Mid-year 2019 I got my driving license 💃🏿.I was so happy yaani. Since I started schooling I’ve skived so many lessons but not as much as I did while taking my driving classes. A course I was supposed to complete in less than a month,took me close to 4 months😂. Anyway si bora uhai!!! So in this post I want to share some of the lessons I’ve picked in those few months as a driver on Kenyan roads. These are road experiences that have turned out to be life hacks for me. I hope they will be for you as well 😃. Enjoy the read!!!

1.STAY FOCUSED

While driving, you can’t afford to stare at the road side and savor the amazing scenery that our land 🇰🇪 has to offer. This is actually one thing I HATE about driving. Well, I know there are some crazy drivers who are so good at multitasking but even them, they might end up slowing or getting off the road.

Equally so, we need to stay focused on the goals we’ve set for ourselves. We cannot afford to let go of our goals. I bet you’ve heard the saying If you don’t sacrifice for your goal, your goal becomes the sacrifice.

2.CONFIDENCE

Confidence ni critico sana while driving. I know a couple of people who haven’t gone to driving school simply because they don’t have the confidence to be behind the wheel. The other day I was told of an owner of a Land cruiser that had to turn back because he was not ready to drive through a murram road that was a bit impassable due to the heavy downpour. The irony of it is that a couple of drivers in smaller and less stronger cars easily passed through that part of the road🤔.

And life requires us to be confident. You want that job??? Sis hand in your documents. DO NOT be intimidated by the qualifications they might be asking for. You want to start a business??? Bro START NOW!!! Don’t be unsure of your ability. Well we are not always guaranteed of winning at whatever we put our hands into doing. However, the confidence to do it anyway and actually doing it will open up very many learning opportunities for you😊.

3.DISTRACTORS

Nduthi guys are the worst distractors I’ve come across while on the road. As the good driver I am😁, I’ll make sure I’ve checked the road before making any turn. But oh no! A nduthi guy will show up from nowhere and force you to come to a sudden halt. What’s worse is that they’ll just continue with their ride as if nothing happened🙄. Actually while I’m driving I’m more cautious of the bodaboda riders than I am of other drivers. There are amazing riders out here tho’ and I salute them.

We get very many distractions especially when we are almost getting to where we want to. But is giving up an option??? Certainly not!!! It is good to take note of what distracts you or what is likely to distract you and try to avoid them as much as you can. Well, there are distractions that are not foreseen. So incase you come across them, stop for a lirro while, go back to the drawing board and change a few of your tactics then get back on the road.

4.COMMENTORS

Chill. Is this even an English word???😂I’m sure my English teachers will be very ashamed of me if they read this. But oh well I couldn’t find a better word😏. Haya hebu we get back to the topic of the day.

I’ve especially seen this with more experienced drivers than myself. I know they usually comment on my driving with no malice at all. Lakini I don’t like how most of them make the comments.

“Wee si uspeed si hakuna gari mbele…”

“Aaah acha kuendea hapo…”

“Mbona umesimama sasa…”

“Wewe sasa ukiendesha hivi si tutalala kwa barabara…”

And so many more🤣.

Mind you, while they are making these comments at times they are not seeing the road more clearly than I am sababu wako huko kwa boot🚮.

These commenters are the worst yet the best people you can have as friends. They will see fault in everything you do and will not hesitate in telling you. You will most definitely not like the tone they’ll use while correcting you because they can be very demoralising. Lakini si must uwasikilize!!! I’ve grown to understand that you cannot take every one’s opinion. Allow them all to talk but only filter what you think is good for you and throw the rest to the winds.

5.USICATCH

Ideally, while driving at night or on those dull days I am expected to dim my headlights when I see an oncoming vehicle. The other driver is expected to dim theirs too. You remember I’d mentioned crazy drivers earlier☝🏿yeah??? Hawa hawatambui kudim lights. Why should they dim them after all 😏??? This used to anger me because some headlights are so bright that you can’t see anything at all;those white ones especially. I realized I’m only hurting myself by getting angry while at the same time my eyes are straining already. Now I simply dim mine and slow down when it is clear the oncoming driver IS ON A MISSION TO BLIND ME.This will be a matter of seconds na tunapitana never to meet again. So simple.

So yeah there are very many irritating people in the world especially because we all have different personalities. If you decide to get angry for each time they cross your path you’ll die a bit too early. Just do what you are supposed to do and move on with a smile on your face.

6.STICK TO YOUR LANE

You know the chaos that comes up when a driver chooses to use a lane he’s not supposed to. An accident might or might not occur.

Vivyo hivyo (I hope you noticed my refined Swahili😎) if you choose to meddle in other people’s affairs you will more often than not cause accidents. The only difference is that these accidents will be more of emotional than physical; talk of broken friendships, lost jobs, failed marriages and so much more that I just can’t think of now.

All in all driving has turned out to be among the most amazing experiences I’ve had🤗.

On a not-so-totally unrelated note, I am not a car fanatic🤣. You know I’ll sit with friends who’ll have a 1-hour discussion on the latest car models. They’ll even go ahead to quote these models’ specifics and I’m left wondering “ok hizi ni gani sasa.”

LIFE UPDATE

I finally bought lunch for a friend(check my October post to get where I’m coming from😌)

~Bible Vibes~

I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.
Luke 10:19