[noopster]

I refuse to allow anyone to drive unless they have a valid license and have taken lessons in a motor school. Those vehicles are designed with two sets of brakes and clutches to prevent exactly the kind of accident described here. There is always a warm-up period where the risk of collision is very high- typically it goes away after the first few hours of driving are out of the way.

But even if I were to give say the kids in my family their first driving lesson (that day is not that far off!) I would exercise some sense and go to a deserted area where there is no regular traffic and enough open space. What was that idiot thinking?

[Habanero City]

Looks like your neighbor was ill advised and paid a price.
May be you should introduce forums like T-BHP so that he can learn from the experience of several other people.

HC

[Ragul]

Too bad the original protagonist of this story was too discouraged and sold his car. Thinking on how he has lost out on the quality time he could have spent with family on long drives, makes me sorry.

Originally Posted by ghodlur

But there are people who feel driving an used car is some kind of degraded statement. My neighbour who was not a regular driver still went ahead and booked an i10 top end inspite of my repeated suggestions to start with an used car. He banged his car at the society gate on the 5th day of the delivery and now the car is in the parking collecting dust. The guy is simply too afraid to take the car out. No amount of persuasion has helped. Any tips to get him to start driving again??

Perhaps you should take him for a long drive in his own car and give him some happy moments in the midst of serene nature and waterfalls. Then will likely begin aspiring to drive it again I am sure. A few trips like these should give him the motivation to pick up the keys himself.

--Ragul

[dhanushs]

He should have enrolled in a professional driving school, before risking the life of his family. That sole decision should have given him many more happy miles in his Santro, instead of this bitter experience.

[bluevolt]

That's very sad incident. A person buys a car after collecting hard earned money and with so many dreams. But it was only him at the fault. He should have either taken professional driving school lessons or have bought a second hand car to first master his driving skills. Learning a car in residential area is very risky. In fact he was lucky that he just rammed his car and not any other person.
IMO he shouldn’t have sold his car in this way, I know the incident is disheartening but selling the car right away will make him feel always low.

PS - I see many people learning driving with their brand new car (in deserted areas for sure). I think this is not good for the new car. The clutch, gears, engine needs special attention for first thousands of kilometers and people do the harm for the sake of saving a couple of thousands of rupees.

[AstonMartin]

We at T-BHP know the importance of seat belts, going to a proper driving school, using rear view mirrors and many more things. But a common middle class man may not be that aware. He has an idea about how things work and he might seem so self righteous in guarding and justifying the way the things work.

I think the root cause of all these issues are the corrupt government departments that allow agents to run a black market. You can get the driving license home delivered without having ever driven a car. You can buy a stolen vehicle, get them to punch in a new engine number/VIN and get the RC for the same.

All the events I mentioned in the first post happened to my neighbor and yes he was holding a valid four-wheeler driving license.

[libranof1987]

Originally Posted by AstonMartin

We at T-BHP know the importance of seat belts, going to a proper driving school, using rear view mirrors and many more things. But a common middle class man may not be that aware. He has an idea about how things work and he might seem so self righteous in guarding and justifying the way the things work.

This is exactly where a driving school comes into picture. Probably in the 100 hours one might drive in the school's car, he might at least once be told about seatbelts.

There's someone sitting in the co-passengers seat who can take preventive measure : braking, handbrakes etc. Why spoil your new car learning how to drive?

I know several fools from college who considered it pride to buy new Karizmas and then learn how to ride on them. Result : scraped knees and panels all over.

Originally Posted by AstonMartin

I think the root cause of all these issues are the corrupt government departments that allow agents to run a black market. You can get the driving license home delivered without having ever driven a car.

That is because there are people encouraging it. I know several people whose uncle is in the RTO/Police and they got the licence delivered sitting at home.

Don't play by the rules and screw not only your life but others' too.

And who's at fault : the people indulging in it.

The whole story is just a terrible mix of bad decisions; be it learning in a residential area, on a new car or getting a relative to teach him.

The biggest problem : the "arey koi nai, hum seekh lenge, driving school jaane ki kya zarrorat hai" mentality.

[dhanushs]

Originally Posted by AstonMartin

We at T-BHP know the importance of seat belts, going to a proper driving school, using rear view mirrors and many more things. But a common middle class man may not be that aware. He has an idea about how things work and he might seem so self righteous in guarding and justifying the way the things work.

I think the root cause of all these issues are the corrupt government departments that allow agents to run a black market. ....

