It’s a bumpy ride!

 

         (I don't know why I am putting up a photo of Lightning McQueen, who was a racing car, when I don't even cross the mark of 40km/hr speed.)

When it was difficult to even step out of the house, learning a car seemed next to impossible.

 

I turned 18 this year. And when you turn 18, you become eligible for lots of important documents like PAN card, election card and most importantly driving license (4 wheeler).

 

Amidst the lockdown, I celebrated my 18^th birthday on 9^th may. And that day, my father was like now it’s time for you to learn car. And I was like it’s not possible knowing the situation.  Little did I know that my father already enrolled me in driving school and they were going to start as soon as lockdown is over.

 

At first, I and my mom were like it won’t be safe to learn car in such a situation, but my dad stood his ground. Also, my dad kept his car Nano (automatic) just for me, so that I can learn to drive in it and can hit it as many times as I can (not to hit any person or animal, though); which was a good thing too because Nano is literally very nano in size. And as soon as the lockdown got over, I was sent to the driving classes with full protection and a learner’s license.

 

With a not-so-learning mood, I went for my first day of driving school. First day was all about learning where gears and clutches lie. I returned home thinking that it will be easy. But who knew driving a car in a city like Ahmedabad was that easy.

 

Second day, the car engine was finally turned on and I was supposed to drive on one of the Ahmedabad’s busiest rood. Imagine a girl who just turned 18 and who doesn’t even know how to turn the car on is set loose amidst all the big bulls on the road. I was slower than an old person walking. With the big cars and buses honking and people cursing me for creating traffic at the prime time of the day, I finished my second day or may I say first official day of driving a car.  

 

When I requested my instructor, to not let me drive on that road again, he refused immediately and told me that if I can learn to drive on such a road, I can easily drive anywhere. I always read this type of lessons that if you can figure out your way on darker paths, you can easily reach your destination on a brightened path. But to apply it in real life is no easy job.

 

Within 10 days, I learned to drive a manual car. I was not so good but not too bad also. It was sufficient. As I had to give the driving test in an automatic car, I didn’t put that much effort in learning a manual car. And soon I was about to know that driving an automatic car itself didn’t require any efforts.

 

It almost felt like driving a car like in the game - Bumping cars, but I was not supposed to bump into anyone; otherwise would have ended up with a big bill. And soon I kept getting better and better in driving an automatic car (not manual). I was still driving on a straight but traffic packed road. I hadn’t started my actual training for the driving test.

 

In Ahmedabad, in order to get the driving license for four-wheeler, you have to pass four tests. Stopping the car on a steep slope, parking the car straight in a box, driving on path shaped as 8 and driving the car in reverse on a path shaped like S. And to add to my fear, we have to complete all the four tests in a given timeline. But before I could start my training for the test, my college exams barged in.

 

My exams finished on 30^th of July and my driving test was on 11^th of August, sparing me only 11 days to prepare for the test. And trust me, 11 days is not sufficient enough to prepare for the test. I started preparing on the same day my exam got over because I was so scared of failing it. (And also because I started getting interested in driving an automatic car)

 

 I put the pedal to the medal and started practicing for the test. Earlier, I used to practice for only one hour but in the last 11 days, I started practicing 2 hours a day; one hour in afternoon and one in evening. I didn’t wanted to give this test second time and hence forth I practiced a lot. I was good in the drawing the 8 part and the slope part but reverse S and box parking was a bit tough.

 

Luckily I was going to give test on Nano, which as I said is very small and hence it provided as a stepping stone for acing the test. Soon I mastered the box parking too. I practiced box parking so many times out of fear that if anyone told me to park the car in a box at midnight, I would’ve done it. Till the exam date, I got a good grip on reverse S or so I thought.

 

Finally, the D-day arrived. My test slot was from 12 pm and to be on a safer side, I and my dad reached the test centre at 10:45 am. The pandemic supported me as there were hardly 10 people present to give the test. So, instead of giving the test at 12, my turn came at 11.

 

Starting on a good note, I passed the slope test, which I was pretty sure I would. Moving forward to the box parking, and as I said I mastered it too and there too I parked it perfectly in just 50 seconds out of 90 seconds. The person who was checking was also shocked when I parked it in such less time. He checked the car whether my mobile was ON or I was cheating. But I was not. On getting a green signal from that shocked guy, I went ahead to the ‘Drawing the 8’ test. I passed in it too. One benefit I got by giving the driving test for two wheeler was that I knew what that 8 looked like.

 

And then came the ‘Reverse S’ test, which was a little tough for me. There were 3 fouls allowed during the complete test and till I reached reverse S, I didn’t do any foul, which was soon going to prove a plus point for me. After doing well in the last three tests, I expected that I will pass this last test too. But unfortunately, I panicked and made two fouls in just few seconds. Now, I was afraid that I may fail. But somehow I pulled myself together and finished the test without any further fouls. Still unaware of whether I did it in the given time limit, which will eventually decide whether I passed or not, I started moving towards the exit.

 

On the exit gate, there was a policeman standing and I asked him whether I passed or not and he said that he doesn’t know that. And to find out the result I had to go to window number 4. Those 5 minutes of driving from the exit gate to parking in front of the window no. 4 proved to be even tougher than the whole test. My father was standing on the exit gate waiting for me to know the result. I parked the car and told him I don’t know the result as of now.

 

I went to the designated window and submitted my application form when asked. On submitting it, she said, “Your license will reach your home in 20 days.”

 

Listening to those words, a broad smile appeared on my scared face. I ran towards my father and told him that I passed. We both were so happy. I immediately called my mom who was desperately waiting for this phone call since the day my practice started. I told her that I passed and she let out a sigh of relief.

 

That day, I felt so grateful to my mom who came with me every single day of my practice and to my dad that if he hadn’t been that stubborn towards this decision of his and, I wouldn’t have made it to that day to hear those words from the mouth of the lady sitting behind that window number 4.