Category: Cars

Incoherent thoughts on my car

En route to Patiala with Neo, Feb 2011

When I moved back to Delhi in 2009, I dint know how to drive a car. While I was away, my
sis/folks had bought this car and since I loath using public transport, I
got the rights to use this car. I learned (learnt?) how to drive on this car and
now more than two years and 75,000 KMs later, I can confidently say that I am a good driver. More importantly, I enjoy love driving. So much so that at times I take longer routes while going home. I love the control I have over the car. I love the fact that I can judge the distances and gaps with clock-like precision. I love the response that the car gives me. In fact at times, like I was telling #sgMS during one of those rides, the car feels like an extension of my body. The way I can control my limbs effortlessly and subconsciously, the same way, I control the movements of my car. I dont have to divert any  attention when I am supposed to change the gears or step on the paddles or maneuver on the road. Its all ingrained in my head and it now comes naturally to me.

Lucky that despite more than 75000 KMs on it, so far I havent had no major
accidents. Apart from that one incident near Haridwar when a truck banged my car from the back. And for the record, no fault of mine. And the other time I scratched againt a truck and it blew away my left rear view
mirror (this was lapse in my judgement). And then there were tons of small scratches that you cant really avoid when the most part of drives happen in Delhi.

Just in case, I drive a Hyundai Santro. This is one of those entry level cars where they promise you comfort and yet leave a lot to be desrired for. Its not really powerful but can zip around for sure. India, the speeds are typically 60KMph and my Santro can easily handle it. It runs on petrol and I know it is an expensive proposition but then I think this is the only luxury I indulge in (dont like buying clothes or watches or fancy things). I dont make a lot of money and I could hypothetically travel in the awesome Delhi Metro or the other modes of public transprt, but I refuse to do so. I want my space and my car gives me that. Hopefully, things would take a turn for the good soon and I would be able to upgrade to a new car this year or the next year. Till then sgSantro would have to be around.

P.S. Dint know what to write about but had to update the blog today.

P.P.S. For all the bots and other social media aficionados, this post is NOT about a Santro, but is about my love for driving. And this could have been any other brand. Santro is incidental. And on the other hand, my posts about sgElectra, are VERY MUCH about the brand. You cant replace a Royal Enfield with any other bike. 

Some questions from Auto Expo 2012

Yet again, I am staring at a blank screen and have no clue what to write about. I am sitting in a green room behind one of the largest stalls at the largest automobiles exhibition in India. I have an entire circus running downstairs. There are more than 100 people that are managing the crowd, not including the security and cleaning staff. And there must be more than 20, 000 people in the hall. Easily. And I am not exaggerating. 

So there are a few questions that I have and I have no answers. May be you have some?
  1. Who are all those people who stand in queue for more than an hour to enter a hall that is merely showcasing cars, that anyways you see on the roads, newspapers, Internet all the time.
  2. Who are all those people who use their elbows, knees and other joints at their whims and try and make space for I dont know whom.
  3. Who are the brand managers who agree to spend probably crores on these exhibitions where all you display is skin and glamour? And this, when on the backend, automobile industry is as bland and as mundane as a plain white sheet. 
  4. Do these exhibitions actually help the brand? May be it does with all the media coverage? Does any brand manager actually track returns on their spends on these exhibitions?
  5. Why is that everyone cooks up something that no one could even imagine existed, and that too at the drop of the hat, and all this when they have had ages to plan for it?
  6. And finally, why this, why this Kolaveri Di?
Any answers anyone?