Driving 101: Things Driving School Wallah Doesn't Teach You

It's been very long since I've written a post! I'll update you guys with the cool things in my life soon but first, let's have a few Driving Lessons.


Sadly, I don't have many pictures but I'm going to write clear enough that you get the gist of what I'm talking, even newbie drivers.


The downside of going to a driving school is their cars are 'special'. The passenger's seat also has a set of Accelerator, Brake and Clutch, so when you think you're driving nicely, you aren't.. it's just your 'master' who's making it easy for you. Also, driving your own car and the driving school car is very different. Your car maybe in top condition, theirs- maybe not so much. 

P.S: I've taught myself how to drive (ok, my sister taught me how to start the car) but everything else is my opinion what I've learnt so far and how I learnt. /nobigdeal

For Newbie Drivers:

#1: Pre-driving Check:

1. Adjust your seat to sit properly,
2. Arrange the Rear-view mirror, so that you clearly see through the back glass (and not the people who will sit at the back!),
3. Arrange the Left and Right mirrors such that you can see little of your car 
4. Check your gear is neutral: move it slightly and it should feel free, it should be  exactly in the center.

                     

YOU'RE SET! /wahaha

#2: Urdu wali A-B-C

In Urdu, you start writing from the right hand side of the page and the Accelerator Brake Clutch are placed Urdu Style

Before starting the car, keep your feet on them and repeat five times while feeling them: Accelerator, Brake, Clutch I'm not joking. Make your conscience used to this and you won't panic ever.

1. Now start the car, 
2. Release the hand brake (emergency brake), 
3. Completely press the clutch, 
4. Put your car in 1st gear and slowly lose the clutch. 

Voila! Your car is moving!

#3: "So, okay, my car took two steps and stopped" #Embarrassed

It's fine. Happens to me when in crowded places. People behind honk horns, auto wallahs curse you, passing by bikers say, "gadi chalani nahi aati" loud enough for you to hear, sometimes I'm in the middle of the road, that is the Worst Driving Moment Ever. The key is deep breaths. Siriusly.


When your car stops suddenly,

1. Take a deep breath, 
2. Shut your car, 
3. Press clutch fully, 
4. Put your gear on neutral,
5. Turn on car,
6. Try again.

If this still happens, you're panicking /blur and letting go of the clutch too fast. Fuck the world. You're learning, they were noobs once upon a time too. Try again, this time, when you start the car, accelerate to wake your car up and do all the steps again - Leave Clutch S..L..O..W..L..Y..

#4 Gears and Speed

"But teach me how to change gears!" I yelled at my sister
"Ok fine! I'll teach you. Let's go" She said furiously
I did what I was taught 2 months ago, starting the car. 2 minutes in and she yelled, "Change the gear now!"
I screamed, "How!"
"Stop! Stop! Brake daba!"


I was thrown out of the drivers seat, just like that. Lesson Learnt: None.

So here's the gear box made easy for you:

HOW TO GO TO:

N = Neutral,

Orange lines show you the way!

Gear ONE

 Gear TWO

Gear THREE

 Gear FOUR

Gear FIVE

 Gear REVERSE

I don't think you're going to need Gear 3, 4 and especially 5 but what's the harm in telling?


Point To Remember: Never take directly to Gear 2, 3, 4 or 5. You don't tell a baby to start running as soon as it's born! First you crawl, walk and then RUN (that's gears 1, 2 and 3 for you) :P

SPEEDOMETER and Gears (based on km/hr):

When in Gear 1: Stay within 10 to 20
When you cross 20, change to Gear 2


I usually dance between Gear 1 and Gear 2 so that's all I can tell you.

#4: Changing Gears Like A Boss

That thing they show in movies, the hero is fastly changing the gears and you're like WHOA! Me too! This is your moment. /wahaha

- When Taking Turns (Left/ Right Turns or U-Turns)

If your car is in Gear 2, Give your Signal (Right hand side of steering wheel) to which direction you're going in, well before the actual turn and slowly take your car in that direction.

