"Hello! Good morning! I'll be arriving in 10 minutes!"
The voice on the other end was of Ravi, my instructor for the 15-days car driving course I had signed up for, after I was nearly pushed by the family to catch up on this new skill.
Following the previous year's scooty accident, my reckless driving habits had got replaced with a more cautious and slower approach on the road. So, I was a bit skeptical to step into this unknown territory of a 4 wheelers!
Soon, an old model of Maruti Suzuki WagonR arrived with a signboard on top, which confirmed this was the training school car I had to get into.
A fellow learner was in the driver's seat, while the instructor Ravi occupied the passenger seat next to him, with the control panel positioned near his feet to manage any potential hazards during the training sessions.
Why is it Overwhelming!
After completing all the registration formalities while seated in the back, as the fellow driver soon stepped down from the car near his home and I was asked to occupy the driver's seat.
Ravi, without any further ado, started explaining me the basics: the ABC of Car Driving (Accelerator, Brake & Clutch), seat belt, handbrake, gearbox, mirrors, Steering, horn, indicators and other essential mechanics before turning the key on.
I quickly felt overwhelmed by the sheer amount of information and realized that I should have also tried my hands on riding a bike before, not just a scooty, to better understand the importance of the clutch!
It’s Real-time, No Second Take!
The key was turned on and before I realized it, soon the car was on the main road. It was then a real-time situation with no room for error.
Although the control panel with my instructor were there to help, still a wrong foot on the accelator or a miscalculation on the brake might craft an entirely different story!
With constant anxiety & with all the blind trust on Ravi, I started following his words for the next 30 Minutes. In fact, he took me through complex U-turns, that too on a busy street on the very first day of the training itself.
I was trembling with fear, praying to the almighty to protect me from any unforeseen events. 🙏
Thankfully, we arrived at our destination, where the next trainee, a young woman in her mid-30s, joined us after dropping her kids at school.
While I was struggling to figure out the clutch and gear combination, she reminded me of my friend Sanya who tackles everything from bungee jumping to trekking, karate, river rafting and even singing, all these while excelling at building and maintaining great software.
Her ability to handle so many challenges inspires me to push myself beyond my comfort zone.
Do it Again!
After a session of intense focus, I returned home to rest, only to realize I’d have to wake up the next day to face more unknown turns, rainy weather, traffic signals, speed bumps, passing vehicles at a crazy speed and the never ending confusion of the accelerator-gear-brake-clutch combination!
I wished I could escape it, but alas, the strict attendance register leaves no room for skipping!
This new routine had nearly replaced my daily morning walk. I found myself on the same street I had crossed countless times on foot or by scooter, but this time, with a much slower pace and under the strict supervision of my instructor, who insisted on keeping the speed below 40 km/h and rarely shifting beyond the 3rd gear.
After a long gap from the engineering days, I had found instructor Ravi, with the liberty to shout at my wrong moves and rectify me on the spot. I chose this as an opportunity to be a listener and follow the master.
In fact, in any domain you step onto, you’ll always find people who’re there earlier than you, smarter than you & without any doubt, more accomplished than you as well.
It's important to process this reality and remain humble as you navigate through it. After all we’re all equal, when we are there for learning!
The ‘‘Turning’’ Nightmare!
The first week went like a recurring daily experiment. I’d wake up at 6:30 to his call for the session. My goal quickly became to get through the 30 minutes someway or the other and return home quickly—after all, who wants to start the day making errors in their craft?
Whenever a U-turn appeared, I would be confused about whether to turn the steering wheel twice or just once and wait for the flow of oncoming traffic.
On top of that, I needed to check the rear-view mirror, use the horn and indicators effectively and avoid pedestrians & other vehicles.
I faced similar confusion while using the reverse gear on the narrow lanes of Bhubaneswar.
I sometimes wonder why there weren't simulation and theory classes before real-time learning. They could provide valuable confidence and insights into the dynamics of driving. Isn’t so!
A Silver Lining…
I was amazed by Ravi's punctuality. He would arrive precisely at 7:00 or even earlier and finish my session right at 7:30, covering about 8-10 km each day.
His professionalism impressed me so much that I once complimented him, saying that even though I was in the driver’s seat, I couldn't seem to grasp how he manages to keep everything on schedule, especially with a long line of trainees waiting for their slots.
It’s not just about traffic rules and driving techniques; it's also about respecting others' time by planning the routes and managing the speed. Coming on time for a day is one thing, maintaining that almost daily is a whole different skill.
As the days went by, especially around the 9th or 10th day, I began to notice my progress and the growing ease with driving.
My mindset began to shift positively and I found myself relating to the challenges faced by other new trainees, having experienced similar struggles myself.
I started enjoying conversations with Ravi about his life and the challenges of being a driving instructor.
He shared his experiences with various trainees, some of whom would get easily offended, others who opted for extra classes and a few who even dropped out or stopped answering calls.
This made me admire his dedication even more, especially considering his packed schedule on weekends as well.
The Takeaway…
It feels like a magic✨, how they transform people from scratch to a level, where they could have a fearless decent approach at driving on the road.
Keeping in mind the statistics below, no doubt, many people learn this craft on their own or with a basic observation from their family, friends or people at workplace.
But, a structured lesson helps in going a long way. While by paying or just attending a 15-days course won’t fully prepare someone for every possible driving scenarios, including various traffic, road and weather conditions, but it lays a solid foundation.
Ultimately, it comes down to revisiting those basics, reinforcing them through regular practice and maintaining a calm mindset.
With a stint of 15 days, covering more than 120+ KM, I bid adieu to my instructor Ravi with a 5 Star⭐ Review on his company site and a chocolate 🍫 with a printed message as a token of gratitude.
Although he modestly wondered why I had spent on him, I was touched by his response and by the stories of the many individuals I met in the backseat, all on similar journeys but at different stages in their lives. I exited with a final handshake on the 15th day of my course.
So far, I’ve touched the speeds of 50-60 km/h on the road at a 4th Gear, thanks to the diligent guidance of my elder brother, who now helps me turn those lessons into practical experience.
Long way to go!
P.S
This is a personal account of my experience with driving classes, meant to be read lightheartedly. It’s not intended as advice or guidance on road safety or driving.
