the night. I am comfortable to drive at night now. And I can makeout if my car can pass between 2 vehicles to some extent. I cannot say I am an expert on that.


Yippeeeeeeee :D




May 31
I drove alone from 6am to 7am, with A following me in the cycle. 


June 4
I drove from Jnagar to Pnagar alone - about 4km at 5pm :) This is the first time I drove alone. It was goooooood :D