Women behind the wheels

It's a common stereotype that women are bad drivers. We often hear phrases like "Whenever there is a car ahead of you, going slowly, it's a woman", "Whenever there is a car parked wrongly, it's a woman", "Whenever the car in front of you is not responding to your flashing headlights, it's a woman", "Whenever a car goes right with a left indicator on, it's a woman".

But as someone who learned how to drive at a young age, I know that this stereotype is not true. When I was in 7th grade, I knew how to drive a gearless scooter, and all I wanted to learn was how to ride a geared bike. But a family friend told me that "bikes are for boys and scooters are for girls". Those words were discouraging, but my father told me that I could do anything I wanted to do if I was confident in myself.

I believe that we should trust and encourage women to drive and not make fun of them. If a woman is a bad driver, correct her, don't laugh at her. Give her a chance to improve. Men are often more confident drivers, but that doesn't mean that women can't be good drivers too.

As a woman driver, my request to all men is to not let your ego be hurt when a female driver overtakes your car or bike. Encourage women to drive more and more so that they become better drivers. Be patient and don't drive aggressively when you are stressed out.

To all the ladies out there, my advice is to be confident and understand traffic rules. In India, it's important to be aware of the different types of vehicles on the road, and to be alert at all times. Get familiar with your car and be comfortable with it. Avoid distractions and indulging in deep conversations while driving. Be a defensive driver and don't let your mood swings influence the way you drive. Happy and safe driving!