← Continued from Page 1 of "Blind Driver Speed Record - Christmas Tale"The Man
It's obvious that you just can't jump in a car and drive it towards its top speed without being able to see a thing if you're not driven by something far more powerful yourself. Thus, I interviewed Florin in order to see what fuel drives a strong character.
Like I've said before, Florin is so friendly and open-minded that chats with him felt like meeting and old friend for some time out. We sat down in the airport waiting room and I found out how it all started.
Andrei: How did you start your relationship with cars?
Florin: I spent my first moments behind the wheel when I was very little (he smiles). My father use to put me on his lap and let me handle the steering wheel. Then, when I was about seven or eight, I would do anything to get a shotgun ride in a car.
A: So, have you has any chance to really get to know how to drive when you were a teenager?
F: No, not really. You see, I lost my eyesight when I was fourteen and then all I could do was drive poor cars on country roads.
A: Well, then, how did it start? You impressed me out there today, but where did it all begin?
F: Late last year, Alex came to visit me and he asked me if I wanted to drive his car [a 51 hp Daewoo Matiz] a bit. Then we started practicing on closed courses. We moved on to a Citroen C5, but I never got to feel smooth asphalt under my wheels to this day, as we can only drive in car parks and deserted, non-public roads.
A: So for how long did you train? - you seemed very confident in that BMW today?
F: You won't believe me- I've only spent 7 or 8 hours behind the wheel since I really learned to driver at the beginning of the current year.
A: But how did you get from that to setting a new speed record for our country and making preparation for beating the world one?
F: I have an association called "Tandem" and I figured this is a good way to promote it. I'm currently looking for support for multiple projects, such as introducing a tandem bicycle rental center.
A: Tell me more about this.
F: It's simple, really. The idea is that when someone is challenged, and we talking about any disability here, both society and others like him decide that the only way to do something about this implies a segregation, where the challenged persons are set apart from the rest of the people. Thus, the world is split in two sides and people from each one are supposed to meet, make friends and live their entire life only on their side of the world, as if we weren't all human. I want o change this and de-institutionalize help for persons with disabilities - this is the only way that you can truly integrate someone who is challenged and do something for him.
A: That makes a lot of sense and I see you as the perfect example of this. You seem to be surrounded by friends wherever you go. Look at your relationship with me - we've just met a few days ago and now it's like we've known each other since we were little.
F: I've always been surrounded by a lot of friends and this is what helped me push myself forward. They've supported me whenever I needed this. How can you not feel good, when your friends trust you so much -let me give you an example. I was once with a friend, a girl, and during a trip to the mountains we reached a parking lot. She couldn't see very well while backing up and i made a joke by offering to help. I got my head out the window and started saying "go on, go on" and for a a second there, before she realized what was going on, she listened to me. We were heading for the edge of a canyon and we both had a big laugh after she stopped the car.
A: What's your next project?
F: I'm an active man, I like everything that makes you push your body to the limit and thus i love to ride tandem bikes with Alex. Next year, we want to set up a bicycle caravan and do a tour from Romania to the Olympics in London.
A: So, you say that you're doing this whole driving fast thing to promote your other projects, but it seems to me that you've started enjoying it more than you were expecting to.
F: (laughs) Yes, I have to admit I got a little bit carried away. I enjoy listening to powerful engines very much, it's like music to me and I think everybody feels this way. I've once driven a Jaguar - how can you not adore the way in which a big engine roars? I've also driven a tractor and I have to tell you it's fantastic!
A: What did you feel out there on the runway?
F: I can never truly enjoy speed, I only feel the noise and the vibrations - the engine is the only one telling me that I'm driving fast and I feel a million things about a car when listening to it. In fact, the only times when I really feel I'm going fast is when I step on the brakes and the car seems that it's never going to come to a halt (we both laugh).
A: Now that I know what your plans for 2012 are, tel me, what are you doing this Christmas?
F: I'm going to learn how to play a guitar, my friends have recently brought me one for Christmas.
Our cups of tea have gone through numerous refills by the time we left the airport and headed home and I just wanted to ask this man, who had impressed me so much though his power to push himself further in order to be able to help others, one more question, so I gave him a call while we were on the road.
A: Where do you get the strength to do all these things like riding a bike and driving and talking to so many people?
