Nothing is impossible !! Car Driving - a year back and now

Nothing is impossible. You can learn anything at any age. This was very true with me.

Some learn car driving as their hobby/interest and some learn it on necessity or compulsion. Initially a year back, i came into the second category. Car driving was something which i had been neglecting for a very long time though i had the support from Magesh who keeps insisting me in learning. I was always comfortable with my 2 wheeler no matter what distance i had to go in Pune/Chennai. I always felt that i didnt have the self confidence to drive a car.. didnt have the sufficient knowledge in understanding the car controls(which i feel i dont have even now as im owning an auto gear), road visibility, judgement on either side while driving... Nov 2014 was the time when we decided to change school for kids and for the option of school which we had in mind, required dropping and picking up kids ourselves as there isnt school bus commuting to this area. School distance being 11 kms from our place, going with 2 kids in activa on a regular basis isnt advisable. Ocassionally i can get Magesh's help in dropping or picking up but not regularly and thats when i was forced to learn car driving and joined a driving school with lots of fear.. Will i be able to learn? Will i get the confidence? Will my road fear get rid? And at that point my mind was saying a No only. On joining the driving school, before learning to drive on road, I had to familiarise myself with the basic things inside the car like: the basic controls, seat adjustment, use of foot pedals,steering controls, mirror adjustment.. Had a couple of theory classes which was ok and then 3-4 classes in a simulator, which was also ok.. meanwhile my LLR got ready and the day came when i had to drive a real alto on road...Though the instructor was next to me always and had the brake control.. i had the fear till the classes got over though i started driving in 4th gear. Still remember holding the steering so tightly and instructor always use to correct me asking me to hold the steering relaxedly. I had big difficulty in controlling all together: gear, clutch, brake, steering control and gear change.. uhhhh.. i used to drive on the left lane itself always and whenever any vehicle overtakes me.. i used to put a brake. Also when i see so many vehicles on road, get nervous and start stopping the car almost 200 mts before itself if i see a signal ahead and ofcourse i know thats not required but that was my fear level. Taking a u turn, getting the vehicle in reverse, turning in narrow roads, parking the car with a proper judgement on the left side, everything was kind of tough at that stage. Finally the last day of my driving class came and i was told by my instructor that how much ever i learn in class.. the real challenge and confidence comes when u take your own car and start driving alone in traffic.Even then my mind was saying how am i going to get that confidence.. The road fear didnt go at all. Went for my licence test and was through and got my licence by Feb 20.. Initially had lots of confusion whether to go in for auto or normal. Magesh said that i can definitely manage with normal car but i wanted auto gear only and finalised on it and booked alto K10 vxi autogear.. Got my car delivery also on march 12th but didnt get the confidence driving it.

School was to reopen on 1st April and i had to get the confidence of atleast driving it without anyone near me by then so that i can start taking it for the purpose i learnt. Magesh kept encouraging me daily asking me to take but i kept refusing and somehow 2 days before school reopened, took it and went for a small drive in our area but i made sure that i took it out when there wont be traffic. The first day to school, morning Magesh came to drop and after dropping them and coming, he gave it to me to drive but had to take it alone in the evening during pick up. The travel time is 20-25 mins and i use to leave home by 2.30 itself for 3.30 leaving time. The entire april session managed somehow with one of my friend's help who use to make sure she comes behind my car itself in the evenings so that if any issues in between i was feeling comfortable that she was there. The entire may, didnt drive and again started driving in June once school reopened. Slowly started getting the confidence, fear started going and was feeling comfortable driving but still never dare to drive it during mornings as there will be traffic and within a month, couldnt believe myself that i will also start driving as others and even overtaking few vehicles would be like a bigg thing for me and tell Magesh and feel happy. Slowly started with one by one... driving in traffics, taking car for my other outings, night driving, taking kids to mall, restaurants and movies when Magesh was not in Chennai. Also had the experience of driving in heavy rains with the wipers on full swing.. Wanted to try a long drive for quite sometime and with Archarya's blessings, got the opportunity to drive to Kanchipuram recently, a month ago. Thanks to my brother who was with me throughout my drive guiding me. A year has passed by and the roads where i use to drive during my driving class gives me many memories. Keep thinking whenever i cross the 200 ft road that this was the road where i use to learn, get scared and now feel happy that just like others im also driving. Also get to see others learning to drive o the same road from the same driving school.. Felt like sharing my car driving experience with all of you. Thanks for sparing 5-10 mins of your precious time in reading this.