Ok so i have also experienced the sinking, dragging, pulling feeling that the engine exudes when the tank dries up. Last week had been extremely hectic with the birthday planning and Shanghai visit. And the fact that both had to be planned and executed simultaneously left me with little time to even think of other things.
Which meant I never noticed the steadily diminishing fuel tank.
And at a point, in the middle of the traffic, to my utter horror, the car started dragging, the engine spluttered and groaned and as my brain began registering that the fuel could have dried, my eyes flashed towards the fuel meter conforming my fears - I gave a cry of despair and tried in vain to steer the car to the side.
Hindered by a parked car I could not achieve that on time and the car stopped blocking traffic behind me.
Just the kind of mistake a woman would make. Cliched but true - as I did it and I am a woman. Roar Roar by the way.
Anyway, when crisis happens call mom or hubby is my rule. Here hubby seemed the most useful person to call with a potential to come as a knight in shining armour and easily because this happened just 3 km away from home.
Then I walked out of the car and gestured for people to come and help me push the car to a corner.
No body came.
People cursed and gestured at me instead.
A gentleman in his 60 s came over and took the matter in his hands. Told me you steer I push. I hesitated seeing his age but he insisted and helped me steer the car to the side.
Shame on you those auto drivers, bike riders and sundry other passerbys who did not raise even a finger to help but just watched as an elderly gentleman struggled to help a damsel in distress.
24 comments:
Oh, this is sad. I am glad at least some one came forward to help. These are some instances that make me feel glad that I don't drive........but there are loads of others that make me feel the opposite.
oh what horrid luck..and that person was really nice :):)
I witnessed something yesterday that made me feel there is still some hope left. A visually impaired man was trying to cross a busy street in T Nagar. This police guy at the junction as went up to the man as soon as he noticed him, and helped him cross the road...
- Oh one more point plus on the 'I don't wanna drive because' side
- Sheesh can't believe nobody helped u out...really sad it had to be an elderly person ....yeah must have felt really funny na?
- Hotha hain Hotha hain :)
Hmmm....lesser of gentlemen among the younger generation!
I too faced a similar situation a few years back when I was pregnant with Appu. It was the police guys who came to help me out!
look mam the situation is pitiable and as a lady I can imagine how horrible we will feel but just look back and think wasn't that your mistake absolutely what does your work have to do you canot trouble other people saying you were busy
I know how it will be being a lady but I am telling you to look at the other side too instead of blaming some tom dick and harry if we were perfect in our work there is no need to blame them and thinking they were not perfect in helping you
understand me I am not being rude but that way just analysing my self I learnt some things
happy belated wishes to the kids
Oh my god, I can imagine what it must have been like. What appalls me is that we have become a country of people who don't care for others or their problems. We have become so self centered that we have stopped caring and that is so tragic.
The man who helped you - God bless him - is a reminder of a bygone era that our new, hep generation will hardly emulate or feel inspired to.
What an experience!
chaitali- thats nice
gayatri- i felt maha embarassed sitting while he pushed
sandhya- some hope- police helped!!!
swapna- yes!!!
and finally renee dear- thank u so very much for the much needed advice. henceforth I will try not to be too busy to decide not to fill petrol. infact I was very busy so I thought this is one thing I shud ignore- so i purposely did not fill petrol- any problem? infact I did it particularly so that i get a blogging opportunity when my car runs out of petrol in the middle of the road. do u blog btw? where?
@renee: Here the author knows that she blundered. There are times when the car does stall/misbehave for no falut of the driver/owner. People may still come forth and help or not help, depending on their inherent nature/busy-ness etc. When ITW stalled, I'm sure the passersby didn't know that she had run out of petrol.
What Tom, Dick and Harry did you blame, Itchy? Or is Renee upset because you thought some other driver could have come to help too?
I've been there (dead battery late on Sunday night) and I can promise nobody helped. I think in my case there is also a fear of me turning out to be some kind of a criminal maybe, out to trap single men. ;)
dipali- yes and they were jeering at me as if i purposely stopped in teh middle of the road
@ sue- beware single men- do not come near when the Sue calls for help!!! now let me think- is there a way I can blame hubby for my car running out of petrol- usually I blame him for all the mishaps in my life!
