Thread Starter
#46
A Heart-stopping Moment
On 1st of March, returning to BLR after the trip mentioned in Post # 45. After Krishnagiri, there's a gradual upward slope almost all along the 50+ km stretch. A truck would try to overtake a slow moving truck; 2 lanes gone. A 3rd truck would join the party then, blocking all 3 lanes. I came across a Beige Sail Diesel Sedan competing with a white XUV500. They were unable to find opening in the fast lanes and got stuck behind. Twice I went past them (using the openings in the slowest lane) and they would soon overtake me only to get stuck again. To escape, I ran away for sometime and I came behind these guys like this going up a pretty long slope.
Our speeds were 40-ish. I was waiting for some clearance. When it came, I waited a couple more seconds to ensure it was ultra safe to go between the trucks and started to accelerate, and the white XUV dived in front of me like this.
No way he was going to make it without me applying brake or the truck ahead accelerating. It was a sure shot hit, if I were a bit late to respond. I slammed the brakes. Luckily, the speed was low and none was close behind me. As the XUV lined up in front of me, I noticed the Sail was trying to find way in the slowest lane. Both of them went ahead and it took me some time to calm down. Then it was pure anger; no body gets away without a gesture of Sorry.
In no time I caught up with the XUV (driving in the left lane) and I was on the middle lane. We were down to 60-70 kph due to traffic ahead. There was a family in the XUV, the driver kept staring straight ahead. I rolled down the left window, switched ON the cabin lights and left indicator, kept the Horn blaring non-stop and gestured the idiot to stop. He wouldn't look at me and wouldn't slow-down / stop. He tried to accelerate, but couldn't outrun Verna. He braked, went behind and finally came to the fast lane (to my right). I was watching him on the mirror thinking "What for?". It was easy for me to line up to him, roll the right window down and shout at him to stop. He slowed down - I slowed down; immediately he accelerated - I did the same.
We were running out of free road. A slow truck was ahead on the fast lane and NOW the XUV gave left indicator. Nope, my right indicator was ON first (been blinking for some time). As he moved a little to his left, I inched a bit to my right. I was prepared for a mild brushing and ready to put-up my first Insurance claim since Yr 2000. Effectively he was bottled up behind the truck and cornered by me. I was bloody MAD. We were driving at the speed of that truck for quite some time. I kept turning in the direction of the XUV (eyes were on the road, though). B____r wouldn't look at me nor would apologise. A simple hand gesture was more than adequate.
Wify brought sanity when she asked, "Are you going to beat-up a defeated man ?" I left him and his family to their conscience and drove away.
Climax: After crossing into Karnataka, I caught up with that Beige Sail. When HE made a move cutting into me, I decided I had had enough; I was not going to fight it out with a Chottu. I laughed, pulled over, had a Fag and Tea. There was still lot of time for that scheduled dinner at Malleswaram Adigas.
PS: I know it was stupid, bad, dangerous, life threatening etc, but, my anger (and the confidence this Verna instilled in me) clouded my thoughts. The sanest is to do what I mentioned in Climax above. Laugh it out; make fun of the idiots and be safe. Unfortunately, MIND doesn't make ALL the decision all the time.
On 1st of March, returning to BLR after the trip mentioned in Post # 45. After Krishnagiri, there's a gradual upward slope almost all along the 50+ km stretch. A truck would try to overtake a slow moving truck; 2 lanes gone. A 3rd truck would join the party then, blocking all 3 lanes. I came across a Beige Sail Diesel Sedan competing with a white XUV500. They were unable to find opening in the fast lanes and got stuck behind. Twice I went past them (using the openings in the slowest lane) and they would soon overtake me only to get stuck again. To escape, I ran away for sometime and I came behind these guys like this going up a pretty long slope.
Our speeds were 40-ish. I was waiting for some clearance. When it came, I waited a couple more seconds to ensure it was ultra safe to go between the trucks and started to accelerate, and the white XUV dived in front of me like this.
No way he was going to make it without me applying brake or the truck ahead accelerating. It was a sure shot hit, if I were a bit late to respond. I slammed the brakes. Luckily, the speed was low and none was close behind me. As the XUV lined up in front of me, I noticed the Sail was trying to find way in the slowest lane. Both of them went ahead and it took me some time to calm down. Then it was pure anger; no body gets away without a gesture of Sorry.
In no time I caught up with the XUV (driving in the left lane) and I was on the middle lane. We were down to 60-70 kph due to traffic ahead. There was a family in the XUV, the driver kept staring straight ahead. I rolled down the left window, switched ON the cabin lights and left indicator, kept the Horn blaring non-stop and gestured the idiot to stop. He wouldn't look at me and wouldn't slow-down / stop. He tried to accelerate, but couldn't outrun Verna. He braked, went behind and finally came to the fast lane (to my right). I was watching him on the mirror thinking "What for?". It was easy for me to line up to him, roll the right window down and shout at him to stop. He slowed down - I slowed down; immediately he accelerated - I did the same.
We were running out of free road. A slow truck was ahead on the fast lane and NOW the XUV gave left indicator. Nope, my right indicator was ON first (been blinking for some time). As he moved a little to his left, I inched a bit to my right. I was prepared for a mild brushing and ready to put-up my first Insurance claim since Yr 2000. Effectively he was bottled up behind the truck and cornered by me. I was bloody MAD. We were driving at the speed of that truck for quite some time. I kept turning in the direction of the XUV (eyes were on the road, though). B____r wouldn't look at me nor would apologise. A simple hand gesture was more than adequate.
Wify brought sanity when she asked, "Are you going to beat-up a defeated man ?" I left him and his family to their conscience and drove away.
Climax: After crossing into Karnataka, I caught up with that Beige Sail. When HE made a move cutting into me, I decided I had had enough; I was not going to fight it out with a Chottu. I laughed, pulled over, had a Fag and Tea. There was still lot of time for that scheduled dinner at Malleswaram Adigas.
PS: I know it was stupid, bad, dangerous, life threatening etc, but, my anger (and the confidence this Verna instilled in me) clouded my thoughts. The sanest is to do what I mentioned in Climax above. Laugh it out; make fun of the idiots and be safe. Unfortunately, MIND doesn't make ALL the decision all the time.
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