Watch: Traffic is not the only hurdle women drivers in India (make that Delhi) have to face
How do you prevent collisions with casual sexism and stereotyping?
Being a woman driver in India anywhere in India is bad enough. In Delhi, it’s a special kind of bad. For women drivers in the capital not only have to contend with heavy traffic, rash driving, bad roads and jaywalkers – humans and animals – like other drivers, they also have to face their casual sexism, mansplaining and a whole lot of stereotyping.
The YouTube channel Old Delhi Films tries to make it all a little lighthearted in its comedy sketch (above) Life of a Woman Driver on Delhi roads.
The biggest problem (surprise surprise) appears to be the male ego and its godchild, mansplaining. Women obviously can’t be expected to know a thing about driving and, as the “fairer” or “gentler” sex, need to be taught the art by men.
When women are the receiving end, even road rage changes its form to become a disguised mixture of sexism and stereotyping. Fortunately, there’s no reference anywhere to the myth of backseat driving.