IMO, its US who are responsible.

What do you do when you buy a sophisticated electronic gadget, or any other equipment?. You read the manual, and LEARN to operate it before actually operating it.

An automobile is also a machinery, and you need to LEARN to SAFELY operate it before actually using it. Anyone who does not do that simply cares less for life. There is NO NEED for tbhp to drive a car safely or to wear seat belts.

[AstonMartin]

@dhanushs - "There is NO NEED for tbhp to drive a car safely or to wear seat belts.". -- I have learned many a thing from T-BHP. Some technical and some non-technical. There are so many threads which bring new ideas and best practices into picture. Being self righteous and expecting people to play by the rules when easier short cuts are available, I don't think it will work. I still think once corruption is taken out of the equation the whole system is going to improve.

[libranof1987]

Originally Posted by AstonMartin

@dhanushs - "There is NO NEED for tbhp to drive a car safely or to wear seat belts.". -- I have learned many a thing from T-BHP. Some technical and some non-technical.

Again, that is exactly where a driving school comes into picture.

Even if you bypass that, there is a booklet provided by RTO having very very basic FAQs, the answers to which one must know to get a Learner's Licence. Things very essential to driving, like seatbelts, lane discipline etc. is all mentioned there.

I agree T-BHP helps immensely but not everyone is hooked to it, right?

The problem lies here : when an agent/driving school instructor goes with a person for the Learner's Licence test, the person is told "tick this here, that there" like a robot.

[dhanushs]

Originally Posted by AstonMartin

.... Being self righteous and expecting people to play by the rules when easier short cuts are available, I don't think it will work. I still think once corruption is taken out of the equation the whole system is going to improve.

Hi,

1st of all, sorry for sounding harsh, if I did. .

You are right, if corruption is taken out the whole system WILL definitely improve. But what each one of us should understand is that WE all are a part of the same system, and SHOULD do our part right. No education or exposure is needed to do the right thing.

In this case, no one was stopping the person from following the safety practices. It was HE who chose not to go to the driving school, not to wear the seat belts etc.. What I meant by 'no need of tbhp' is that, when he did the pooja of his car, if the thought that safe driving practices are much more worth than the 3-5k saved from a driving school, had crossed his mind, he would not be in this position.

We have a saying in malayalam "thaan paathi, daivam paathi" means, you give your 50% and god will give his. In this case, god gave his 50% by letting no one to get hurt in the incident. He just had to go to a proper driving school to give his 50%.

[AstonMartin]

@dhanushs - No offense meant or taken . In our country we have to force people to follow the rules. The force has to be somewhat severe. Only then will the people follow the rules. Corruption is so visible and acceptable in all spheres of life isn't it?

[ghodlur]

Originally Posted by Ragul

Perhaps you should take him for a long drive in his own car and give him some happy moments in the midst of serene nature and waterfalls. Then will likely begin aspiring to drive it again I am sure. A few trips like these should give him the motivation to pick up the keys himself.

@Ragul,

I have done that and sadly this has not helped. As old saying goes You can get the horse to the river but you cant force it to drink the water". Its just that he freezes on the thought of driving. I even arranged an used car through another friend for him to drive and after much coaxing he took to the wheels but simply could not start the car at all. These days I am in the process of persuading him to rejoin a driving class. Lets see how it goes about.

[AstonMartin]

@ghodlur - I too had a similar experience. I and my friends were on a bike trip. Unfortunately my friend got knocked down by a car and he went under the back wheels of a bus moving parallel. I was just behind my friend and the sight of his death put this fear of bikes in my mind. Since then (almost 7 years), I am unable to drive a bike with confidence. Whenever I start driving a bike, the scene of my friend's death plays in my mind and my hands start shaking. I have been trying to get over this phobia but it still persists to a level. So, I drive a bike only through village roads and no city driving now.

[JustCause]

Going by your account, it seems that he got scared (jinx, bad luck etc). Most probably his family members/relatives pressed him to sell it off.

The thing is, he might not forget the stigma & might relive the same disturbing memory whenever there is a mention of a car. Most newbies (those who've never driven cars, only bikes) never realize that learning a car requires a special vehicle with two sets of controls & also, the magnitude of consequences in the case of a mistake.

I have heart in mouth moments each time I see learner drivers revving in neutral/clutch pressed, because, the next step, most probably is, abruptly releasing the clutch and accelerating out of control.