Being an ‘L’ Board, Being a Woman

Horns blaring amidst traffic…Fellow drivers muttering swear words-some under their breath, some loudly…A peep would show a car with an ‘L’ board sign and a driver, in most cases a woman, struggling to get the car started.

This is a common sight in any place, especially in India. Our roads have never been friendly enough to learners, thanks to narrow lanes and a more or less invisible dividing lines and increasing traffic congestion which has made everyone irritable to even slightest disturbance. But the question is, can this be quoted as a mere reason for ill-treating a person?

When I first sat behind the wheels without the driving school instructor by my side, my instant fear was not of the huge lorries and buses on road but of those men who’d pounce on me the second I happen to make a mistake on road. I was a beginner … clutch and break coordination was still a far dream. When I halted the car within few minutes and tried to restart, my first villain entered the scene… a lorry driver. The very sight numbed me. I tried to get the car started a number of times and it seemed like an eternity. By the time, my villain had started shouting at me and the passers-by who otherwise have no time to even help an accident victim, halted just like my car engine to cherish the sight. Controlling my tears, I just got down and asked my brother who had accompanied me, to take charge. I was ashamed of my incompetence, my ‘L’ board and hated myself for being a woman-for whom driving doesn’t come as easily as it does for men. After all that is what science magazines say!

With the help of my friend Sumitha, who had just learnt to drive and had experienced all such angry glares and comments, I started to understand what was happening was no fault of mine. I have looked at how well she drove and yet-there have been instances where she faced the taunt of other drivers for no reason. Realization dawned that it was not only because I’m an ‘L’ Board but also because I’m a woman. These people out there carry the same old stereotype I carry – women are bad drivers.

With that change in my understanding, there were no more tears in my eyes …no more guilt… I stopped blaming my sex, for not being able to park my car perfectly. All I need is practice. The instant I reached level 2 in driving, I removed my ‘L’ Board and immediately realised there were no more horn sounds! Hurrah! [Level 4: I might kill someone Level 3: I am definitely going to hit the standing cow! Level 2: What bad are a few scratches going to do that car? Level 1: Whom are you messing with? Catch me if you can! ] I was no more taunted by whatever words garbled by men on road. I was able to laugh at the male cyclist who threw the blame on me for honking when he collided with another cyclist. Buddy…whom are you kidding? My horn was shorter than a message beep! The traffic police, who left the speeding male motorist but howled at me for stopping the car beyond the STOP line, looked like a comic character out of a book… hey! I had the guts to stop while the other fellow ran away, hadn’t I?

Driving has not only taught me how to reach places but also how to be confident and how to deal with people. It has made me strong enough to not to take undeserved guilt. It has taught me my lessons I’d carry for my life time.

We find men even women at times blaming other women of being bad drivers. Given that our roads and people are not learner friendly, all I’d tell my dear ‘L’ board women is, not all men are perfect drivers and not all women are bad drivers. Laugh it off when people mock, for soon you’ll be a splendid driver, with the ticking clock. Being an ‘L’ board is ‘tough’; being a woman is ‘tougher’; being both is ‘toughest’. Once you’ve passed this phase, believe me…you’d be racing your way merrily with lessons for lifetime.

Oh! By the way did you ask how good I am at parking my car now? Hee! Hee! Level 2…But wait! Practice makes a woman perfect-you know?