[Mu009]

Well.

It's been about a month since I joined, but as circumstance would have it, I've been swamped enough to put off this introduction till now - I wanted to do it properly. I usually do things that way, or not at all.

In fact, I haven't even been following my bookmarked threads - something I'd do almost religiously otherwise. Which I suppose is a nice enough segue into me talking about why I joined in the first place. I'm not big on social media - by which I of course meant to say in an understated way that I not only detest it, but think of it as one the leading scourges by,for and of, if I may borrow the words of one Mr. Jonathan Swift, this "pernicious race of little odious vermin". But for what it's worth, this is the closest contact with social media I've had since my teenage years, and the only form of it I care for, as of even date. (By which I mean, regardless of conventional definitions, I regard this as a form of social media when looked at a certain way. And, I mean that in a positive sense, unlike how I think about other kinds of social media.)

While I will borrow from my T-BHP application later on for anyone who's interested in reading one man's verbose rambling nonsense about his love for automobiles (I know there are at least a few here, obviously, that's why I'm here), the so-called "tl;dr version" is (mind you, I don't like shutting up when I'm writing so this isn't exactly going to be short either - which I expect you'd have guessed since I'm adding a superfluous annotation at the part where I claim there'll be brevity):

I detest tribalism. Most forums turn into childish and irritating forms of that with spam far outweighing relevant content (if any). Fanboyism along the lines of "Fortunes is much best from Endeveer" is good for a solitary chuckle, but doesn't exactly invite participation in and/or contribution to, with one's ever-decreasing temporal resources and ever more premium effort.

I also abhor bad grammar and value clear communication (perfection mayn’t be possible, but I’m not going to stop striving for it). I detest how as our media of communication rage ahead in leaps and bounds, the quality of our messages through them dips ever faster.

And in case the Swift quote above doesn't make it clear enough, one might not unreasonably describe me as a misanthrope. So the community aspects of a forum aren't exactly a big draw either. At least not what most other forums have to offer.

I'm talking about Quality here. Yes, the one with the capital Q. The one in Robert M Pirsig's "Zen and The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance". The ones who are familiar with it know where I'm coming from, and yes, I'm one of Phaedrus' disciples - you may approach and expect open arms.
For those not familiar with the same, I will exhort you - scientist, engineer, mechanic, philosopher, "enthusiast" (look up the etymology for why I've used quotes) - in no uncertain terms to at least peruse the book. Not wanting to be so presumptuous as to be pushing my influences (especially in my first outing here), but I can say with sufficient certainty (pardon the oxymoron) that you will at least come out a more enthusiastic enthusiast of whatever it is you're enthusiastic about.

And therefore, I love the strict hand of T-BHP moderators - I'm glad that neither of my negative stipulations apply to this forum thanks to that.

I value just how T-BHP manages to be a platform that educates without preaching, has mature debates and presents not only bonafide experiences of a whole raft of interesting things. Not only is it refreshing to see the kind of quality one gets to see here, but the sheer breadth of opinion on offer - all without any form of cult-ish forcing of opinions - and the heartfelt community spirit behind it is tremendously attractive.

And since you'll were kind enough to let me join, here I am.

__________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ ______________________

A little bit about me in the way of an introduction now, I suppose.

I spend most of my time playing guitar. And all of it being unemployed. Some people delusionally give me the label "guitar player" and some kindly "on sabbatical", but I think of myself as unemployed. Not that I would change that for the sake of it, or that I have a problem with it, I'm just stating fact. And yes, despite being unemployed, I'm busy all the time - I'm certainly the busiest person I've ever known.

I also love:

Wodehouse.

Food. I might have an addiction frankly. But unfortunately, unlike alcohol or gambling, you can't just completely quit to keep temptation at bay, so I wear my gluttony ono my sleeve (and other places on my body for that matter)

Lifting.

Technology.

Wildlife and Nature.

Taking my time over living (not just life) - doing things slowly, contemplatively and satisfyingly, doing my own chores.

__________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ ______________________

And now, a gratuitous spouting of history:

Now, I call BS (pardon my French) every time I hear of something like this in applications, but this is genuinely true - I'm told that as a toddler, I'd always go 'Car! Car! Car!" and didn't shut up until I was brought a book full of pictures of cars. Then, allegedly, I'd sit looking at it all day. I'd ordinarily be tempted to dismiss this as having no real significance, as being a mere unfathomable quirk of child's mind through which no proclivity may be inferred - were it not for the fact that my love for automobiles has been quite persistent over time.

