[msprabhakar]

See http://www.marutiudyog.com/bp/mds.asp?ch=2&ct=17&sc=5 for some interesting info about current trends...

Welcome Salina to this forum, we badly need women's points of view beside just Amit's...

Like Turbo Lover, I'm no chauvinist either. I've seen the world several times over and have seen many many good women drivers too. I do not subscribe to such fundamental theories like Navin's "hunter/ gatherer" crap to explain poor driving skills.

My belief is simple: Driving (who appreciate the art and science behind it, I'm sure this forum will have many) is serious business, as much as flying is. Anybody who takes to driving (or flying) for other reasons generally end up as serious hazards -- both to themselves and to others. I believe that, by and large, women in India today, do not see adequate reasons to take driving seriously, which is where the problem lies. If you have a necessity, you will learn the proper way. (The same argument also goes for some of the irresponsible male celebrities you see on Indian roads). I have seen that numerous women drivers in India start to learn driving, end up in an accident some day, then begin to chicken out and hand over to either their male counterparts or their male drivers to take over -- for days, weeks, months, even years before taking courage to go back behind the wheels again. Most likely, the cycle continues... The few excellent women drivers I've seen had a responsibility to fulfill, and driving to work was a necessity. These women haven't hesitated to change a flat tyre even during peak monsoon, refusing help from other male drivers (real experience). As far as what I've seen in other countries, I couldn't agree more... I've seen women cops chasing (and cornering male thugs) in the U.S., patrolling the streets in Switzerland. In China (in interior Xian), I was picked up from the airport by my company's woman driver (who was on duty) past midnight. I never have a reason to believe women could be any different in driving skills, given the same necessities. Responsibility makes all the difference. Indira Gandhi had two sons, both of whom 'knew' flying. One flew for thrills, the other took it as serious profession. One died in a cheap act of stunt (and could have killed others too). Male or female- irresponsibility and lack of accountability breeds indisciplined development of skills.

Until I have reasons to believe otherwise, in any encounter between a beauty and a BE(a)ST on Mumbai streets my needle of suspicion will never fall on the BE(a)ST because he drives as his profession!

[amit]

in any encounter between a beauty and a BE(a)ST on Mumbai streets my needle of suspicion will never fall on the BE(a)ST because he drives as his profession!

In any encounter between a male driver like any of us here and BEST, your needle of suspision will again never fall on the BEST because he drives as his profession. Remember, none of us drive because it's our profession.

[msprabhakar]

Originally Posted by amit

In any encounter between a male driver like any of us here and BEST, your needle of suspision will again never fall on the BEST because he drives as his profession...

You're right (and remember I also said "unless I have reason to believe otherwise") for two reasons...

1. BEST imparts a far superior structured training to its drivers than most "motor driving" schools (aka license factories) in Mumbai. Also remember, my opinion is restricted only to BEST bus drivers and not to their ST brethren, taxiwallahs or autorickshaw-wallahs...

2. In the absence of any substantive evidence, in any such encounter of anecdotal value, my needle of suspicion will never fall on a more serious driver.