Pankhuri Aggarwal
One of the major activities which is undertaken by women now -a- days is driving. Driving is nothing new or exclusive but the word women when joined with driving itself makes the matter distinctive, it’s like soft female voice in a loud crowd. The status of women in India has been subject to many great changes over the past few millenniums. However, women in India generally are still exposed to numerous social issues. According to a global study conducted by Thomson, India is the “fourth most dangerous country” in the world for women.
Earlier women were just passengers in cars driven by men. And the women, who had courage to move around driving themselves, were very scared of the potholes on the road. Although even now the condition of road is the same but women today are so that now they are not petrified of anything that comes their way. For women now men are just meant for widening their eyes open. Many times, it has been noticed that men tend to have ego clashes with their fellow men friends while driving but women without any such clashes have made driving a style statement for them.
Mridula Saraf, a senior citizen in her late 70’s said, “Jammu city has come a long way now. In my times I never saw a girl or a women driving. I started driving in 1997; it was a sense of autonomy for me. Although my in-laws were not happy with my act but still my learning this delightful skill has paid me now. I am not hooked on to my sons or my daughter-in-laws or my grandchildren to take me to places of my choice. She further added, “My driving makes me feel loftier in my friend circle. Even people who know me feel as if I’m a PhD scholar or something.
Driving has actually added to my prestige”. The Transport Department statistics show that the number of non-professional driving licenses issued to women has doubled since 2009. However, in absolute numbers, the percentage of women drivers remains low. In 2010, around 7 percent of the total 6.9 lakh of the licenses were issued to women. In 2011, 14 percent of the total 8 lakh licenses issued that year went to women. Rajiv Gupta, a market consultor of vehicles said, “Revolution is noticeable in every sector. I see more women riding scooty and cars now-a-days. Hence the attitude of people is changing. However, if I personally compare Delhi or Mumbai to that with more Jammu, the metropolitan cities are far advanced with women driving than women in Jammu today. Even the motorcycle manufactures are experimenting to make vehicles more compatible for women as far as light weight, and comfortable seating is concerned. Driving school instructors have different perceptions of women having poor as well as good motor skills.
“A good number of women have started driving. Though they are predominantly young girls in the age group of 18-20 years, women of all ages, including between 55 and 60 years, also come to us for learning driving. Women are more meticulous students and are interested in learning traffic rules carefully. They are perhaps more hesitant and cautious but that is better than rash driving,” said Ravinder Khajuria, senior driving instructor. On asking, another driving instructor who is in this field for the last eight years, Ramesh Gupta said, “As far as my understanding is concerned, women are safer and much better drivers than men but men learn driving much faster than women and that may be the reason why men are concerned as the best drivers”. A 20 year old girl, Deepti Sharma said, “I was given by my parents a scooty when I was in college in third year.
For me, it was a source of self-esteem. It was a sense of superiority for me as now I was no more dependent on the public transport”. She further added, “I never found any problem in driving the vehicle but the men of never grow up.
They don’t chase girls but their driving attitude actually make women feel inferior”. Most of women are homemakers with little or restricted access to affluence. Some of them are college students, some are grandmothers, yet what is common in them is their steep craving to learn driving. Women today perform beyond their customary roles. They have become a chief part of the society. Even the automobile companies have played a very big role in uplifting women. One of the main reasons why women or girls go for driving is that the cars are designed keeping women in mind.
Cars are not bulky and difficult to drive. The success behind women is their mobilization and that too due to driving. Narvesh Yadav, a traffic police officer said, “The number of women driving in Jammu is hardly even a fraction. My impression of women driving is that they are much safe drivers than men. The traffic lights have just been installed in the city and according to my observation women follow more traffic rules than the men do”.
He further added, “If the accidents cases are concerned, it’s not that that women are not involved but the fact is that men are more prone to accidents due to their rash driving and rude behavior on road”. Bhoomika Heer, a mother said, “When I didn’t know driving, I used to keep on rescheduling my decision regarding various issues of daily needs and was entirely at the mercy of my husband. But now I am completely liberated, I know how to drive. Even my husband feels relaxed that no longer I bother him for small things any more. He fully supports me”.
She further added, “My biggest encouragement was when I used to see other women driving. It drove out in me the passion of driving and a feel of individuality”. Aanchal Mehra, a student said, “When I drive in Jammu, it seems as if I am doing a disco in a muddled rhythmic style. The more I rave, the more seamless I become in my moves. It’s not that problematic till you remain bold on the road.
The traffic is increasing immensely each and every day and the mantra of good driving is just to remain calm, composed and follow the traffic rules”. It is no longer that people are flabbergasted to see women and girls driving their own cars and two-wheelers. But it is still a jolt for women drivers to see male chasing them and at times men deliberately honk to irritate them. But still the transformation is very noteworthy. For them now, learning to drive is like learning to swim or ride a bicycle, the only thing required is to get over the initial reluctance and that shall make them feel powerful and dominant.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
