[n_aditya]

FYI ppl... There is another session of the blind rally in chennai on Feb 18th.

For details please visit the linky in my previous posts.

[n_aditya]

mod's please modify the title of the thread for the benefit of the members. I didn't want to create a separate thread for this.

Have already requested this earlier.

[Sam Kapasi]

I am back home, after the introduction and trial run. I’ve never been in a rally before and had no idea it was so much fun and concentration.

With a visually handicapped navigator. A cool guy, who dresses way better than I do, looks really handsome and is doing his MBA at St. Xavier’s college and speaks better English than most of us do. His name is Jatin and I may have found a new friend today.

I met beautiful happy people today. A little parsi girl (all of 21 years old), beautiful, really beautiful, though she doesn’t know it. My heart broke in a beautiful way. Spent a few hours joking with them. Pari has a killer sense of humour and timing.

Here’s a few lines we laughed about
Jatin: “Hello, let me drive na, I don’t wat to navigate”
Sam: “Are you mad, you can’t see (laughing)”
Jatin: “Well, I don’t know about you, but I came here to win”
Jatin: “Sam, you also have a lancer na, let me drive that, what’s a car between friends”
Sam: (just laughing uncontrollably)
Pari: “****, man, I can’t see and my driver can’t read English properly, what a couple we make”

(Eventually we got little pari transferred to our Aditya’s contessa and she is now his navigator because he originally got a navigator that couldn’t read Braille properly, talk about rotten luck )

I feel warm and wonderful inside. I have learned more about human relationships and handicaps in the past 3 to 4 hours than I have in my whole life.
A visually handicapped person (I also learned that “Blind” is mildly rude) put me in my place when I asked him, if it irritated him that people were always trying to help him. He asked me if I had never needed help from people, and if my answer was yes, how did the two of us differ? In our levels of need of help?

“You look at your watch, I listen to it. I like people, when I need help I take it. When I don’t need help I say, hey, thanks. What is there to think so much?”

He’s gonna finish his MBA and get into HR. I feel a bit stupid and ungrateful towards my own life. Don’t worry I won’t get emotional and philosophical.

I also saw RTech and 2L8Uloose, sweating and organizing a difficult rally with mapping in Braille. Kudos to them. Those who thought that they don’t work – you were wrong. They work hard.

I would have posted a lot more and even happy pictures. But I don’t feel like it. Nor a rally report. I’m not going to write a fun report with pictures.

Because here was an opportunity to make some handicapped people feel special. To drive in our beloved cars and laugh with them and take a little adventure, through the roads of Mumbai, trying to win a prize for your team.
Funny that I brought up the word TEAM. Because only 2 people showed up from this one. Aditya and I. All it would have taken was a little effort (of waking up early on a Sunday morning) and Rs.1000/-
Perhaps some of us could have given up partying this one Saturday. Maybe we could have woken up and gone for a lovely interesting adventurous drive with a new friend. (You were allowed to take your special lady/wife with you in the backseat). But we didn’t. And that’s terrible. I see uncles and aunties and I see people at the rally (there are 45 cars) and not even one claims to be an auto enthusiast.

And I see 1000+ so called auto enthusiasts from mumbai who did nothing.

I am sure some of you had valid reasons and my post is not directed at those who did, but for the rest of you, I’ll say this and I’ll make it short.

Shame.

I wish we had put half the effort we do, when we’re inviting each other to eat and drink in the Team-BHP meet section.

I am sorry if these words are strong, they were meant to be.

Thank you for reading this post.

[Aditya]

I second Sam's thoughts.
Everyone is busy with work and other matters. Sam was busy with work somewhere in Mulund, but, still made time for this. There must be many more people among the participants who have done the same. Can't believe, just 2 Team-BHP members are participating. Come on chaps, this event is something so different from our everyday life. As Sam said, you make a handicapped person feel special. Trust me, these guys are just as fun loving as anyone around. They may not be able to see, but, everyone has some or the other limitation. We must do whatever we can, to make these people feel like they are not unwanted. What's Rs. 1000 in today's world?