The moment your car is straight, 

1. Change to Gear 1, 
2. Press clutch fully, 
3. Keep your feet lightly over the brake,
4. Fully turn your steering wheel,
5. Release Clutch S..L..O..W..L..Y
6. Now that your car is in the lane, steer your wheel in the opposite direction to make your car straight again.
7. Go to speed 20, if no or less traffic, Change to Gear 2

Great! :D


Same goes for left right turns, instead of taking a U, you just go left or right. Make sure your car is on either sides and NOT In the middle. You don't want to angry the people who're behind you

- Tackling Crossroads

Crossroads freak me out, especially the ones that have speedbreakers right before the crossroad but you can always tame them!

When you see approaching crossroad and you want to go STRAIGHT, 

1. Change to Gear 1, 
2. Press clutch fully
3. Keep the clutch under control and feet lightly on the brake,
4. Make sure your car is not in the extreme corners but somewhere in the middle (so that cars coming from other directions wont crash into you)
5. When you've managed to leave the road you were on and you're in the crossroad, you've passed, release the clutch slowly and accelerate to 20
6. Change to Gear 2

REJOICE!

#5: Markets and Careless Humans

Humans are careless. As soon as I get into my car, I become a machine and pedestrians become humans and humans are careless. 
One time I almost knocked off a small family of 3 on a bike. /no Thankfully, I had pressed the brake on time but the father had kept his feet on the bonnet, so he became the hero. I didn't mind it, the kid said, "Daddy saved us!"


Practice driving at speed 10 km/hr and press your brake from time to time, making sure your car doesn't stop. Take rounds of empty roads in that slow speed, again making sure your car doesn't stop. When you've are 15 km atleast like this, you're ready to take on the market streets. Till then, DONT. Humans are careless.


So that's all of driving I've learnt so far :)


I hope this post has helped/ will help you in your driving.


Until I learn more,
/bye
Currie

Exams Finished!

On April 21, 2012 - I bade goodbye to the last exam of my Bachelor's life! (Insha-Allah)

Having slept only 18 hours in the whole week, I'm glad I can finally sleep now! (Not much because relatives are home, but oh well :))

My papers were bad but I'm hoping I all clear. Marks don't really matter, trust me.

No more writing exams, that thought is really elusive, you guys!

Let my feelings be described:

When I thought, "Only one more exam to go" I was like:

When I submitted my paper to the supervisor, I was like 

When Faraz and I met outside the gate after the papers, we were like

When the Homosexuality Movement in my center was outside the center, he was like

  

(I'm not even kidding)

Faraz and Fahad stared at him like

Friends at College were like

One of the girls among them was like

Seeing that Me, Azra and Sarah were like

but still Azra and Sarah were like

and I was like

Still I am bounded by the question, "What Next?" but then I am going to put it off for a while. In this moment, I'm happy (slightly nervous) but then still happy. 

You stay fabulous.

Love,

Curry /bye

It takes Courage

Living is a very tough job to do. Especially if you want to live at the top. First there is climbing it up from the bottom and then there's balancing at that tip. There are others in this world who are climbing and they seem better too.


It's bothersome, I actually just had a crying session on this. There's so much pressure, mostly that I put on myself and it's easier to convince a friend than it is to trust yourself. I don't know how people even do it?


My mom says I'm worried because I'm a scorpion.

'The scorpion symbolizes the personality-centered SCORPIO.  She engages in a dance of death for total ego supremacy over everyone'

Won't deny it. This is partly correct. It's tough for me to think of someone who can be better at something I am best at. So many people have tried to change my mind but it's just bothersome. It's easier said than done. Is there anyone out there who actually understands what I'm going through? The invisible pressure I'm feeling?

I want to let go. To breathe and be like my 'lol i don't care' self. I want to just be happy, you know?

You don't know. And this post has no purpose.

Go study bros. We should study. Not studying is what has got me here.

Love,

Curry.

More Than What Meets The Eye

Ever wondered that there should be someone who sees more than what you show? Someone who will get to know you, who you really are and then like you for it?


