go go-karting

fell in love with speed after a ride back home on a friend's bike a year ago. Since then I've just been crazy about machines which define speed on the world circuit.

Porsche, Ferrari, Lamborghini, BMW, Peugeot, Subaru, Renault, VW..... and the list goes on! They cost a fortune, they look sexy, but I love them most, because they define speed, power; they breathe life into a chassis which is nothing more than metal pummeled with bigger machines in a series production plant.

War of machines is not just a legend in movies, but its reality. I never appreciated it until today, until I went go-karting! The ride to the go-karting grounds was in itself an amazing experience. Jaani touched almost 100kmph. And I was just starting to have fun. We decided on 6 laps first. I stepped into the car and pulled it onto the track..3....2.....1...go!

The first lap was a lesson learnt. I realised that the cars are not ment to be driven on real roads. The steering wheel was unusually difficult to turn and it would not steer over 70 degrees on either side. When I took on my first curve, I noticed that I don't have to brake to make it right, but just pull down the acceleration. I learnt when to accelerate and when not to so that I stick to the track. I lost a lot of speed while taking curves. I pushed the accelerator harder during the 2nd lap. Then, the wheels started turning faster, the air started hitting my face even harder and the machine started vibrating! I could feel the centrifugal force pushing me out and I did get scared that the car might topple. But more the curves I took, the more I realised that it was in any way going to happen. These cars don't TOPPLE.

The other laps were all about speed. I enjoyed when the tyres screeched as I braked them while taking a turn, the engine roared to output more power when I pressed the peddle harder, the control I accessed when I took a turn, the way I would swing on either side on encountering a curve, the vibrations and the guard showing me the number of laps remaining. But I wanted more. And I did get more. 6 more laps! and this time, I was determined to make it as better as possible, i.e., USE FULL THROTTLE. And I did! Well! even if it was only on the last lap. When I got down, I could just recollect how happy I was going go-karting.

I learnt that the fun was not just in how much I was accelerating, but the control I accessed while taking the turns. Karting is a minute version of what we popularly know as F1. Cars here rip at an average of 300kmph! And when they do, they burn the road...

A friend of mine was amazed at how I could can fall in love with an inanimate object! But to me these machines talk power, control and the best of technology. It not about the car, its about electronics and design!