So, I got back from Abu Dhabi right on the New Year, and I haven’t been too happy ever since. Oh no… I am not those – Oh-what-shit-is-this-India sorts. I am glad to be back, but just the turn of events has been rather upsetting. Turns out, I was hooked to a depressing book for the first couple of days, and then a weird book for another few days, and then of course, when I got over all that crying and stepped out in my car, I had a terrifying experience. Yeah, it’s the Auto Driver again. This one was scary AS HELL.
In full public view an auto driver managed to threaten, bang the car windows, twist the rear view mirror – All this because I took down his auto number. Mind you, this was on a main road jam packed with traffic. He rode his auto ahead of my car and parked it right there. So I HAD to stop. He got off and ran towards my car. And before he came close, I managed to go ahead. He did the same thing again. Rode Ahead. Stopped. Got off. This time, before I could move towards the left n overtake, he reached us, banged the windows, twisted the rear view mirror, and was yelling – He simply wanted to break something so my friend and I get off the car and he could lay his letcherous eyes on us (and maybe even hands). I was really scared and helpless. No one stopped. Nor did I. I didn’t want to be the Rang-De-Basanti style to get off and fight with this dirty man. In that minute of panic, many thoughts crossed my mind
1. He can’t do much. Get off, say something. Don’t take this lying down.
2. Run, he has rapist written all over his face
I felt ashamed to run, but I did. I don’t remember anything I did in those few seconds. I just remember my friend screaming in fear. And I have no clue if I judged the traffic before I steered left, and over took the parked auto as he continued to bang on the windows. I just remember that I drove real fast. And then before he could run back, sit in his auto and follow us, we had gone far ahead.
We were terrified! As small as this incident sounds, I was torn apart. All kinds of thoughts struck that night. I wept to sleep. I never expected such harrassment in full public view. I was wondering what I would do if I were alone. I wondered if I am safe in my own city. I kept calculating- what did I do wrong, what did I do right, was it sensible to not get off, should I have gotten off and fought for my so-called rights??? I think I never expected a situation where I would chicken out to this extent. AND how I am making this confession on my blog is beyond my understanding!
I have this gut feeling, something worse waits…
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9 comments:
oh man...i know u love your car just like me ..i wld have done the same thing...pls be careful esp when u deal with auto drivers..and why did u want his auto number anyway? And i'm sure u'll have a great year..u cant let smthg like this spoil your year :P
Hmmm.. this one sounds serious indeed ! But you know.. going away was the wise thing to do.. there's a very thin line dividing cowardice and bravery.. that's called wisdom ;)
And ya.. c'mon.. I'm sure you have a great year ahead. with many more standing ovations and Oracle sponsored trips lined up :P (damn.. i cant get over the fact that they sent you to Thailand !! What did I do wrong ?? Why not ME ?? Does it have something to do with the fact that I RESIGNED ??)
typical bangalore incident ...even I cud not understand why did u write the auto number !!
quite an adventurous start to a new year...not sad in any way!!!
Second time, before he came to bang your car window... you shud have got out and banged that shankar dada's taxi...
That wud made him feel nuts... and then he would have slept weeping.
HEHEHE...
But all in all, it must have been scary, and I wonder no-one said anything in traffic.(may be because they didn't realize what was happening!). You should have got out and shouted at him publicly. Then maybe people in traffic would have reacted... and taxi driver wud have had it...
But New Year can't be bad/sad...it's doesn't end on its first day... good things too (will) keep popping out from nowhere every now and then.
Pathetic.
What u did was the absolutely right thing.No point slinging mud @ a dirty vagrant.He might throw more than what you manage to @ you.Half of these autos are owned/supported by by Goondas.
Once I tried noting the number of a local stand autowallah who did not oblige to come to the localtion I wanted to go(it was MG road @ 7 PM), the whole stand got pissed off.Even though a traffic searge was nearby he just kept watching even after I asked him for help.They did not stop until they had taken my scrap note from my hands and torn the page I had written on.They just stopped short of manhandling me.There are some things u can do nothing about.Just avoid them.Thats all :(...
its ok. i think any normal girl would have freaked out as much as you.
i ve been in similar situations very often and had conflicting thoughts and oozing self respect to confront such people, but never really did it. so, we are on the same boat :-)
sometimes, its better to be passive and let things cool down than get aggressive and aggravate the situation more.
you know,this somehow reminded me of an incident in my childhood.. while returning back from school, some random guy standing on the street was acting weird when my friend and I passed by, and I turned back after walking a few metres in front, and this guy said something (or did something, I don't remember) and I got totally pissed off. Knowing very well that the police station was just a few metres away, I walked back, shouted at him in public. YA! shouted!! and I was like in 7th std or something...A couple of people also gathered :P he tried to mutter something under his breath, which made me shout even more and he was never seen in that place again! :P and at the end, I had a billion questions in my mind..
Seems like weird people continue to exist even after a decade in our city. :( and we cant continue to be brave.. we need to be wise, as Abhinav said.. you did the absolute right thing, gagan... u never know how far these people can go..
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