[swale84]

That was a really heartfelt post Sam, I can see how much this experience has made you appreciate the things we take for granted so much more....

Please dont take this in any other way, I speak purely from the same experiences back in school when we would have 'Social awareness camps'...We would spend a weekend with the Physically handicapped, Visually impaired, and underprivileged children....not a charity event, just some quality time with people who otherwise we would not have though of 'hanging out' with.

At the end of those two days, everyone would come away a different person: us, because we made someone feel that extra bit special & loved; although for a short while, and our 'Younger brother or Sister' filled with some great memories and cared for.

Some of us later took it upon us to spend an hour a day, thrice a week after school to teach underprivileged children from the municipal school that shared a ground with ours. I'll never forget how good it felt when my 'younger brother' came and showed me his report card with a HUGE improvement in his English & Math grades. It really makes you realise how much we take our lives for granted, mundane things for us like being able to go to the best tutors or eating out wherever we please on a whim..or even the privilege to drive, which we ALL consider a given.

I dont mean to paraphrase what Sam has already said, just that his post brough back some great, memories some very mixed emotions..and made me realise how involved I am in MY own life that I'd completely forgotten how good I'd feel after our Social awareness camps, how after every one I'd promise myself that I was going carry on doing something for the good of society in general.

I dont mean monetary charity here, I mean helping the domestic help's kids out with their English & Math (things we take knowing for granted), maybe even going to an old age home and just spending some time with the elderly people there, so they felt more loved, Doing some volunteer work at one of the numerous NGO's operating in our country.



Unfortunately, in our 'fast paced' lives maybe some of what I've mentioned may not be possible, but I for one will make it a point that the next time an oppurtunity like this comes up I WILL MAKE IT A POINT TO BE THERE......

Dont want to sound like I'm making tall claims or a big sacrifice, before anyone doubts my sincerity......fine I'm doing it for my own sellfish reasons, I'll come away a better man, I'll feel better about myself...It's great that it will make a difference to someone else as well.

If I can drive down to Mumbai for the meet, why not this....If we can arrange a meet around the speedrun, why not one around something like this as well......???

Alright, I've said what I felt....thank you Sam.....

Suhail

[iraghava]

Well I do remember the days when I was in 11th standard & had gone with a visually impaired person as his write in his final year exams, no prices for guessing I helped him a bit with passing his exam. (Which was of English Language )

I might not be a Mumbai-ite Sam but here's my promise to you, next time you have a similar rally in Mumbai I'll be there with a car to participate & I guarantee you that.

[Aditya]

Just back from the event. Won't say much, except that both Sam and I had a whole load of fun and made some new friends.
We'll be back next year for sure.

[V-16]

Originally Posted by iraghava

Well I do remember the days when I was in 11th standard & had gone with a visually impaired person as his write in his final year exams, no prices for guessing I helped him a bit with passing his exam. (Which was of English Language )

I might not be a Mumbai-ite Sam but here's my promise to you, next time you have a similar rally in Mumbai I'll be there with a car to participate & I guarantee you that.

ur welcome in my car Irags. Could'nt make it coz had an engagement i the family, a sudden thing altough i had promised to take part...but next time i will, with Irags in my car
And That was a moving post Sam. Kudos for u thinking this way... All of us should be thankful to God for all that we take so, "for granted"
I remember a quote " I CRIED I DID'NT HAVE NEW SHOES, TILL I SAW SOMEONE WHO HAD NO FEET"

[Dippy]

That was a wonderful post Sam and very touching. I have interacted with quite a few phyically challenged people and I know what a fighting spirit these people have. They have nerves of steel. Well I am physically challenged too, I dont use my right hand ( I dont know how many people on the forum know this) but then its just that I have not let it come in the way of how I live my life. Therefore one will never find a "CAUTION DISABLED DRIVER" on my car. Though I drive an AT everyday, I can proudly say that I can drive an MT car single handedly as well as any other person with both hands and yes also RIP it as we all say. Stand on the road and watch me drive an MT car and you wouldnt realize I'm driving it with one hand until I get out from the car and you see me. I dont use any special driving aids like steering knob to turn the steering. Thats so doesnt feel like driving a car. I have driven cars with PS and non PS as well. Turning a non PS car with one hand is tough but thats where all the fun is. No assistance required at all.