@renee - this is the place we vent out temper and joy the 'real' way. If u can understand....we aren't angels...mere humans are we :b
@itchy - We are human...social beings...we expect other humans to help...absolutely understandable...Give me a hi-five gal
Poor you - people are so boorish and insensitive - something to do with lack of values .
@ Renee - On the offchance that you might come back for a dekko -dear oh dear =- such a lecture - yeah maybe she was busy and accidents do happen - we are not all perfect - some of us have a lot of things on our minds and can forget the most rudimentary things like filling up petrol. However , if a person needs help - what would you do ? I think Itchy knows she made a mistake - are you saying she shouldnt make mistakes ?
For that she has to be either divine or a robot
*high fives gayatri*- thanks dear
Eveie- :)
God bless the kind soul who came to your aid!! As for all the other motorists who could only stare and offer rude words...I hope their tyres get punctured when they are in a desperate hurry to be anywhere!
God bless the kind soul who came to your aid!! As for all the other motorists who could only stare and offer rude words...I hope their tyres get punctured when they are in a desperate hurry to be anywhere!
Next time call me. I'll help. Good luck.
M4- LOL
Ramit-offcourse
Itchy, thank god you were not too far from home, and your spouse could come quick to bail you out. And now let me give you my two cents of advice. Hitherto, dont be too busy to fill petrol okay. Or else you will end up troubling more elderly gentlemen... ;)
Cmon, Renee, its a mistake. She knows it. She acknowledges it. Nobody is perfect.
dear ITW I surely thought after writing I will get these type of comments
I was just saying it in a way that if we as lady drivers be a bit more cautious we can be better and even safety is very much important at night in this big bad world
during my exams I was so stressed that I forgot about the petrol in the vehicle and we having no brothers ,my father who had underwent angiogram just a week before went in an auto for 10 km to get petrol and the apartment watchman was there and he simply did not go (this watchman used to collect money from all the apartments for his salary but used to work only for a couple of apartment people which is a very common problem faced in the apt life)
and along with it in some situations I faced and that too being a lady in driving I know how problamatic it will be if we get stranded in the middle of the road
so just as a person who has gone through all these things ladies I wanted to tell nobody will be there and people will also be giggling making filthy comments and all so I told if we are a bit cautious at least the travel part we can be safe
I know we are not angels,robots etal
if the way I wanted to convey my feelings is wrong I apologise to you all good ladies there
instead of saying ooh itchy I feel so bad I wanted to tell something
if you guys felt I was some great angel who never commits mistakes not so my dear people
I just wanted to tell my two paisa on it instead of just empathising with her but I really could feel the pain how it will be that way on the road
thank you
Karmickids- :)
renee- remove lady from the comment- is it not true for any driver?
i think high time start thinking in gender independent terms.
in my opinion if anyone gets stranded on the road for any reason, it is not wrong to hope to get some help from someone passing by. my husband's car got a puncture. So is that his fault? but there was a good samaritan who helped on request and an auto driver who was just seeing tamasha.
yes thats what I was meaning to say
any driver will face the problem but we carry it back
will the gents be as troubled as we become on the road
ofcouse if they are in such a situation they will be helpless but I donot think they will be bothered by auto driver seeing all the fun
but we as ladies burdened with a lot of stuff will be definitely bothered by these people who donot help and on top of it laugh and behave oddly
but gents will mostly not be bothered though they face the trouble they can manage help somehow
but for us it is difficult and we can't take all those odd looks so instead of just telling I feel bad I am telling we should be a bit more cautious
if we are driving in some remote outskirts can we face the trouble
but in our country if a gent is in such a place though it is problamtic for him he can face it
hope you can understand what I say yes mistakes do happen we are all humans and I certainly empathise with you and nobody will come to help on the road and you were lucky on that day to have a good samaritan to get you out of the situation
it is definitely not our fault for a flat tyre it can happen any time
except for petrol I was telling it is better for us to be cautious
if you understand what I meant take it or just leave it
have a nice time
happy christmas and happy holidays
Post a Comment