- Image by joiseyshowaavia Flickr
It may be strange to see this post on a car enthusiasts blog where you would expect to see me post only about driving and cars . Sorry to surprise you in this way but I think sometimes it is wiser to leave your own vehicle at home and look at alternatives in the following 10 scenarios (relevant to any city in India):
- Political processions/protests/meetings/bandhs are planned for the day (You may be better off taking a two wheeler if you have to travel.)
- There is civic unrest and riots/fighting on the roads(staying home is the best option)
- There is heavy rain & flooding on the roads(if it is really bad you may want to stay home as buses may stop plying and rail tracks maybe under water- you can forget going to work)
- Roads are severely damaged after rains/floods/riots
- Massive roadwork is being done such as conversion of a regular road into an expressway
- Image by Pandiyan via Flickr
- You are unwell or are recovering from an accident or illness and cannot take the strain of driving.
- You have very regular work timings and alternatives(cheaper and greener like the company bus/suburban trains/car pools) are available
- Your vehicle is not reliable because it is an older model & has problems needing repairs. (Get it fixed quick.)
- You are under a lot of stress and tension due to either a birth/ death /illness/ marriage/fight with spouse or event prep/work/business reason.
- You haven’t had sufficient sleep(less than 2 hours of sleep) the night before.
What are the alternatives ? Take public transport or take a cab with a driver if you absolutely must travel. Keep your “precious” car safe at home. You may need to spend more on that one days travel but you have the peace of mind of not damaging your car or exherting undue strain on yourself by driving in such conditions.
Related: Was just about to publish this when I saw another good post show up in my Google Reader on Driving With the Right Attitude on the Indian Autos Blog as part of their weekly advice column. Do check it out.
For a perspective on what all can happen when you leave your car at home check out: Is your car safe – even at home ?
A question for readers of Zimbly Cars: Do you agree with this post or do you have other thoughts ? Please do let me know through comments.
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Ofcourse by leaving our car at home we can keep in it intact, stay away from unavoidable scratches and dents.”If you leave your car at home, you are nearer to your destination by your car’s length” this message is from Mumbai Police to promote car pooling.
good one. I think you made some very valid points there 🙂
Nice tips there Sushil. However the comfort of a car is unbeatable. You can relieve your stress by driving it. I know sounds very silly but don’t you feel better when you have the accelerator below your foot? Next up, you can keep your stuff with ease so you won’t have to be carrying out stuff if you are shopping.
However the negatives far outweigh the positives. You have written all the points and I would like to add parking problems to the list.
Nice article. I liked it. 🙂
Thanks IAB & ICB. I love driving dont get me wrong – its just that in certain conditions it just makes sense to leave the car at home. Parking like ICB mentioned is another factor. In Chennai I avoid going to certain locations by car – I either go to an alternate place or walk/take an auto. Of course when there is heavy shopping the car is required.
Thanks Carazoo.
Hi Ronak. Welcome to Zimbly cars & thanks for the comment. Sometimes the two wheeler is required as you mentioned. Or good old two legs 🙂
Ha ha ha, nice article. Do you know that even National Highway’s in India are badly Damaged.!! I bet keeping car home is the best option you can even think off. perhaps one reason why i hate driving is because of small roads and heavy traffic.
Two wheeler saves my day!!
Very good tips for the car users in Indian cities. If you happen to drive in Kochi City in Kerala, you may think of leaving the car in its ‘show rooms’!
Hi Menon and thanks for visiting. Is Kochi that bad ? 🙂
there’s so much traffic in that picture. I Would say buy a motorcycle but even that congestion looks hard to get through on a motorcycle.