Through out my academic career I have never opted for any "Handicapped" Category where you get extra time and leniant corrections. Its difficult to draw geometry diagrams holding ruler with your elbow and the stuff does get screwed up if the hand shakes but the results in marks I used to get were excellent. i would have got more had i opted for SPECIAL category but then that wouldnt make me as happy.

Diasability is all in the mind. If you think youre disabled then you are otherwise you are not. I never consider myself disabled and I'm sure none of the new friends you made today do either. I meet many people everyday and many times people after hearing about my disability say to me" Oh I/ We are sorry about this". I reply by saying just one thing" Dont be sorry .. because I'm not." I know this post is a bit off topic but reading Sam's post just made me a bit emotional and put down a few lines on life from the way I look at it. I too have seen quite a few ups and downs due to my problem but then what is life without a challenge? I have great support from my parents, brother, all my friends which includes all you buddies and other petrolheads out there. I'm glad I am forunate to enjoy life the way I am with all of you. There are less fortunate people than me out there.

I always feel that if God takes something away from you, he compensates it with something else. I may not have the power of using a hand but have been gifted with immense will power which drives me everyday on and on and I look forward to living each day with enthusiasm

I regret for not making it to this due to some family commitments. But next year I will participate for sure and not as a passenger but I will drive my own car. This is not to be missed

Rallies apart I look forward to the day when I can take the starting line at a Speed Run with a fast machine. Takes time but things happen but I'll get there for sure . I know it. Win or lose doesnt matter but just the fact that i did it among the so called professional racers will be a good feeling. Though i dont rule out a win either

Sorry for this long post but the few posts above moved me and I had to put my feelings down in a few words from my everyday real life

Thank you all

P S : Sam and Addy well done both of you. RT and 2L8 thank you for everything. Its a rally commendable job you guys do

[Boom Shiva]

On a bright note, Sam and Jatin won third place!

Come on big guy, don't be modest...

[Rtech]

Yup, Jatin (the genius!) and Sam did a great job to finish third overall, even though they were sabotaged by having to complete the rally with Sam's girl and my wife in their car creating havoc on his brand new Verna!

Also, Sam was nearly awarded the Ladies prize as well...till he turned around and the officials noticed his goatie!

[Dippy]

Sweet pic there . But wait a minute Did Sam drive the rally with his Verna? I thought was the Lancer

[Sam Kapasi]

Originally Posted by iraghava

Well I do remember the days when I had gone with a visually impaired person as his write in his final year exams, no prices for guessing I helped him a bit with passing his exam. (Which was of English Language )

I'm surprised he passed lol.

@Dippy - I was persuaded to drive with my Verna.
By 2L8Uloose. In fact I have one more anecdote. Jatin (the navigator) wanted to argue with 2L8 about something and I suggested he feel 2L8.

One hand on the impressive girth and he quietly nodded, saying "I'll take whatever you give me boss" while Zav laughed loudly.
What was even funnier was at the end of the race, we had 4 visually handicapped people, touching and feeling 2L8 and making the appropriate "ooh and aah" sounds. They had never "seen" a guy of his size before. And Zav stood there grinning, like the good sport he is. I think RT got a picture. RT?

Meanwhile, here's another pic RT took:

[Dippy]

haha cant to see a picture of that RT please put up the rest of the pictures. Would be a nice addition to this wonderful thread

[Rtech]

Oh, you mean this picture...

And Zav stood there grinning, like the good sport he is.

He's still grinning!

Edit: Look at Aditya waiting in line for his turn to get a feel of 2l8 for himself!!!

P.s. Sorry Dippy, I just took a couple of pics from my phone at the end. Will try and get hold of some more though.