I have always been fascinated by cars, in fact I think obsessed would be a better word. Cars have been my first love and I think I was three years old when I realised how wonderful this machine actually is. I remember when I was a kid, how I always bought small toy cars at every possible occasion. There was a time, when I had every Hot Wheels Car available in the shops I knew, so I had started buying the same models in different colours. If I was ever going to buy something, chances were that I would buy a small car. Be it my birthday, or if I won an award, or performed well in an exam, no matter what the reason, my preferred purchase would be a model of a car. I definitely own more than a hundred car models, but I stopped keeping count years ago so I can’t quote the exact number. My collection is still growing though, as I still buy models when I get the chance.
I spent countless hours playing with my cars when I was growing up. Even though I didn't know the names of most cars at that time, I had my own method of identifying the ones I had. The nomenclature was based on the design of the car, and what was written on it. I remember owning a small bag in which I would carry all my cars with me wherever I could. I have been told that my parents would take off my bag after I fell asleep at night. I have always been very possessive about my belongings, and I would always be very hurt if I ever lost any of my cars. My passion for cars grew with age and at the age of ten, I started my first Automobile magazine submission and now, there is at least one car magazine that is purchased every month. I got my first computer in the same year and it was no surprise that I soon took a liking to the racing games that were available. Of course, the games at that time were quite pathetic by today’s standards, but they were a lot of fun nevertheless. As I grew, so did technology and with the advent of the internet, I had a new and limitless source to find out about cars. I can boast of having a vast collection of wallpapers of cars on my hard disc. Even now, I am obsessed with cars and still purchase models and magazines whenever I can. Also, I keep myself updated with Top Gear, probably the best car show that exists.
With all the above details, it shouldn’t come as a surprise if I say that I always wanted to own and drive a car. I remember my first driving lesson. I was fourteen at that time, and it was after my class nine exams when I got behind the wheel for the first time. The first car I ever drove was the Maruti 800 that we had with us at the time. I used to play a lot of Need for Speed at the time (NFSIISE) and I always chose the McLaren F1. It had a top speed of 230+ miles per hour with a 0-60 time of 3.1 seconds, and me and my brother would discuss how the acceleration and top speed of a Maruti was terrible. So, after receiving my initial instructions on how to put the car in gear, releasing the clutch slowly and then pressing the accelerator gently, what I did was, put the car in 1st and I floored the accelerator. That was the first time I ever pressed the accelerator to the fullest, and it was also the last time I did that for a few years. The car shot forward and I felt a surge of speed which I thought I would never be able to control. I know I wasn’t going fast, but it felt like all hell had broken loose and I was the fastest person alive. After that I brought the car to an immediate halt and decided to take things slow and steady. Learning how to drive was a really exciting experience, and it made me appreciate the automobile even more. I couldn’t wait for each subsequent lesson and was desperately looking forward to my first drive alone and unsupervised.
I was very excited when I could finally drive in actual traffic if there was an Adult on my side and was elated the few times I was able to drive to or from the school. When I finally reached the final year in school, I was allowed to take the car out on my own, and I will never forget the times when I drove to school and kept the car with me till I returned, or when I went to hang out with my friends. Eventually I decided that I was happiest when I was driving and that learning how to drive was the best thing that had ever happened to me.
My brother had decided that he would not allow me to learn how to drive a two wheeler, and my family supported his decision. Till date I am not confident about driving a bike, but it is not something I regret. I was made to drive a car, and for me nothing can be better. When I joined college, I was devastated to know that I wouldn’t be able to drive for months on end. The college had also made a rule to ban vehicles on campus, but I was very lucky to get my parents consent and the permission of the college to own a car, thus on 6th of November 2005, when I was in the second year of Engineering, my parents bought me my first car. It was probably the best day of my life till now. I couldn’t stop smiling and felt like I was on top of the world. I went to Mangalore where I collected my car and drove back to Manipal. Driving those 60 odd kilometers has been my best driving experience till date.
I have lots of wonderful memories with my car in Manipal, but it is not possible to share them here. I would be shattered whenever I made a small dent or scratch on my car. I knew almost everything about my car. As soon as I sat on the drivers seat, the car felt like an extension of my body. I was able to drive with utmost precision and knew the exact dimensions of my car. I remember intentionally driving over a rolling can on the road with the can coming under the left front wheel. I could feel every bump, every pebble on the road, and I would always seek perfection while driving. So if there was ever a gearshift, which wasn’t perfect, I would be furious with myself. Most of the times the small jerks couldn’t be felt by anyone else in the car, but then I never really cared about that, I wanted my driving to be perfect.
