My unsuccessful driving lessons!

My driving / riding phobia dates back to the period when I was 10 years old. While most 10 year olds would be excited at the prospect of getting a new bi-cycle, I was terrified. My dad did his best to pick the most toy-like, extremely safe BSA SLR He took enough trouble to get it into the garage secretly intending it to be a big sweet surprise for my birthday. I was surprised though, not pleasantly. I just could not get myself to sit on it and attempt to ride. I did pose next to it and take a couple of fabulous photographs though!

I vaguely remember my dad coaxing me to just try it once promising that he will hold on and not let me fall. I also remember him holding on to the bicycle and pleading with me to push the pedals and move ahead. All this effort resulted in nothing.. I just could not get the confidence to pedal on my own. My father decided that instead of running behind my bi-cycle it would be better to offer me a lift if I needed to go anywhere.

I never ceased to admire those who could cycle on their own. I kind of hero worshipped my friends who cycled to school. To me that was as close as flying a fighter jet or something! I still relied on my good old dad for dropping me and picking me up where ever I needed to go. My father got tired of ferrying me around, probably fed up with the giggly teenager friends of mine and generally upset that I never had the motivation to go around on my own.

He tried to introduce some excitement again when I joined college. He brought home a Bajaj Sunny ( again a safe, low weight, easy to handle two-wheeler ). He was growing older and could not run behind the Sunny as efficiently as he ran behind the bi-cycle. The results are not too hard to imagine. My first trial resulted in a bruised knee and a bruised Sunny! There ended my attempt to skip the cycle and learn to ride the bike.

Fathers don’t give up that easily. He waited until I finished college and tempted me with a small car ( the very safe and snug Maruthi 800). He even got me enrolled into a driving school. The instructor tried to be as patient as possible. I somehow could not get it… the difference between the brake and the accelerator. Every time I changed gears, the car had to be re-started. After a couple of days the instructor started losing patience and I started making excuses ( feeling sick, special class, very important audit, etc., ) The results…. Another 2k paid to the driving school, down in the drain.

I have to admit, somewhat shamefully that I still haven’t been able to grasp the skills of driving. I was hoping that my kids don’t take after me. I am glad that my son’s excitement at getting a bicycle for his birthday was real. He can ride bikes with ease and has even tried driving our family car in the empty ground near my home. He is all of 12 years and has been able to subordinate the bikes and cars. I am relieved!

All I have to do now is to wait for him to turn 18, he has promised to drive me around when it would be legal for him to do so. Meanwhile I pray that he won’t change his mind!!