13 Intense Struggles You Go Through When You Don’t Have A Car In Pakistan

This post about not having a car in Pakistan was a conversational listicle that was sponsored content made for Uber. This was made at the time when Uber was a new entrant in the Pakistani market.

A car is such a necessity these days, whether it’s to go all the way from Gulberg to Bahria Town’s Eiffel Tower replica or just a short trip to the market. In this garmi these days, you just can’t do it without a car. But then some of you are chained to schedules and availability if you don’t have a car of your own, not to mention the concern for safety in rickshaws and public buses.

Here are some of the struggles anyone who doesn’t have a car of their own, can definitely relate to:

1. When you don’t have a car in Pakistan, you’re always delaying your plans

You don’t have wheels at your disposal to drive to every plan you make with friends so you always have to be making, remaking, delaying and further delaying plans until that one time when the car is miraculously available.

2. Always being late to class/work is the norm for you if you don’t have a car in Pakistan

Your class is at 9 am but your dad’s work is at 9 am too. Your mom has to make breakfast for both of you, clothes have to be ironed for everyone and then the damn water supply decides to send water to only one of the bathrooms. Only if you had your own car, you could’ve just driven over to a friend’s and gotten ready there.

3. Making friends with people in college who have cars so you never have to worry about transport anymore

You always make sure to make friends with at least one person with a car because you don’t want to end up having to wait for rickshaws or ask for lifts from people in your college.

4. When you don’t have a car in Pakistan, you’re always feeling like you’re a burden on your friends for asking them for rides

Even if your friends insist that it’s alright, if you’re always asking them for rides you do end up feeling a little guilty all the time for having them make an extra stop to pick you up or drop you off at places.

That’s where your smartphone comes in handy. Just call an Uber with a click of a button and you’re good to go.

5. You find yourself wandering aimlessly in public places looking for a rickshaw when you don’t have a car in Pakistan

There’s the taptee dhoop, the sweating and the dust. And don’t even get us talking about the lewd eyes if you’re a female. No, a burqa doesn’t help either.

6. You have waited at places you didn’t want to for much, MUCH longer than you wanted because you were waiting for your ride

You have had countless fights with your parents or siblings over having to wait at the doctor’s office, at school after everyone has left or at the market with all the shopping bags in your hand.

7. Not having a car in Pakistan means having to make plans around your family’s schedules

If you want to have a dinner plan with friends you have to make sure it coincides with your brother’s plans. As soon as he is done with awaragardi with his friends he’ll come pick you up and constantly text and phone you to remind you he’s waiting, doesn’t matter if your food has just arrived.

8. You have to go to places you don’t want to because the car’s not yours so the marzi is not yours either

You make trips all the way to Anarkali to go for Ami‘s shopping even if all you wanted to do was go from Cavalry Ground to M.M. Alam road.

9. The struggle of wanting to dictate routes is absolutely real when you’re riding with someone who drives as well as you do

… but it’s their car so you have to shut the eff up and pray they don’t crash and kill you.

10. You have gotten in fights with rickshaw walas trying to choona-fy you one too many times

These rickshaw uncles think you’re stupid and loaded with money and don’t know that a trip you’ve always paid 200 for will not suddenly take 350 rupees even though he took the short cut that takes much less time and much less fuel.

11. You have fought with your siblings one too many times because they wouldn’t drive you where you wanted to go, or share their car with you

12. You have tried driving a motorcycle, even a cycle but you’ve sworn off them in this Pakistani weather

Garmi ho toh insaan fry ho jata hai, sardi ho toh freeze. Pakistan, Y U No do weather in the middle?

13. You have horror stories of being stuffed in all the wrong places in cars because everyone has just one transport

You’ve come face to face with sweaty, smelly crevices of friends that you never wanted to ever. But you’ve come closer to friends in ways you didn’t expect.

It’s for times like these where an Uber might be a more safe and reliable option (with the added luxury of course).

This post was originally published here.