In the last few months in college, when I realised that I would have to sell my car, I was quite upset that I would have to allow someone else to drive my car, but in the end, I didn’t have to sell my car to anyone. I did something far, far worse, I managed to completely destroy my car. It happened on a Sunday night, when I was driving to a party with some of my friends, when I lost control of my car for the first time in my life as I took a sharp turn, and the car started to skid. I turned the car in the other direction, and it skidded in the other direction. I managed to turn the car once again, but it did a 180 and skidded off the road sideways. There it hit a mound of mud and overturned. Miraculously no one in the car was hurt, except for a few small cuts and bruises. My car though, was totaled. Because I religiously wear seatbelts, I was suspended upside down in mid air when the car rolled to a stop after hitting a tree with both hands on the steering wheel, left foot on the clutch and right foot on the accelerator. After crawling out of the car from one of the shattered windows, we rolled the car back on its wheels and made a futile attempt to drive it away. After failing miserably, I had to park the car on the side of the road, and leave it there overnight till I could get someone from a workshop to haul it away. The horror had already begun and when I returned to the crash site the next day, I discovered that the wheels had been stolen and my car was standing on some boulders. This was adding insult to injury and I was really furious that this had happened. After that I had to endure the torture of getting my insurance, but I really don’t want to relive that here.
This accident left me depressed but undeterred. I still love driving and I will probably do for the rest of my life. I didn’t lose confidence in my driving abilities either, and drove our brand new car during Bhaia's wedding. Thankfully my parents didn’t lose confidence in my driving abilities either, otherwise it would be a tough situation.
I really can’t wait to get behind the wheel of a car again. I guess I will have to wait till I return home before I can actually do that. I have always set my goals in life according to the car I wish to be able to buy. My ultimate dream is to buy a Ferrari and I really wish I can turn it into a reality someday. I have often told many people that my car will be more important to me than my wife or girlfriend. Most people assume I am joking, but in reality, I really don’t think there will be much difference between the two, at least in my eyes. I hope this doesn’t get me into too much trouble in life.
I spent countless hours playing with my cars when I was growing up. Even though I didn't know the names of most cars at that time, I had my own method of identifying the ones I had. The nomenclature was based on the design of the car, and what was written on it. I remember owning a small bag in which I would carry all my cars with me wherever I could. I have been told that my parents would take off my bag after I fell asleep at night. I have always been very possessive about my belongings, and I would always be very hurt if I ever lost any of my cars. My passion for cars grew with age and at the age of ten, I started my first Automobile magazine submission and now, there is at least one car magazine that is purchased every month. I got my first computer in the same year and it was no surprise that I soon took a liking to the racing games that were available. Of course, the games at that time were quite pathetic by today’s standards, but they were a lot of fun nevertheless. As I grew, so did technology and with the advent of the internet, I had a new and limitless source to find out about cars. I can boast of having a vast collection of wallpapers of cars on my hard disc. Even now, I am obsessed with cars and still purchase models and magazines whenever I can. Also, I keep myself updated with Top Gear, probably the best car show that exists.
With all the above details, it shouldn’t come as a surprise if I say that I always wanted to own and drive a car. I remember my first driving lesson. I was fourteen at that time, and it was after my class nine exams when I got behind the wheel for the first time. The first car I ever drove was the Maruti 800 that we had with us at the time. I used to play a lot of Need for Speed at the time (NFSIISE) and I always chose the McLaren F1. It had a top speed of 230+ miles per hour with a 0-60 time of 3.1 seconds, and me and my brother would discuss how the acceleration and top speed of a Maruti was terrible. So, after receiving my initial instructions on how to put the car in gear, releasing the clutch slowly and then pressing the accelerator gently, what I did was, put the car in 1st and I floored the accelerator. That was the first time I ever pressed the accelerator to the fullest, and it was also the last time I did that for a few years. The car shot forward and I felt a surge of speed which I thought I would never be able to control. I know I wasn’t going fast, but it felt like all hell had broken loose and I was the fastest person alive. After that I brought the car to an immediate halt and decided to take things slow and steady. Learning how to drive was a really exciting experience, and it made me appreciate the automobile even more. I couldn’t wait for each subsequent lesson and was desperately looking forward to my first drive alone and unsupervised.