I was a subscriber to an automag at least as early as 11 years of age (2003). Might've been earlier, can't say. Again, true story. Soon that became two automags. Looking back now, while not quite as bad as smartphone reviewers of today, the repetitive vocabulary of those journos did help me at that stage of development of language - certainly with adjectives and descriptive prowess. So even though I'm older now and see more flaws there than I used to, I still look back on those days fondly. From a purely reading perspective, they were a great bridge as I moved through Blyton to Puzo/Archer/Forsyth/MacLean around age 15.

Mechanically, I'm ashamed to say, I was an utter philistine. I would love reading the HP numbers (never the torque in those days, mind you), 0-100 times yada yada yada, and spouting them everywhere (since I am blessed with quite the memory for numbers). My understanding of power/torque curves was non-existent. Let alone even the basic working of just how a car works, I was blissfully unaware of even the measures that can indicate how numbers might translate to reality.

However, in time I did take my bicycle apart, and learn a fair few details of it. Thanks to it being geared (something of a rarity at the time where I was), I learnt a little bit about transmissions as well. That said, I never learnt anything of say, engines, clutches and crankshafts at the time.

Around 16, I learnt to ride my first motorised vehicle on thankfully, a geared vehicle. My mum's "Priya" scooter. At 17, I was bought a FZ-16, on which I put 40k kms in 2 years. Thanks to an almost complete absence of parental pressure and the bias of the school system results to my strengths, I had all the time in the world to do so. After which I sold it off when I left for college aged 19.

I know that because of having a learner's permit, I was technically underage to drive a geared vehicle and this may be construed as a lax attitude toward rules or a lack of respect for laws (as is unfortunately de rigueur in India), but I assure you that such is not the case. I am not going to try to defend it by saying it's a stupid/antiquated law. For just this particular thing I simply own up to it, and am not ashamed of it. And that's how I'd do it again.

While we're on the subject, I come from a smaller town and this may be hard for metro-dwellers to believe, but traffic rules are enforced even more poorly here. And, here's the kicker - people have even poorer civic sense. So while my sample size may be smaller and its points skewed, I will first attest to being miles ahead of the average in terms of following rules - which frankly doesn't mean anything in India. So I'll go further - apart from undertaking stubborn right lane hoggers on divided roads - I simply do not break traffic rules. I often pay with my peace of mind and a little bit of time for it, but I just don't. I, do not succumb to "when in Rome do as the Romans". I have taken the time out to learn things that are simply not asked of us in our driving tests - such as what different lane markings dictate.

As a not-so-quick aside, it might be that driving tests are different in bigger cities, but over here, there's no actual driving test. You just give the theory test where you join 20 others in a dingy room with a projector and disproportionately large MCQ answering machines. And now the real reason for this aside. They tell you which coloured button to press. Yep. Not only am I narrating a prevalent unethical practice, but, I want to underscore the fact that they do not even tell you the answer for itself, they tell you the colour of the button to press. Fun fact: 3 still failed.

The above is not to say that I have any illusions about civic sense in bigger cities. Indians are mostly Indians everywhere. Having met people from all over at college, and having stayed in Bombay and Bangalore for not insignificant periods of time on more than one occasion, I feel that just like being "educated" doesn't make a difference, which city in India you're brought up in doesn't make that much of a difference to your civic sense either. Most Indians don't break the rules in say, California or Dubai out of fear of the Leviathan that is the state - rather than an innate sense of the social contract. The same applies to a lesser extent in our own metros. It's just that it barely applies to my otherwise beloved hometown.

I am hypersensitive about my parking habits and never even travel a single metre "wrong-side" - no matter how much "extra" I have to walk or drive. I truly believe in being the change I want to see. I don't say a word to others - because I've seen so called "well-educated" Indians from "good families" I've known for donkey's years react in depressingly reprehensible ways to any suggestion, no matter how gently made. Whether or not they have been through India's education infrastructure, the only thing 99% people learn in our country is "chalta hai". So I simply shut up and make sure I'm always as considerate toward other road users as I'd want them to be toward me. Honestly, I feel it is simply the lack of this basic consideration for others in our countrymen that is to blame for most of our other problems as well. But that's not entirely germane to the immediate issue I suppose.

My point is, I appreciate the safe driving habits which T-BHP promotes, along with the zero tolerance policy on any mention of unlawful driving practices, and I believe that it makes its members better for it. I'm not so idealistically stupid as to imagine that every member/reader drives/rides unimpeachably - but I do believe that a popular forum with such an attitude is the only way to achieve the gradual shift in mindset necessary to effect safer roads in the future of our country. And I sincerely believe that I could be a worthwhile proponent of this school of thought.

