Sir,
I happened to undertake a trip of 250 km traversing the hinterland aboard an automatic transmission car in the recent past. Though riding in a luxury vehicle, the journey became an ordeal due to unsafe driving. The gentleman steering the vehicle would press the accelerator pedal fully with a single jerk. No sooner did the car pick up top speed than some obstacle or the other necessitated brakes to be applied abruptly. Thus, the speed of the car kept fluctuating between extremes. Besides the gentleman helming the car changed the lanes relentlessly in order to surpass other vehicles. Being driven fast, our car joined in the melee of vehicles without keeping a safe distance.
The alternating frequency of instantaneous acceleration and precipitous braking exerted undue stress on the passengers’ bodies. While the driver gets prepared for the impact of sudden braking, but unsuspecting passengers get rude jolts. I was not able to concentrate on my mobile screen for quality browsing as my eyes were fixated on the road. Time and again I cautioned the gentleman behind the wheel to watch out. But my exhortations to moderate the speed went in vain.
The undulating manner in which the car was being driven caused nausea to my wife. She feels comfortable travelling by railways as trains run on same track (equivalent of lane) with steady speed for long distances. Trains accelerate and slow down gently.
The distance we travelled had one speed-breaker after the other. There were stretches where repair work was going on. There were cattle to be navigated at some places. We could not drive smoothly even for few kilometres without an impediment of some sort. Instead of slowing down gradually from a distance, the gentleman applied instant brakes on reaching close to the hurdle.
Simply learning to manoeuvre a vehicle – acquiring knowledge of brakes, accelerator, steering wheel, etc – does not make one an accomplished driver. Compliance with traffic rules and speed limits should also be inculcated for sensible driving. Moreover, you have to watch out for infringements by other drivers. If vehicles are driven with controlled speed in one lane, travelling by road would be much safer and comfortable. Drivers must be sensitive towards the comfort of other passengers sitting in the vehicle.
Chander Gupta
House No. 567 (FF), Sector 12A
Panchkula – 134112
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