Vrroomm.....

Driving is perhaps one of the predominant vicarious pleasures a man indulges in.

And it is! (for me atleast).

When i am driving, i forget about the whole world, my worries, my everything. Its like i am the king of the world for that small amount of time, when i have control over everything and anything. Of course it helps that i have a 1.6 Litre superfast fast machine at my disposal which leaves most of the cars on road biting dust :). I guess thats what gives men the thrills with the wheels - the fact that they are in total control of a beast which is as capable of giving you thrills as it is of spreading destruction. You can use the thing like a toy and make it do whatever you wish it to do.

They say that the real character of a man comes out when he is behind the wheels. I have observed myself when i am driving and find that this theory could well have some substance. I tend to overtake and outspeed vehicles when the roads are busy and especially when it seems to be a challenge to do so, but when the roads are empty i prefer travelling at very normal speeds. Also, when i am driving a socially concerned, well mannered person steps in who gives way to people, respects all traffic laws (except the speed limits of course), drives carefully and is a model of a citizen :D. I guess i love Bangalore too much and when everybody is breaking all the laws without any concern for the city or its citizens, then i feel i have some responsibility to see that atleast i don't contribute to its woes.

But night driving is not my thing certainly. Especially when driving back to the house in the night at high speeds, when the street lights are dim and near-absent. Its almost as if i am driving blind. People crossing the roads are nothing but fleeting shadows in those zero-light conditions. Oncoming vehicles are identified only by their high-beamed head lamps and if one of them doesnt have them on, then god bless them! Its a miracle actually that i reach home everyday without any near-shaves or nerve-shattering experiences.

Driving is certainly not a pleasurable experience in the current Bangalore infrastructural conditions but its thrills are way too much to even consider giving it up.