Coming back to it though, in the FZ16 years, I should perhaps have gravitated towards learning about engines and clutches, but no. My interest seemed to wane despite me having the time of my life so far, as I continued piling on the miles. Sure, I'd endlessly clean it and tinker with stuff I was already familiar with such as the chain, monoshock preload and levers etc, but I never moved ahead with the more technical side of my automotive passion, and I stopped talking about how I was going to become a "chassis engineer". My interests were more to do with actually riding about, the places I was going to and the people I was going with.

Meanwhile, I'd started to learn to drive a car on a closed ground (in a Premier-badged Fiat Milicento). Once I got my full licence at 18, I started driving around on the streets quite a bit too. Having a gap year between 12th and college did wonders for my experience of 4 wheels before moving off to Goa for college where I still drove occasionally, but naturally much less overall.

Having "lost" my passion for automobiles, I almost listlessly wound up opting for Economics instead of Mechanical Engineering while I had the chance. Later, I was unable to secure Mechanical Engineering as my optional second major - thanks to completely slacking off studies and using BITS's 0% attendance requirement to the fullest.
However, my passion for travel - specifically in self-driven/ridden cars/bikes - remained even as guitar playing became the main focus of my life through "engineering" college.

Fast forward to my final year, and somewhat jaded and thoroughly confused, I wound up opting for an off-campus thesis. Of course, I picked a guide for the thesis at a college in my hometown. But here's the fun twist from the all-over-the-place guy's bag of oddities - it was a thesis in the subject of English literature, focussing on the works of P.G. Wodehouse - my other main passion over the years, having unfortunately outgrown the likes of Puzo/Archer and Harry Potter at around 19. Strangely enough, I can still read Enid Blyton, but nothing apart from Wodehouse from my adolescent years.
Apart from XDA, I’ve never even considered joining another forum, until Team BHP came to my attention. I only became properly aware of T-BHP less than a year ago. And by the time I realised I wanted to join, I had only just understood that I would be unable to buy my dream car just yet. And the thought of merely joining with little to give back was disheartening - I mean, I didn't want to be a fanboy just thanking people for all the information they'd provided on the threads I'd perused. Over time as I got more immersed in my re-ignited passion, I did find a few snippets I thought would add value to the community, and I also might be in a position to contribute with an ownership review. Through T-BHP, what started as a search for (re)views of a tool (expedition vehicle) sparked off an old love affair that reminded me of just how and why certain aspects of the automotive world are the embodiment of the values that make me feel fulfilled. It was years before I even had the tools to organise my thoughts to the extent of being able to express that I view life as a constrained optimisation problem. Subconsciously, "chassis engineering" (what I referred to as the science behind balancing ride and handling), always attracted me for that very reason. And now, I'm so much better placed in my renewed journey across the automotive landscape. Aware now that my focus is understanding and usage, and that the engineering aspect simply isn’t for me. There are more resources, I am older and more interested and understanding of concepts - and most of all, I have the luxuries of freedom and time. And most of it crystallised in this fashion while pouring over T-BHP threads. I recently helped a relative shortlist and purchase something as simple as a scooter. I also helped with PDI and VIN check. I found it highly rewarding. I look back on our family's previous purchases, and despite having had decent luck with them overall, there are some incidents prominent in my memory, which could have been avoided with what I now know to have yielded a superior experience.

Lastly, as a final nod to the petrol coursing through my veins, I leave you with this:
I have almost decided on a big bike (since I can't afford my dream car just yet). But what I want to describe is how I got there once I decided to buy a bike. It is already unseasonably hot here by now. Despite that, I extricated a friend's rusting, second hand 1988 Royal Enfield and dragged it across town on foot at midday. Got it fixed and have ridden the pants off it - jeans and shoes spoilt by oil, scorching afternoons and all. Subsequently, I procured another friend's Pulsar 150 UG4.5, fixed it myself (throttle cable, spark plug, oil change - simple stuff like that) in order to remake the neural pathways for modern motorcycle foot lever configurations before going to try out all manner of big bikes. That's how hard this thing drives me.

[GTO]

Welcome Mu009.

What an intro, dude! If your intro is so detailed & well-written, I'm must wondering how your reviews / travelogues will be .

Originally Posted by Mu009

I wanted to do it properly. I usually do things that way, or not at all.

Well said man. Either do something properly, or don't do it at all.

And therefore, I love the strict hand of T-BHP moderators - I'm glad that neither of my negative stipulations apply to this forum thanks to that.

Thanks! Remember that restaurant sign "the owner of this restaurant eats here"? Well, all the forum moderators READ here.

Looking forward to reading your posts on car / bike threads!

[Mu009]

Originally Posted by GTO

Welcome Mu009.

What an intro, dude! If your intro is so detailed & well-written, I'm must wondering how your reviews / travelogues will be .

