Of Need for Speeed....

I do not remember exactly when i transformed from an anxious to a presumptuous Driver. Back in the old days when i was in 7th i got the keys to "Bajaj Priya" a family heirloom that was now mine to flaunt. Driving through Colony roads i was a firm believer of keeping it slow and steady. As days went by the speedometer needle began to hover around 60 and the scooter started shivering, I knew the threshold had been reached.

Many summers and winters later there was a shiny bike( Yamaha Enticer) standing in my garage, thanks to commuting needs of my brother. It was a big promotion and i never missed a chance to show off its RPM. The horizon widened and my range was now 4 kilometers from the house so every Saturday, Sunday thanks to a Coaching Class i got to unleash the force and touching 100 was now a habit. Cutting across traffic, changing lanes at pleasure, i was now the "Schumacher" of my little biking world.

Two wheeler to four wheeler the journey was smooth, though the turns were tricky in the beginning i gradually developed an 'entente cordiale' with my Maruti 800. My brother, I always thought was a rash driver and i avoided sitting next to him while he was at the wheel, vice versa also(much to my surprise) was true cause in my mind I was a humble 40km/hr 'ish driver. Much later did i realize that no one who knows how to drive a car can sit besides a driver and not be uneasy.

College brought along with it an unexpected Perk, i joined a carpool and no it was not just any carpool, there was no driver or a taxi, there were however 5 different college blokes from various years strutting their stuff once a week. My father ever so cautious never quite liked this system so after much haggling and exausting all other alternatives, "common sense" prevailed. I was now in the club, so once every week i took the 'Maruti 800' and to college, not having a license was an issue so seniors drove it( i hated it) until i was according to the 'Constitution of India' old enough to Drive.

It was my freshers and me Shitiz( a pal from college) were like popcorns in microwave, bursting at seams with excitement. With only two of us going, a license under my belt and no pestering seniors it was the day i turned a leaf(literally). Home to college was 33 kilometers and we reached in 38 minutes, that was the day i realized my driving prowess and YES there was no looking back.

Times changed and i got a 'santro xing', this baby could go up to 140 if stretched. Gradually people sitting next to me while i was driving started wearing seat belt diligently and i knew i had arrived. 'Shanti path Round abouts', 'Raotularam Marg' were now official speed zones.

Finally in my 4th year in college the Delhi-Gurgaon Express way has been completed which allows speed addicts like me to discharge all the adrenalin desired. Spanning over 20 kilometers the expressway is as smooth as "whatever is most smooth". Covering the stretch in about 5 minutes is routine. With only three of us in the carpool now ( all the seniors gradually passed away(into the corporate world that is)) speeding has become a vicious cycle, No we do not compete for the "Schumacher Title" rather we all are naturally fast.

Cutting through lanes at 120km/hr with "Thunderstruck" playing on the stereo, it is the only DRUG i take. Am i invincible, infallible ? Well till now my slate is clean, i know when there's an opportunity to overtake, i know the length and breadth of my car, am not afraid of speed and YES i like to show off my talent. Am i proud of it well YES and NO. I do realize that we are all humans and a single mistake can be grave for all of us in the car, at the same time i am confident that there cant ever be a mistake with me behind the wheel.


Though lately having seen some Gore accidents in some movies and in real life, i have begun to introspect. Somehow i feel i am responsible for making my carpool buddies drive fast too, well they are not trying to prove anything to me, but lets say they too have tasted blood. So this morning when i left for college i placed a "sufi music" CD in the stereo and hoped it would help holding back the adrenalin, it worked fine for sometime but as soon as the expressway was in sight the speedometer was automatically showing 130km/h.


So lets say i have identified this urge to over speed as a bane. Though how long it takes for me to keep my foot of the accelerator is yet to be seen. A compromise that i am working on is to allow myself to cut through lanes at modest speeds of 80-90km/hr, but refrain from doing the same at 120 +.

As for now i have to drive to college tomorrow too and i plan to put a "MahaMrityunjay" CD in the stereo lets hope it works for the greater good of Mankind.