Driving school and License

Every person would have an experience in obtaining his/her driving license. I too had two memorable occasions. The first was when I wanted MC-WOG ( Motor Cycle Without Gear) with my TVS-50, when I was in std XII. My father had arranged an appointment at the RTO office, and I went along with my brother to obtain the license. This happened when I was at Hosur. We took the TVS -50 out on a hot and sunny day and reached the RTO office at 9 sharp. There were lot of people waiting outside with their applications which were to be scrutinised, but I had a calkwalk, and finished my written test ( we had one) where I was told the options and was asked to mark two of them wrong. Then I was asked to drive and show hand signals and then make a "8" pattern. Then I was told to collect the license in three days.

We started back home, when the real trouble came in. Few minutes away from the RTO office, on the National Highway, my TVS stopped moving. It was a tiresome job to pull the vehicle all the way about a kilometer before we could find a repair shop. Then we reached home by 2 in the afternoon, and I was exhausted completely.

It is now close to 7 years since this happened. Now when I think about yesterday, the day when I obtained my LMV and MCWG licenses, I am still wondering as to how the day did not change much to my favour, but the technology has developed well enough to make things better for all.

First of all I have to tell my experience of going to the driving school. My father in law took me and enrolled me in the school. It was all exciting for me, as I was going to drive a four wheeler first time in my life, my long time dream of long distance drives in Super Highways with a melodious number in the player flashed my mind and thrilled me. I was waiting for this to happen.
But When I took my first class, I was told to sit in the back seat and observe how they drive ( my peers who are learning ) I was not much delighted. I knew I had my turn too. So I was quiet. The second day was even more dull. I was asked to sit in the back seat, the car went to another branch at adyar. There was working model of the driving Unit( A steering, Accelarator, Break, Clutch ) and I was taught
to change gears. Then my class was over. I asked lot of questions to the guy who taught me, and he asked me which class it was. I said this is my second day. He was surprised, that I were asking too many questions.

Then on the third day, I was allowed to sit in the driving seat. I was very delighted, and the driving went smooth. I was learning and was very pleased that the first day went really well. When I came home and said this to my husband, he told me that the instructor would have dual clutch and break to control from the other side.

The next day when I went for my class, my first job was to confirm that there was dual clutch and break. Then only I realized that he was controlling the whole thing. I convinced myself that I would be on my own when I finish the class.

After 10 classes were complete, I thought I was on my own,wanted to test that, and took the vehicle to besant nagar. That day I realized that I was not even half way through. I stopped the vehicle many times, got stuck at speed breakers, and was about to hit a person, luckily he realized that I was coming behind, and he jumped off the road. Then I took reverse so fast that my father in law and driver got scared.

Then only I realized that I have to learn a lot, practice a lot.
Everyday I used to get up by 5.20, and go for the class at 5.45, sometimes i would get the vehicle soon, sometimes it took as long as 7.00Am. I was very irritated on those days. Patience is virtue was the only thought running in my mind that time.

After twenty classes, I was somewhat confident, took my chithi's son with me one day, and practised on the gullies of triplicane. Ahm, that was a nice experience.

It was time for my license on 20th Jun, I was told to bring a foto. The rest of the paper work was done by the driving school ppl. I went and collected my papers and was told to go to the RTO office at tiruvanmiyur.

When I reached RTO office, there were atleast 20 people from the same driving school. We were asked to go to tiruvanmiyur beach. We submitted our papers and went there. It was a hot sunny day. Thanks to the twenty people who were sharing their grievances with the experience they had in the driving school like me. We all started conversing as if we studied in the same college. We had to wait until 11.45, and then the Inspector came. We were split into batches and I had a tough time as my group had to wait as we would be tested by a different inspector. So we had to wait again. I had my lunch which my mom had packed for me. Then the wait continued until we came to know that no other inspector would come, but the one who is already engaged would finish that batch and then come to us.
The best things was that the vehicle from the driving school did not start, and the first person who started had a tough time. I was very blessed, that I had brought my own vehicle.
In our batch also I had to wait until he finished two rounds, then I asked him if I could take the test since I had brought my vehicle. He asked me to follow his car.( The one in which he was taking test for the other people). I took a U turn and then followed him until two streets. Then he asked me to go. I was waiting to give my two wheeler test when he said that it was ok. So I came back to the RTO office. Then I had to collect my papers back where the Inspector had marked PASS. Then I collected my License at around 4.30 pm and then left the place. Not much difference between the days that i compared, but the technological advancement that made me wait for three hours to get my license instead of coming back after three or four days.