Thanks for the kind words. But I'll keep my fingers crossed in the face of lofty expectations, if you don't mind.

Originally Posted by GTO

Thanks! Remember that restaurant sign "the owner of this restaurant eats here"? Well, all the forum moderators READ here.

Amen to that!

Cheers!

[dailydriver]

Originally Posted by Mu009

But I'll keep my fingers crossed...

That I am forced to quote lines that are irrelevant to what I am going to say because the original post was far too long to be quoted and trimmed properly, is itself a tribute to your dissertation-esque introduction.

Going by the philosophy of your life as asserted in those unquoted lines, I am not sure whether I will be right in congratulating you for being on the forum - would you really care? .

As GTO rightly said, it would be a very interesting and no doubt different experience to read your ownership reports and travelogues. And at the risk of stating the obvious as well as falling victim to the same, I fully agree with your views on fanboyism and (anti) social media.

Your syntax demands the reader to be fully immersed in your words and not risk missing that minor punctuation or the oft seen annotation. I quite enjoyed that, in the same way I enjoy reading Thad E Ginathom's posts.

Hope to see more contributions from you on the forum. Just make sure that your free spirited nature doesn't fall foul of our rules.

Welcome aboard!

[comfortablynumb]

Originally Posted by Mu009

Well.

It's been about a month since I joined.

Ah, a man of few words. Such a pleasure to (virtually) meet one these days.

Welcome, Mr. Mulliner!

Cheers,
Vikram

[noopster]

What ho! What ho! What ho!

You, dear sir, are just what the doctor ordered- a shot of adrenaline to the h.

Welcome to the forum. And don't forget to stop by here to dispense some advice...

[Shashankjk]

WoW, what an intro!
Dare I say, you are the petrol head version of Shashi tharoor on this forum.
Welcome buddy and hope to see your detailed posts soon.

[Mu009]

Originally Posted by dailydriver

Your syntax demands the reader to be fully immersed in your words and not risk missing that minor punctuation or the oft seen annotation.

Originally Posted by comfortablynumb

Welcome, Mr. Mulliner!

Originally Posted by Shashankjk

Dare I say, you are the petrol head version of Shashi tharoor on this forum.

Originally Posted by noopster

And don't forget to stop by here to dispense some advice...

Praise far too lofty I fear, my good sirs.

Originally Posted by noopster

What ho! What ho! What ho!


You, dear sir, are just what the doctor ordered- a shot of adrenaline to the h.

Originally Posted by comfortablynumb

Ah, a man of few words. Such a pleasure to (virtually) meet one these days.

Originally Posted by dailydriver

Going by the philosophy of your life as asserted in those unquoted lines, I am not sure whether I will be right in congratulating you for being on the forum - would you really care?

And at the risk of stating the obvious as well as falling victim to the same, I fully agree with your views on fanboyism and (anti) social media.

I have a feeling I'm going to get along very well with y'all.

Originally Posted by dailydriver

Hope to see more contributions from you on the forum. Just make sure that your free spirited nature doesn't fall foul of our rules.

Ah. You fears are well-founded - that is usually the case. Though, I don't anticipate that happening this time. For a change, I appear to be in harmony with rules.

Incidentally, I must ask for a clarification about the 2 smileys per post thing-y. Perfectly adequate and sensible a limit in my opinion - again, these are wonderful tools if used judiciously, but are abused beyond measure usually. They can inject emotion and/or add vital context.
Coming to the point - I assume that excludes quoted smileys? However, on account of both readability and caution, I removed them from what I quoted above.

And a thank you for the warm welcome goes without saying of course.
Cheers!

[noopster]

Originally Posted by Mu009

Coming to the point - I assume that excludes quoted smileys? However, on account of both readability and caution, I removed them from what I quoted above.!

Yes, it excludes quoted smileys!

Get busy now, sir. Chop chop!

[CaptainPrice]

I've been trying to reply to this thread ever since it was created, but every time I formulate a detailed reply, I get called about something related to work. Finally, here it is, though it's not as vivid as I'd like.

Welcome to the Team-BHP Family, Mu009.

I absolutely enjoyed your writing, mate! It reminded me of the introductory speech from the movie, V For Vendetta(2005). On a similar note, it's fun reading a Grammar-Nazi's detailed post for once.
I usually encounter only brief snippets of sharp wit online.

About being a guitar player : mad respect to you, brother. And regarding your driving, I must say that I am pleasantly astonished (not surprised but astonished) by your patience, understanding, and above all, supremely wonderful parking habits.

I look forward to hearing more interesting narratives from you.

Wishing you a fantastic Forum experience,

Cheers!

[Mu009]

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