Driving Motor Vehicles II: Driving Motor Vehicles SAFELY

Irony, best beloveds, IRONY! Let me tell you why:

I almost had a car accident today.

WITH A COP!
WITH A COP! A POLICEMAN! I ALMOST HAD A COLLISION WITH A POLICEMAN! HOLY CANOODLE! A COP! A COP! THEY HAVE GUNS! HE COULD HAVE TAKEN AWAY MY LICENSE! EGAD! A COP!

Now that we've gotten that out of the way, let me tell you how:


B's sister lent us her car and so we went for a drive. We went to check out the old car and give it a wash. So we needed to get some water from the petrol station, ergo we drove to there and back. On our way back, I had to go through a roundabout. It was night-time and I looked ahead, and saw just a pair of headlights making its way to the exit of the roundabout just a few seconds before my entrance. I didn't stop before the roundabout like I should have, like I usually do. Because the roads were pretty empty. They always are around there. So I saw that a car had just left and the roundabout was clear and so I entered. And then, my friend yelled, "DRAINPIPER!" And I was like, "What? I'm in the correct lane." And then, a sound pierced the atmosphere, pierced the windows, and then pierced my ears. It was the honk from a motorbike. And the motorbike rider was a policeman. And I swear, I did not see any light coming from his vehicle prior to that moment when his bike almost collided with the car. Yes, "oh shit" is correct. And it is all that went through my mind for the next few minutes. I stopped at this small little parking and the cop was next to me. Then I opened the door of my car to get out and he pushed my door shut and he told me to roll down the window. (This was actually kind of funny because it is not customary to get out of the car, especially for a lady, when pulled over by a cop. My defense: This was my first time being pulled over.) I rolled down the window and I apologized to him. I was like, "I'm sorry, I didn't see, I'm sorry." He was like, "Why didn't you see?!" And he instructed me to follow him so I did. We got into a proper parking place and again I told him I was sorry and that "I didn't see" and then he asked for my license and registration. I handed it over. He removed the dreaded Book of Slips and he checked the cards in the car's headlights. I was shaking. Yeah, I'm a bit of a scaredy-pants. I get a panic attack over the smallest of things and I have immense trouble letting go of stuff. It's been about 4 hours since the whole scene happened and I'm still frightful over thoughts about what if an accident had occurred, or what if I got a fine on a car that wasn't even my own, or what if I had wrecked the car, or worse, wrecked someone's life. I told my friend I would pay the entire amount for the fine. And out of exasperation, helplessness and perhaps habit, I found myself saying "Hare Krishna". The policeman came back and gave me my license and the car's registration card. I was wondering where the pink slip was. And then he said words that was music to my ears and sedative to my heart. He said, "No fine." And I thanked him like there was no tomorrow. He said that he wasn't going to fine me and I should ALWAYS stop before entering roundabouts. Bless him. And then he was so nice to me. And then I smiled. And I was so relieved. I believe it was Krishna who helped me out of what could have been a BIG mess. And I am very, very grateful. It was honestly pretty scary. The thoughts of what could have happened instead are still horrifying me. I don't know why I can't just let it go and move on with my life. I will feel guilty about threatening lives and almost wrecking a car and a bike. I mean, what were the odds of a cop being in that area? What were the odds of another vehicle being in that area? There are almost never any cars there! I don't know why I speculate so much over these things. I feel so bad after having accidents and near-misses. Sheesh, I'm getting the heebie-jeebies just thinking about it. The one thing that I think people really need when they get into sticky situations, is to be just told that it's all okay or it's all good in the hood, y'know? B told me it was okay what had happened and that just made it so much easier to get through the muck. 'Cause I'm like thinking that this kind of stuff doesn't happen to everyone, and WHY ME? kinds of thoughts. And letting me know that it happens to everyone and it happens a lot, so I shouldn't come down so hard on myself made it easier to live with myself. So, thanks B.

So where's the irony you ask?
Here is the irony: In the evening, when my dad was dropping me, a bus was changing lanes and came into the lane we were in. I called out to my dad to warn him. After we had passed, he said, "Did you see that? This is the stuff that happens on roads. You need to look to your left, to your right, you need to look everywhere and you need to be vigilant! Only experience can teach you these things." And about two hours later, experience found me. And THAT is where the irony is. He was just telling me about how to be alert and how to be careful on the roads, and then I disobeyed those golden rules and almost got a fine! It was so ironic that he was talking about it to me and it happened just a few hours later! Moreover, just yesterday, I wrote an entry about driving and related troubles. HOW IRONIC IS THAT?! I told my folks about what had happened. I was so frightened of telling them at first. (I really am a scaredy-pants, aren't I?) I prayed to Krishna that my dad wouldn't be angry with me or think that I am irresponsible, especially since it is someone else's car. And he was so chilled out when I told him. My mum and dad and grandma were laughing over it and they told me that I should never be afraid of these kinds of things and I should "brave the storm". Wonder when that's going to happen... We're just grateful no one got hurt. Thank God. But it was a close call, huh? Quite literally, seeing as how the bike was so close to the car. I'm just so thankful no one gave me a hard time about it. I wouldn't be able to live it down, honestly. I'm just like that. Sad, I know. Kinda wish I wasn't like that. Anyhow, I'm just so grateful.

There is also great irony in the fact that I almost had an accident with a POLICEMAN!

Hare Krishna.