[callmetarantula]

Hi to all Team-BHPians.

I'm absolutely delighted to be here on team-bhp. I came across the forum about a week back and since then I've been hooked, line and sinker. Have been spending about 2 hours a night here and once wifey gets back, there'll be hell to pay.

It's amazing to see the storehouse of knowledge available here; thanks to the administrator for starting it. My only regret is that I did not come across it earlier; plan to make up for the same .

My name is Raakesh and I am a Major in the Army. Have had a love of cars since the time, when as a toddler I used to sit on my Granpa's lap while he drove. Well went through the whole rigmarole of stealing away to drive the cars. Since I had like-minded friends, also did the same with their cars; getting us all into hot water.

I love to drive around and try and make a road trip once every six months. This year has been an absolute bonanza for me as I made as many as five trips till now and am planning one for Dec.
- Chandigarh-Kasauli- Shimla-Chail - Jan & Aug - A beautiful and soothing drive.
- Srinagar-Sonamarg-Baltal - Apr - the day after the road was opened. Unfortunately could not cross Zojila.
- Chandigarh - Dalhousie - Dharamshala - Apr - Again was a great trip.
- Ambala - Jaipur - Indore - Sep - This was a quickie as did not halt much.

I've read about the road trips by BHPians and am looking forward to joining them. I hope to be able to contribute to the group, but looking at the exemplary standard, I plan to be on listening and learning watch art the outset. Maybe I'll be able to write up a travelogue till then.

Ciao, and keep it coming,

Cheers,

Hi,

You are most welcome on board.

Start contributing your experiences , it will be nice.

[amith.2974]

Quite an impressive resume you have, I have utmost respect for the armed forces, good to see you have a passion towards cars as well. Not sure if we have discussed the power and capabilities of a tank on here but there's always a first time

[McLaren Rulez]

So tarantula, what car do you drive? Have a good time here at the forum and like amith said, maybe you can reveal some cool army vehicles.

[KRf1]

Welcome aboard tarantula !
How about posting a test drive about the T-72 MBT and the Tatra !

[callmetarantula]

@KRf1

How about posting a test drive about the T-72 MBT and the Tatra !

Well the only time I drove a tank was in my friends unit without permission. So not really knowledgeable. But you have pedals to turn right or left by pressing the appropriate one. In fact you can make it spin on one track by using just the one pedal. Really powerful, noisy and sooty. Thats why armored guys always wear black dungarees.


Now the Tatra is a vehicle which I have driven extensively in Rajasthan. Fabulous is the word. It has got three arrays of lights (excluding fog lights). So when faced with an obstinate truck driver, one can just blind him and make him get off the road. The Tatra's I used to drive were left-hand drive, and with the width of the truck, it gets dicey judging the distance; comes with practice. In place of a horn, you have a fog-horn under the foot. An idiosyncrasy with the Tatra is that when empty it gives just 0.5 kmpl of high-grade diesel; but when fully loaded, it goes up to 1 kmpl. Will try and get a few snaps of the Tatra uploaded. But will require me to photo-shop them as can't upload them as is , so will take some time - not good at it.

Thanks to everybody for your response.

[callmetarantula]

@MCLAren Rulez

I've currently got a Maruti Wagon R since 2006.

[KRf1]

Originally Posted by callmetarantula

@KRf1

In place of a horn, you have a fog-horn under the foot. An idiosyncrasy with the Tatra is that when empty it gives just 0.5 kmpl of high-grade diesel; but when fully loaded, it goes up to 1 kmpl.

.

Now that is unbelievable , probably the lowest FE for any vehicle test driven by a Bhpian!

You can scare buses and trucks?! That must be fun !

[callmetarantula]

@ KRf1 You can scare buses and trucks?! That must be fun !

Sure is fun. Especially when they are forced off the road and all they can do is look up and glower. The cabin of the Tatra towers above all trucks. Paying the truck drivers back in their own coin.

@amith.2974 Quite an impressive resume you have, I have utmost respect for the armed forces

Thanks a lot really appreciate it, especially when the forces are getting kicked all around (rightly & wrongly) and when one's spirit is low. It is really uplifting to know that there are people who appreciate what we are doing. Thanks again.

[deky]

Welcome aboard. This is one place where you would find only praises for the Armed Forces and them not being "kicked all around (rightly & wrongly)"

What Core are you in, Guess you not in Armored Core since you had to go to your friends unit to drive a tank?