I am usually a very calm driver and always give side to other vehicles, even wave my hand so that they know I am waiting for them to go first.
Around 10 months ago, I was in a small accident. There was construction going on at the Noida entrance, and I was behind a silver Indica. Suddenly he applied heavy brakes and I rear ended him at around 15km/hr ( I was at 50 km/hr, and the car couldn't fully stop on applying brakes )
Anyways, I got out, looked at his car and said that I am sorry and I will get it repaired. I was polite, accepted my mistake and offered to get it fixed. This uncle ji and his driver come out and the driver starts shouting. I again say that look, first of all you applied heavy brakes and even I did but could not stop. I am not being abusive. I offered to pay for the damages. Still he kept shouting. By then the construction workers working there came over and started to support me.
I again told them to come with me to the local car market and get an estimate. Now the uncle ji starts to shout. I again offer to get it fixed, but I guess smiling and trying to avoid fights is taken as a sign of weakness.
Now I am not saying anything, but my father is a very senior government officer who knows almost all policemen etc in NCR. I stayed calm, went over to my car and told them to follow me to the shops. This uncle ji again shouted at me, and this time I lost my cool. I hurled abuses at them, told them to go to hell and call the police and let them handle it.
In the meanwhile, I called up my dad and told him to come.
You should have seen his face when my dad arrived. It seems he knew who he was, as he just shut up on seeing him and said nothing. I told him exactly what happened ( not the abuses, but about how I hit his car ) and he told him to go with me to get it fixed.
My point is, it is nice to be calm, smiling and courteous. However sometimes people consider it to be your weakness and abuse you for no reason. Then you should not stay silent.
One more story, about how I once lost my cool ( it has only happened one time )
I had just got my car one week ago. There is this very narrow road leading to the entry of our local market. As there was heavy traffic, I just parked my car on one side to make way for other vehicles. There was a pole right opposite my car. Now a city comes, and there is plenty of space for it to pass. However on the side of the pole is a ditch and the stupid driver in his attempt to avoid it scratched my car ( real bad too )
I saw him coming, blowed the horn continously when I saw that he was about to scratch my car. His bumper came off in the process. I couldn't move the car as I had a car behind me and a motorcycle was parked in front of me.
I got out of the car, started shouting at the driver. He was absolutely silent. Then a priest got out of the rear seat. And he was soooooooooooo calm.
He talked very sweetly to me and my sis. His face was the picture of calmness. I still remember it clearly.
Although I was mad, I let it go and went home. I know I shouldn't have lost my cool, but it was a brand new car and the stupid driver didn't even stop when I blew my horn. |