Why Driving is Over-rated

 Like many other things, driving is vastly over-rated, in my view.

First off, you have several factors that you have no control over, when you drive. Other drivers, who seem to be nitwits to use a mild phrase, mostly.

Second, you have to contend with traffic. And signals. My God, that RED circle stays with you for eternity.

The zigzagging morons. Less said the better.

Highways which earlier were a paradise, now have a serpent. The toll booths. Not sure for whom that bell tolled, but these toll for you.

Best of all, those who come straight at you, driving on the wrong side. And then give you a mouthful when you so much as stare at them... 

Well, that is why I drive no longer. Unless my life depends on it.

Driverless cars? I am all for them. Let the machines fight it out. May the best robot win. And why stop at cars? Let's have driverless scooters and motorbikes too..the more the merrier! What say?

Hurried Versus Languid

 Why is everybody in a hurry? Where are they going? And, if they are actually going somewhere in life, can't it wait a few minutes?

These questions always arise between 9 am and 10 am in the morning, and between 4.30 and 5.30 pm each working day, in my mind. After that, they vanish, to come back again at the same time, to bother me.

Research is needed, maybe, to figure out if we would achieve anything more if we were 5 minutes ahead of normal/usual. Will that stop global warming, floods, war, general nastiness and dictators clinging to power in more countries than one?

Will it lead to us smiling instead of throwing a tantrum at home or workplace? 

Partly, it depends on your mode of transport too. If you have a comfortable seat on a bus or a commuter train, you may not care about traffic conditions, or delays of some kind. They would be minor distractions for you. But in the driver's seat, it may feel different. 

So, maybe learning to relax and take a deep breath, and not rush in where angels fear to tread would be a good approach. What do you think?

Driving Across the USA

I did it twice-once in 1986, and another time in 1990.

 Clemson Football (below) in my abode.

 Bryce Canyon (above) and South Dakota..

 Bonding with Roger Moore (above), and a map of South Carolina we found on an outing.

The first time, it was three of us, my brother Satish and friend Anil were with me. One of us slept at the back, while one of us drove and the second played RJ, changing the cassettes. We would listen to music through the drive (around 600 miles in a day). We took a break at San Antonio (Texas) at Anil's uncle's place, and then at Albuquerque, New Mexico, with some friends. The third or fourth day of driving, we reached Los Angeles. On the way, we stopped at the Grand Canyon, the Petrified Forest National park, and Las Vegas. Our car's radiator broke up near Las Vegas, and we had to go to a junkyard and replace it.

At L.A., we saw Knotts Berry Farm (an amusement park), with our friend Kiran, and also Disneyland, the NBC studios, Universal Studios etc. which then had the actual car that was used in the TV series Knightrider (it was called KITT, and it talked to the hero-a supercar). This was our first visit to L.A. and we were impressed.

The second time was a more circular trip, up to New York, across to Warren, Ohio (my cousins whom my parents had to meet were in these two places), and the to Detroit where a family friend resided. On the way, we also went up the Sears Tower in Chicago.

Then, it was real wilderness for hundreds of miles until we got to Mount Rushmore in South Dakota with the 4 Presidential faces carved into the mountain, and then to a highlight-the Yellowstone National Park. We rounded off the trip again with L.A. as our last stop (Kiran was there again to welcome us), and then back via Texas.

Indian Obsessions

Government job.

Selecting the Indian cricket team/coach.

Subsidies- on anything.

Talking as if you are an expert on things you know next to nothing about.

Holier-than-thou feelings about our culture.

Same (as above) about your mother tongue.

Criticism of most food made outside our kitchen.

Slavery towards ideas originating in the White West.

Throwing garbage anywhere.

Driving recklessly.

Telling others what to do.

Getting your kids married.

Getting others' kids married.

Driving on the Wall

Top 10 Things that can drive me up a wall- next time you see me up there, you know why I am..

1. Seepage through the wall- I am yet to see a house in India (or a building) that does not have water seepage. The size of the painting on the wall varies, but it's there. Makes me wonder if the same civil engineers are building our bridges- we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Other pet peeves for now-

2. People who call, and don't message/text after or before when the call is unsuccessful. It is common sense, if not good etiquette.

3. Rudeness of many kinds. Not caring what you may be doing to someone, something- there are too many manifestations of this to list here. Unless your name is Rudy, you have no right...

4. Customer service of most companies in India today. This phrase is actually an oxymoron, and most people in it are morons..sorry guys, you just have to improve.. a lot.

5. Corporate jargon. I try to figure out what it means, and fail each time.

6. Change-the-world posts on social media. I mean, the word "social" should ring a bell...

7. Know-it-alls on any subject, clubbed with no. 3 above..positively obnoxious.

8. Humourless people. This doesn't require explanations, I suppose..or does it?

9. People living beyond their means, to impress someone ..

10. People who judge others by the cars they drive.. I don't know even one nice guy who owns a Merc..am I judgemental, or just mental?