10/Oct/2009.I did some journey in a Volvo 'Shivneri' bus. At the end of the travel, the driver got off the bus but there are still a few of us sitting in the bus. I see Bhushan sitting around the driver’s seat, while the rest of us are further behind. We are talking about something, when suddenly, the bus starts to move. It is moving slowly and Bhushan is trying to control the control the steering, trying to stop the bus, trying not to panic. But the bus does not stop – it continues to move slowly but surely. I go to the driver’s place to see why the bus is not stopping and I see that the hand brake is not engaged. So I engage this brake, but the bus still does not stop. Notice that the ignition is turned off and there is no key in the bus. I now take control of this slow moving bus – it is extremely maneuverable. I take it through some narrow roads and at one point, I am asking the others whether I should try and stop the bus by rubbing the left side against some structures. Anyway, I decide against that – I have a feeling that I may be asked to pay for the damages to the bus.

The narrow road is ending and a left or right turn will take us to the main road. Thankfully, there is a bunch of big stones (say 6 inches in diameter) – and take the bus over those. This slows down the speed, but we still hit the main road and I take a right turn. A few meters on, the bus comes to a complete halt. Phew! There is another truck standing next to the bus. I ask that driver whether he knows how to fix the failed brakes. He says he does not and points out to a man in the shop next to the bus – he says this man is a Volvo driver. Phew phew! We call the man and he takes the driver’s seat. He says that we need to put some water in the radiator – that will fix the problem. Then he opens the radiator (it’s a complex mechanism that would take me a 1000 words to describe, or 1 picture, but I am not good at drawing), and puts some water into it. In the meantime, the bus has started to move again – in the reverse. There is quite some distance between the bus and a car that is parked by the side of the road – and we are hoping that the brake problem is fixed soon! Finally, it is and bus starts to move forward, with the Volvo driver at the helm and the bus under his control.
And then there was day break...