Driving In Asia: An entertaining exercise
I was excited and justifiably so. First time in my life, I was appearing for a driving test. My trainer in his early 30’s made me drive through the narrow lanes of Mahim while teaching me the utility of stretching my right hand and its palm outside the car window and creating different angles and rotations to give signals to drivers of vehicles behind me. After completing 30 odd lessons on Maruti 800, at an appointed time, I with my fellow students gathered at Bombay central Driving license issuance office. Hoards of people had already arrived. Like with any govt premises, touts and intermediaries were busy huddling with prospective clients while scurrying through office blocks that housed numerous clerks. Our trainer seemed proficient with the rules of this game. He made us wait for a while and after a while came out of the office accompanied by license issuing instructor. Trainer came running towards me “Your Turn now. Get Ready!” He pushed me inside his car while sitting next to me....