Learning to ride a scooty for independence

 My First Scooty Ride

I never thought I would ride a scooty one day. When my kids grew up, they faced problems getting to coaching and activity centers by rickshaw and cab. Sometimes they waited for their father to come early from the office and drop them off. It wasn’t feasible for him to do this daily. So, I decided to buy a scooty.

In April 2024, I began training with an experienced lady who knew the ins and outs of riding a scooty. In just 40 minutes, she gave me valuable knowledge on how to take turns, stop slowly, and other minor details. After 15 days, I started riding my scooty, though I was still learning to balance properly. My formal training ended in 2-3 days, but I wanted to practice more.

I spoke to my husband and expressed my desire to purchase a scooty for daily practice in the evenings. The next day, we went to a Yamaha showroom and bought a new model Scooty Fascino. I was very happy and excited. We returned home, showed it to the family, and then visited the temple for a puja. My husband supported me greatly, and every morning at 5 AM, we went for rides to perfect my skills. Without his support and motivation, I couldn’t have learned to ride the scooty.

After a month, I began riding alone on the road. On May 17th, during one of our rides, my husband encouraged me to practice while he went for a walk. Without my mobile phone, I faced a major accident. A slow-moving coconut cart was on the right side, and I was at medium speed with many cars and bikes around. Trying to turn right, I collided with the cart. Thankfully, neither the cart owner nor I got injured, but my scooty’s front body, headlight, and left side were damaged. I started crying upon seeing the damage.

A kind man reassured me that it could be repaired. When the road cleared, I took a U-turn and waited for my husband. Seeing the damage, he scolded me, worried it looked like a major accident. He calmed me down, promised to send the scooty for repairs, and drove us home. I will never forget this accident.

Ten days later, my scooty returned with a new front and side body. I resumed practicing because “darr ke aage jeet hai” (beyond fear lies victory). I couldn’t give up because I was doing this for my kids. Now, I feel independent and free like a bird. I go everywhere with my scooty and am satisfied and happy with my scooty journey.

My life has become much easier and more independent. I no longer have to wait for others to be available to go places.