Did you know? Everyone feels that.


They don't just say, 'Each one is special'. They say it because it's true. Every person is different and unique. You should get to know them and their circumstances. There is no other way that you will learn Compassion.


If you wonder why I am writing this, because I'm tired. Tired of people judging others by appearances.


This is what the woman I'm inspired by has to say:

Isn't it true? The first thing we say to someone is how they look. Something of the sort happened to me too.


Me to a friend who met Raveena Tandon: "Hey, how is she?!"


What I expected: She's cute and very friendly!


What he replied: She's very well maintained.


I was taken aback. So the little time you spent with her, you spent it checking her out? Whatever happened to what you are inside? In your heart?


If everyone does judge people by how they look, why work so hard on things like personality and character? Then who's fault is it that there are hoes in the 'hood? Because all that you, shallow person, care about is looks.


I go through the daily torture of, 

• "you've become fat" 
• "you've become thin!" 
• "you had lost weight last time I saw you" 
• "try this new diet!" 

I've become so used to this, if no one says this- I start judging myself.


Within this time frame, 

• I completed 2 internships
• Topped my college, 
• Wrote articles for various websites, 
• Had blogposts that had over 300 views (big deal for me), 
• Won a scooty and also 
• Made a Kick-Ass Voters' Awareness Video (with few friends from class!)

HERE'S FOOD FOR THOUGHT: If you yourself judge people for how they appear to you, don't you think you are being judged for how you look too?


All I want to say is like there is more to you than you show, there is more to someone else too. A bad accident, a disease from the past, overdose, death, you don't know. Be the bigger person and look past what you see. Look through the obvious and see what beats in that little heart. Getting to know a person only will make you a better person.


Don't be an asshole. Beauty fades, brains remain.


Until you realize your shallowness & change,


Karima /bye

MLIF: Where the F stand for Filmy

We say, "It happens only in movies" but what we forget is movies are inspired from real life - Myself ;)

Pre-Script: Excuse my shift in language from British to American to Nigger to Hindi to Drool. My heart is typing through my fingers!

This happened with me. Ok, please don't put this anywhere on my facebook because if he finds out- I am screwed :P But then, my heart says I should put it out because that's what we bloggers do, we share our feelings and especially now because my heart is feeling all warm :P


Yesterday: Epic Day. Just assume that I'm doing a very important work right now and where I am doing my "important work" He goes there. Climbing them stairs with my friend, I glanced back and there was He. I smiled, my heart skipped a beat (so obvious), I went up for a split second, did what I had to do and when I got back down (hardly 10 seconds) he was gone. Then when we reached the end of the stairs, I sneakily looked at him & boy was busy chatting with friends, I smiled and went ahead.

Then fate happened, I had to go where he was and I greeted him with my heart in my mouth (now you can imagine what kind of voice came out) and then I did my another split-second work and before going, looked at him and my boy winked like:

I was /shock so I went like:

I'm pretty sure I smiled like:

But my heart went like:

Later when I went to doing my work, I was all:

LITERALLY.

This is so not helpful, Tera Honey Laga Hoon from Ajab Prem.. is playing right now.


Back to the story,


You know how they show in movies that everything goes into slow motion and then there's a lot of hair flying and people looking at you but you only see the one person, you love?


BREAKING NEWS: 

Einstein was right about Time Dilation. How time does in fact become slow and fast sometimes.


The time between me going where he was standing, saying barely audible 'hi', doing my business, looking back at him and then giving my grin, it was as if we were running 1 second = 5 seconds slowly. The Crush's female colleagues saw the 100 Watt light on my face and I'm concerned if they'll tell him. You know us girls are breaking bubbles all the time, "ayyy... she likes you!!!!"


I've been thinking about his so humble incident and I can't tell you how happy I feel. He mustn't even know but it's okay, blog :) One Day.


Anyway, while I blush to death, you guys have a beautiful Republic Day and start asking people out for Valentines.. :)


Love you,
Curry /bye