The literature you have to memorize backwards to pass a test and get the right to put a big’L’ on your car, is pretty comprehensive and sums up what you should do when you put some revolutions into your car tyres on the road(that was a long sentence!)
Now I cant comment on what training schools teach because I never went to one. My lessons were learnt watching my dad drive his Mitsubishi Gallant on the disciplined roads of pre-war Kuwait. He taught me the pedals A-B-C - Accelerator, Brake, Clutch(in that order too) and showed me how you can control the velocity of your vehicle by shifting gears. Left leg to depress the clutch while changing gears; Right leg - to accelerate and brake(i.e. stop the vehicle). All this while you make sure your car doesnt make posters out of innocent pedestrians.
I’ve been driving since I was 16 and all the experience gained by observation and some good practice has stood me in good stead. In fact, its even saved my life on the one occasion where I had an accident. Let me narrate:
I was driving my Santro down the Coimbatore - Salem stretch of the national highway. I had my seat belt on, Madonna’s FROZEN playing on the stereo and was cruising along at a speed of 90 clicks when three tankers came head on doing a formula 1 vibe on the road. It was either bang into them as there was no grey bits on either side to negotiate or go totally off road. I took option B cos I didnt think I was ready to go in a blaze of glory. The car held itself very well swerving out of harms way as the tankers whizzed by. I tried to negotiate the car back on to the road but there were people everywhere and I had to swerve like mad to avoid hitting them. The car had done its best but it was being put through sheer hell. It spun three times, did three cartwheels and went down 50 feet settling in a ditch designed exactly for the car(is it karma? could be but I lived to tell). I crawled out alive with a couple of minor cuts and a bruised ego.
Now, what saved me was two things. I had my seat belt on. This kept me from being thrown out of the car either through the windscreen or any other way. If I had been thrown out, I would have suffered injuries to any extent. The second thing I did was out of pure instinct. When I saw the car losing control, I pulled the lever under my seat and pushed the seat as far as possible. This was the best thing to happen because when the car took its second tumble, I saw the windscreen smash and come right at me. If I was sitting upright, It would have taken my face off.
Ironically, it was my father’s death anniversary on that day.
This one incident has been the inspiration to write this article. Now, I’d like to get back to the topic and write a small list of suggestions that might help you prevent grief:
Always Wear Seat Belts(I am a living testimonial for that)
Adjust your seat so that you are comfortable and not too close to the steering.
Dont encourage smoking in a car(or anywhere for that matter. Cigarettes contain 13 deadly toxins including tar. you want to pave your insides or what?)
Check your fuel level, tyre pressure, coolant levels etc before you drive out.
Keep your head lights, rear lights, windscreen and windows clean at all times. Visibility is the key.
While driving, dont focus your eye on one thing for ages(like the car in front). Instead, try to focus on objects far away in between(like a quick glance at a green tree at a distance). This will save your eyes a lot of grief.
In heavy bumper to bumper traffic, fold those rear view mirrors. I’ve seen lots of expensive cars with broken rear view mirrors that have been knocked down by the car next to them during heavy traffic.
Keep a flask of clean water in the car. You tend to dehydrate when you travel.
If your brake isnt giving you enough juice while driving, gently pump the pedal. It restores some power. If your brakes arent working well and you’re on the road, shift gears down and stop the car. Get it fixed before you carry on. On Indian highways, you need great BRAKES!
Check the tyre pressure on your spare wheel. Also make sure that your tool kit has all necessary tools. For long trips, make sure you have a first aid kit with essential medication in it. Also keep a road map(Automobile Associations provide great maps)
Make it a practice to slow down at curves. Those three behemoth tankers caught me on a curve. I shouldnt have been doing 90, should have been doing 50.
Leave considerable distance between yourself and the vehicle in front of you. Your car gets more room to manouver and stop.
Dont drive for more than 150 clicks at a stretch(heh I took that one from the SCORPIO manual). Take a break at regular intervals. Go fertilize a tree or something:)
Last but not the least - the lives of everyone inside the car including your own depends on one thing - THE CAR! If the car is ok, everyone inside will be ok too.
Hope this helps. These are general tips and most of you might already be aware of all this. However, I’m also sure that many who know, dont necessarily follow.
Special thanks to Hyundai for making a car that took an amazing amount of punishment to protect my life.
vroooooooooom.