I was very excited when I could finally drive in actual traffic if there was an Adult on my side and was elated the few times I was able to drive to or from the school. When I finally reached the final year in school, I was allowed to take the car out on my own, and I will never forget the times when I drove to school and kept the car with me till I returned, or when I went to hang out with my friends. Eventually I decided that I was happiest when I was driving and that learning how to drive was the best thing that had ever happened to me.
My brother had decided that he would not allow me to learn how to drive a two wheeler, and my family supported his decision. Till date I am not confident about driving a bike, but it is not something I regret. I was made to drive a car, and for me nothing can be better. When I joined college, I was devastated to know that I wouldn’t be able to drive for months on end. The college had also made a rule to ban vehicles on campus, but I was very lucky to get my parents consent and the permission of the college to own a car, thus on 6th of November 2005, when I was in the second year of Engineering, my parents bought me my first car. It was probably the best day of my life till now. I couldn’t stop smiling and felt like I was on top of the world. I went to Mangalore where I collected my car and drove back to Manipal. Driving those 60 odd kilometers has been my best driving experience till date.
I have lots of wonderful memories with my car in Manipal, but it is not possible to share them here. I would be shattered whenever I made a small dent or scratch on my car. I knew almost everything about my car. As soon as I sat on the drivers seat, the car felt like an extension of my body. I was able to drive with utmost precision and knew the exact dimensions of my car. I remember intentionally driving over a rolling can on the road with the can coming under the left front wheel. I could feel every bump, every pebble on the road, and I would always seek perfection while driving. So if there was ever a gearshift, which wasn’t perfect, I would be furious with myself. Most of the times the small jerks couldn’t be felt by anyone else in the car, but then I never really cared about that, I wanted my driving to be perfect.
In the last few months in college, when I realised that I would have to sell my car, I was quite upset that I would have to allow someone else to drive my car, but in the end, I didn’t have to sell my car to anyone. I did something far, far worse, I managed to completely destroy my car. It happened on a Sunday night, when I was driving to a party with some of my friends, when I lost control of my car for the first time in my life as I took a sharp turn, and the car started to skid. I turned the car in the other direction, and it skidded in the other direction. I managed to turn the car once again, but it did a 180 and skidded off the road sideways. There it hit a mound of mud and overturned. Miraculously no one in the car was hurt, except for a few small cuts and bruises. My car though, was totaled. Because I religiously wear seatbelts, I was suspended upside down in mid air when the car rolled to a stop after hitting a tree with both hands on the steering wheel, left foot on the clutch and right foot on the accelerator. After crawling out of the car from one of the shattered windows, we rolled the car back on its wheels and made a futile attempt to drive it away. After failing miserably, I had to park the car on the side of the road, and leave it there overnight till I could get someone from a workshop to haul it away. The horror had already begun and when I returned to the crash site the next day, I discovered that the wheels had been stolen and my car was standing on some boulders. This was adding insult to injury and I was really furious that this had happened. After that I had to endure the torture of getting my insurance, but I really don’t want to relive that here.
This accident left me depressed but undeterred. I still love driving and I will probably do for the rest of my life. I didn’t lose confidence in my driving abilities either, and drove our brand new car during Bhaia's wedding. Thankfully my parents didn’t lose confidence in my driving abilities either, otherwise it would be a tough situation.
I really can’t wait to get behind the wheel of a car again. I guess I will have to wait till I return home before I can actually do that. I have always set my goals in life according to the car I wish to be able to buy. My ultimate dream is to buy a Ferrari and I really wish I can turn it into a reality someday. I have often told many people that my car will be more important to me than my wife or girlfriend. Most people assume I am joking, but in reality, I really don’t think there will be much difference between the two, at least in my eyes. I hope this doesn’t get me into too much trouble in life.
ob·ses·sion [uhb-sesh-uhn]
–noun
1. the domination of one's thoughts or feelings by a persistent idea, image, desire, etc.
2. the idea, image, desire, feeling, etc., itself.
3. the state of being obsessed.
4. the act of obsessing.
2 comments:
I ve come across many ppl who r crazy abt cars.... but i must admit... none that can beat u... I really hope u buy ur Ferrari F430 Scuderia very soon... but i m sure u ll change ur opinion abt ur girlfriend :-)...
Dude! This is a masterpiece!
I'm sure all the auto psyches (I won't use car crazy or car lovers) will love this.
The thrill of a perfect shift, the idling piston hit, the pain of a dent- readers can live the moments...
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