SHILLONG, JAN 28: He is no ordinary taxi driver; but Hubert Lyngdoh might look just like one of those cabbies who ferries you across the city and beyond daily unless you are sitting in the front seat and watch him drive. If you notice the difference between him and other cabbies chances are that your heart will skip several beats and you will begin to wonder if you are safe travelling in his cab.
Lyngdoh might be the first cabbie to be driving with only one hand as his left hand is but a stump and extends till the elbow. Yes for those of you who think driving around in his local cab is risky, Lyngdoh sets the record straight as he proudly claims, “Ever since I started driving vehicle, I don’t have a single police record.”
If what Lyngdoh said assures you, you might just get little curious and strike a conversation otherwise you may anxiously wait to board off his cab with lighting speed as you reach your destination.
This reporter, however, never for a moment felt unsafe as he watched Lyngdoh negotiating turns with his right hand and shifting gears, with what could be described as a stump, with an expertise of experience driver. On a closer look, he actually looked quite dignified, unlike most of the cabbies, and came across as a great talker.
A resident of Laban and father of four kids, Lyngdoh said that he got his driving license in 1990 from Shillong District Transport Office (DTO) and ever since have been driving. Talking about his left hand, he nonchalantly informs that he was born with his arms that extended till his elbow. Believe it or not he also has tiny fingers at the edge of his elbow.
Lyngdoh says that fellow cabbies look at him with surprise and amusement sometimes but they have never underrated him as a driver. He says that he has no problem driving long distance too as he had driven all the way from Kolkata to Shillong and also had to drive to and fro from Shillong to Guwahati and vice versa for two months continuously for the treatment of his father.
This reporter does not feel the need to call him either differently- abled or disabled as he seems to be driving and carrying on with the business of life with an élan that eludes many of us. – by Tilak Rai
Perhaps, it would be nice to know how did he procure the driving license. Eventually, one has to go through many procedures as per driving laws to get verified for obtaining the permit. Is there also a special driving license for the disabled drivers perhaps?
In the story it has been clearly mentioned that he said he got the licence from the DTO office after passing all the tests.
The first thought I had was. “How did he ever get a driver’s licence” ?
It’s a great story and full respects to him but it also shows that in India we can easily flaunt safety rules.
He passed the driving test like any other drivers and got his licence… so no question of his flaunting rules…
Well, the driving test must have been conducted differently for him, as much as to say. The report wasn’t clear enough. Nevertheless, I am proud of bah Hubert Lyngdoh.
The driving test are same to all.. whether they have disability or normal. He went through the same driving test grind like others.. so let us salute him…….
Well done..!! Keep it up, All the best to Bah Hubert Lyngdoh ….