F: I have to do that, chap. Don't we all wish to have a purpose in life? You can't just sit around and let life go by. If you're going to live in a crystal bubble, forget it!
From now on, I'll think twice before saying "I can't"...
Like I've said before, Florin is so friendly and open-minded that chats with him felt like meeting and old friend for some time out. We sat down in the airport waiting room and I found out how it all started.
Andrei: How did you start your relationship with cars?
Florin: I spent my first moments behind the wheel when I was very little (he smiles). My father use to put me on his lap and let me handle the steering wheel. Then, when I was about seven or eight, I would do anything to get a shotgun ride in a car.
A: So, have you has any chance to really get to know how to drive when you were a teenager?
F: No, not really. You see, I lost my eyesight when I was fourteen and then all I could do was drive poor cars on country roads.
A: Well, then, how did it start? You impressed me out there today, but where did it all begin?
F: Late last year, Alex came to visit me and he asked me if I wanted to drive his car [a 51 hp Daewoo Matiz] a bit. Then we started practicing on closed courses. We moved on to a Citroen C5, but I never got to feel smooth asphalt under my wheels to this day, as we can only drive in car parks and deserted, non-public roads.
A: So for how long did you train? - you seemed very confident in that BMW today?
F: You won't believe me- I've only spent 7 or 8 hours behind the wheel since I really learned to driver at the beginning of the current year.
A: But how did you get from that to setting a new speed record for our country and making preparation for beating the world one?
F: I have an association called "Tandem" and I figured this is a good way to promote it. I'm currently looking for support for multiple projects, such as introducing a tandem bicycle rental center.
A: Tell me more about this.
F: It's simple, really. The idea is that when someone is challenged, and we talking about any disability here, both society and others like him decide that the only way to do something about this implies a segregation, where the challenged persons are set apart from the rest of the people. Thus, the world is split in two sides and people from each one are supposed to meet, make friends and live their entire life only on their side of the world, as if we weren't all human. I want o change this and de-institutionalize help for persons with disabilities - this is the only way that you can truly integrate someone who is challenged and do something for him.
A: That makes a lot of sense and I see you as the perfect example of this. You seem to be surrounded by friends wherever you go. Look at your relationship with me - we've just met a few days ago and now it's like we've known each other since we were little.
F: I've always been surrounded by a lot of friends and this is what helped me push myself forward. They've supported me whenever I needed this. How can you not feel good, when your friends trust you so much -let me give you an example. I was once with a friend, a girl, and during a trip to the mountains we reached a parking lot. She couldn't see very well while backing up and i made a joke by offering to help. I got my head out the window and started saying "go on, go on" and for a a second there, before she realized what was going on, she listened to me. We were heading for the edge of a canyon and we both had a big laugh after she stopped the car.
A: What's your next project?
F: I'm an active man, I like everything that makes you push your body to the limit and thus i love to ride tandem bikes with Alex. Next year, we want to set up a bicycle caravan and do a tour from Romania to the Olympics in London.
A: So, you say that you're doing this whole driving fast thing to promote your other projects, but it seems to me that you've started enjoying it more than you were expecting to.
F: (laughs) Yes, I have to admit I got a little bit carried away. I enjoy listening to powerful engines very much, it's like music to me and I think everybody feels this way. I've once driven a Jaguar - how can you not adore the way in which a big engine roars? I've also driven a tractor and I have to tell you it's fantastic!
A: What did you feel out there on the runway?
F: I can never truly enjoy speed, I only feel the noise and the vibrations - the engine is the only one telling me that I'm driving fast and I feel a million things about a car when listening to it. In fact, the only times when I really feel I'm going fast is when I step on the brakes and the car seems that it's never going to come to a halt (we both laugh).
A: Now that I know what your plans for 2012 are, tel me, what are you doing this Christmas?
F: I'm going to learn how to play a guitar, my friends have recently brought me one for Christmas.
Our cups of tea have gone through numerous refills by the time we left the airport and headed home and I just wanted to ask this man, who had impressed me so much though his power to push himself further in order to be able to help others, one more question, so I gave him a call while we were on the road.
A: Where do you get the strength to do all these things like riding a bike and driving and talking to so many people?
F: I have to do that, chap. Don't we all wish to have a purpose in life? You can't just sit around and let life go by. If you're going to live in a crystal bubble, forget it!
From now on, I'll think twice before saying "I can't"...
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