I remember I had tried hard to get International Driving License in Delhi, but realized belatedly one does not need this license. Indian licenses are accepted well at all car rental agencies. I have worked in USA at number of different times. Once in early 1997 I had a long term assignment of 4 months in Manhattan and I used to commute from Edison (New Jersey) via local trains. This train station was good 20+ mts walk from my apartment complex and in winter this walk becomes a pain. It is just too cold. There was absolutely no parking available at train stations as all the parking slots get occupied even in the early morning hours. My apartment was in set of these 7 – 8 main buildings whereas the nearest apartment complex was around 10 mts from the station and I was in the farthest. There was this office building near the station and a number of times, I parked my vehicle there and made to the station in 5 – 8 minutes. Then seeing some company patrol car moving in the parking area, I knew if someone complains, I can be asked questions. I got the message and stopped this after 4 – 5 successful parking trips. Later I started parking my vehicle in that residential building parking area which was nearest to the station and for a couple of weeks it was all normal and it emboldened me as I became regular and suddenly one day, I got a shock as I returned in the evening found my vehicle was not there. I learnt from the apartment office that it had been towed away (presumably someone complained). Now it was also news to me that these towed vehicles need to pay fine by hour, implying the more you delay in collecting your vehicle, heftier fine you need to pay. I called this collection agency and learnt my vehicle is there and they quoted 3 digits figure for the fine, only if I collect it before 7 pm; otherwise it would double next day and they did not accept cheques. Frantically, asking them to wait, I hired a cab, withdrew money from the ATM on the way and went to this place 25 miles away. This cab itself cost me more than $75/- . Paying the fine of around $ 135/- I returned and knew what does it mean by wrong parking.

American system is capitalist and the way they have structured it to indicate the capital is important and one needs to pay the required money to get a service. So fines etc. are common and stiff, sort of big deterrent and hence people obey. If people get used to free or token fee based service (the way it is in India, free power, rice at Rs 2/Kg, government taking ownership for giving the employment, fines in courts, government fees, education fees, traffic fines ….) one can’t get the required efficiency from the system. People become lazy and take government for a ride. They misuse the system. I paid the fine and remember for future not to park the vehicle in No Parking zone.

The story does not end here. I had got a driving license, speeding ticket and had my vehicle towed away and one main experience was left what happens if one is involved in an accident. They call it wreck. So to the wreck now...

While driving, I was told to keep safe distance from vehicle which is in front of you, because if this guy applies sudden break, and if your vehicle hits this vehicle (no fault of yours, still) you would be asked to pay the fine as you had not maintained the required distance. Also all sorts of roads have all sorts of speed limits. One day I was waiting near the slip road to come to main road. It was drizzling and road was a bit slippery. As I about to move forward, someone hit my car from the rear. One is required to stop in case of hit and I immediately stopped. The way system works both the drivers come out inspect and in case of damage/dispute police is called who arbitrate. Both the parties exchange their insurance details and phone numbers for further follow up. In my case as the speed was slow, and this vehicle had hit me from the rear, it was his fault and I found this man was apologizing profusely and as there was nothing, I waved him off. Later a month later, in one of the traffic jams, my car touched the front vehicle and I had to stop. This woman in front car seeing the boot section of her car as this time I was apologizing continuously, seeing no damage waved me off, and it was a relief; but one day waiting to take a left at ‘Delayed Green’ signal (It means one can take left only after giving the first right of way to the vehicle coming from opposite direction and the pressure builds up as if your reflexes are not quick enough, you won’t be able to take left turn and folks waiting behind you may honk. – Honking is considered a mild insult or sort of swearing over there). I moved forward, but had to stop suddenly as I saw a car coming from opposite direction. I stopped, but by this time this SUV behind me hit me hard in the rear. Both of us were shocked as we got down. This woman (and her companion) was blaming her high heels as she claimed it just slipped. As I had been hit in the rear, it was their fault and I said we should call police. They said why bother as they gave their contact number and insurance company details. The rear portion of the vehicle had caved in and muffler had come out. I was a bit disoriented. Anyway, I returned and as it was company car, next day reported the incident to concerned manager. He said not to worry and then this system took over. We were given an address (Ford Dealer) where we could take this vehicle in the evening for estimation and repair. I took one of my colleagues with me in another car as we needed to leave the vehicle there. I was told some money ($300/- or so) for the repairs but they said I could collect it after a week and I did not have to pay anything as it was all part of insurance. On top of that, they gave me a rental car company address nearby, where I could collect another car (for a week) free as part of this insurance and service. I was just amazed. I had seen when you drop your vehicle for a service, they provide you free drop (at your destination) but giving another car in lieu of till my car does not get serviced was just mind boggling. Anyway, with my friend we went to this place, collected my car and I was on the road again.

Distances are long and places spread out, owning a car is a necessity there. One just can’t do anything if one does not have a car. No doubt Americans need so much oil. Selling more than 10 millions vehicles in a year is not a small thing and auto industry is one of the prime factors which makes USA a strongest and biggest economy in the world.