Driving For Dummies

I remember getting my license four years ago was very easy in Pakistan, in contrast to international standards. Where would-be drivers have had to pass theory and driving tests, my instructor and I had to fight the queue to submit the application first for an International driver’s license. That was it really. You beat the crowd, and you are sorted.

I had my first crash a month after I received the actual card, with my name and photo; nothing came out of it though, as the other party and myself both had car insurance.

But there are several everyday cases in Lahore where road accidents are caused by underage driving, or illegal driving even, often resulting in fatalities.

Exactly why do fourteen-year-olds need to be behind the wheel, goes beyond the realms of my mind; only yesterday my sister nearly banged her car into one being driven by a minor who could barely reach up to the steering wheel.

Where is the common sense in that?

If these children ever get stopped by the traffic police, all they need to do to get away, is slip him a fiver (well, so to speak). Give him the red Quaid-e-Azams, as they formally refer to it.

But doesn’t that defy the purpose of having people controlling traffic? If I am not mistaken, aren’t these wardens in charge of ensuring the smooth run of traffic across junctions and highways, by sniffing out miscreants who fail to abide the traffic regulations (I know, right, they actually have regulations – wow!)?

Honestly speaking, with donkey-carts, rickshaws, bicycles and motorcyclists that move about as they please, controlling traffic is no walk in the park.

I mean, how do you teach a donkey to stop at a red traffic light?

I begin to wonder, perhaps this police isn’t in charge of the traffic (even if they are, they don’t do a very good job), and have been put in place to extort more money out of the nation that already is knee-deep in taxes and bills. This to be happening despite the government's announcement of raising wages.

In a country where getting to drive a car is as easy as one-two-three, and bribing the traffic wardens even easier, if one was to spark a revolution…where does he begin?