[aargee]

I thought I was the most unluckiest guy to learn driving
1. I was taught in a CJ3B & MM540 & I was cursing the driving master for giving my pains in my shoulder everyday
2. He taught me in the roads with too many curves (MC road in Kerala)
3. He asked me to stop often during uphill & then continue for no reason
4. He always ensured that I kept my hands in the position as how the needles point to 10:10 in a clock
5. He always insisted that I adjust the seats & RVM after getting into the jeeps
6. Out of 15 classes, he forced me to take reverse by looking at RVM & taking H

Result - I got the driving license & the driving inspector wanted only me to drive him from the testing ground to RTO

My master's one piece of advice to me was - you'll never learn driving, you'll keep learning everytime you drive; I'm realizing his advice everyday at every drive

[MileCruncher]

Originally Posted by quadmaniac

Thanks for the responses guys. Thanks to my driving school I'll now have my car way before I get my permanent license.

Any idea of the fine our Hyderabad traffic police slap you with if you're caught driving with LL without a permanent license holder?

As already stated by others, one needs to have a DL holder along if they are driving with a LL. If you cause an accident and injure someone while not fully adhering to the mandated legal requirement, you will be charged under Attempt to Murder (Section 307 under IPC) apart from just Rash Driving and without licence (Sec 180,181 and 184 under MVA).

Knowing Hyderabad police and their inaptitude towards maintaining traffic discipline, nothing much will happen but in case of an accident, you are a goner. So think twice before you do something. It is this nonchalance towards the
law that gets a lot of us into trouble.

On the Driving School front, the less said the better. The instruct at the driving school my wife went to was a moron and taught her to press the clutch everytime while pressing the brake. Thankfully she has recovered from that practice after a lot of my coaxing.

[quadmaniac]

Thanks for all the info guys.

I knew the driving school guy was pulling a fast one.

[rjalihal]

I recall when i got my DL, it was from 'Brahma Driving School' in Chennai, off Greenways road. The entire course cost Rs 1,800 and the best part> I NEVER HAD A DRIVING TEST! They took us to some residential road and told us to wait there. And after about 2 hours of waiting in the local RTO (Triplicane I think), I walked out with my DL! We were all so shocked. I mean this is how DLs are issued in India! No wonder we have such terrible drivers on the road (hey, I am NOT one of them!).

[sbraj]

Originally Posted by aargee

My master's one piece of advice to me was - you'll never learn driving, you'll keep learning everytime you drive; I'm realizing his advice everyday at every drive

aargee, I think what your master intended is 'one will never completely learn driving'.

[deepclutch]

While at Coimbatore ,I was Always Intrigued By this "GEEDEE Advanced driving School" run by UMS group near Avinashi Road Flyover.Is it something above Our Normal Driving Institutes?
--
When I took license ,it was the time ,they changed to written Learner's License test(Earlier only Questions asked) in Kerala and for License ,I've to do the "H" test.RTO will Travel with Us(DL Aspirants) on MC Road(Muvattupuzha,Kerala) , a Brief Round Trip to verify.I've had a almost 2 months driving lessons by a Driver Friend .

@aargee: same experience with My driving lessons ,Same Points.Your 3rd Point -
" 3. He asked me to stop often during uphill & then continue for no reason"
My Drving guru Also Will Ask Me to drive over Hilly Roads and Stop suddenly ,later on to move up again without sliding even a inch downwards.Good Practice for Our Midland Roads.

[aargee]

Originally Posted by deepclutch

When I took license ,it was the time ,they changed to written Learner's License test(Earlier only Questions asked) in Kerala and for License ,I've to do the "H" test.RTO will Travel with Us(DL Aspirants) on MC Road(Muvattupuzha,Kerala) , a Brief Round Trip to verify.I've had a almost 2 months driving lessons by a Driver Friend .

@aargee: same experience with My driving lessons ,Same Points.Your 3rd Point -
" 3. He asked me to stop often during uphill & then continue for no reason"
My Drving guru Also Will Ask Me to drive over Hilly Roads and Stop suddenly ,later on to move up again without sliding even a inch downwards.Good Practice for Our Midland Roads.

I too had to pass the written test & finally take H; When I learned driving at the old TDPA road I'd pains like my hands falling off from my shoulder; learned from HariShri

[shishir_bn]

Infact for me when I was learning the driving I was given Santro with power steering, power brakes etc(new car), but on the driving test day they gave me a Maruti 800. I was shocked as they didn't give me one test drive before the test. But luckily 800 was amazing. It was so good that after slotting it in first gear it started slowly and it was amazing than a santro to drive. I liked it. You have to be very careful on this. Make sure the learning car and the car during the test is same or else take 2/3 rounds test drive if the car during the testing is different.

[sbraj]

Originally Posted by shishir_bn

Infact for me when I was learning the driving I was given Santro with power steering, power brakes etc(new car), but on the driving test day they gave me a Maruti 800. I was shocked as they didn't give me one test drive before the test. But luckily 800 was amazing. It was so good that after slotting it in first gear it started slowly and it was amazing than a santro to drive. I liked it. You have to be very careful on this. Make sure the learning car and the car during the test is same or else take 2/3 rounds test drive if the car during the testing is different.

Usually the driving school vehicles used for the driving test are tuned for slow speed. Once put in first gear, fuel is supplied even without accelerator being pressed. Hence it creates a good feeling of control, albeit at the expense of mileage.

[shishir_bn]

Originally Posted by sbraj

Usually the driving school vehicles used for the driving test are tuned for slow speed. Once put in first gear, fuel is supplied even without accelerator being pressed. Hence it creates a good feeling of control, albeit at the expense of mileage.

Exactly,this is what it happened to me also. My teacher told me just slot the gear into first and then you need not worry. It will go forward automatically. So during the test I just slotted into first and left the clutch slowly and it moved in good speed.( I was a novice at that time and didn't know the basics that even without accelerator pressed we can drive and the car will move ahead-like how we start during the signal when it turns green). Thanks for the info sbraj.

[aargee]

Originally Posted by sbraj

Usually the driving school vehicles used for the driving test are tuned for slow speed. Once put in first gear, fuel is supplied even without accelerator being pressed. Hence it creates a good feeling of control, albeit at the expense of mileage.

I couldn't understand here.
My understanding is, if you gradually (carefully) disengage the clutch after switching to first gear any car/jeep starts moving; how will the driving school vehicles differ from this?

Originally Posted by sbraj

aargee, I think what your master intended is 'one will never completely learn driving'.

My bad English; Yes, you got it right.

[sbraj]

Originally Posted by aargee

I couldn't understand here.
My understanding is, if you gradually (carefully) disengage the clutch after switching to first gear any car/jeep starts moving; how will the driving school vehicles differ from this?

What if I completely release clutch? Suddenly? What will happen?

Usually the mistakes that new drivers (like my wife who is learning now) do is, the synchronization between clutch release and applying accelerator is not correct.

Case 1 : Either they end up releasing clutch early and since accelerator is not pressed, engine switches off.

Case 2 : Or they keep the clutch pressed and apply accelerator resulting in high revving but vehicle not moving. Then they would release the clutch and vehicle would jump forward due to sudden acceleration.

Either of these show that they are still learning, and not yet reached a stage of control.

So, the driving schools adjust the slow speed such that (case 1) when you release the clutch (slowly or suddenly) vehicle starts moving even when you have not applied accelerator.

Disclaimer: I am not an expert in vehicle technicalities. I could be completely wrong.

[aargee]

Originally Posted by sbraj

What if I completely release clutch? Suddenly? What will happen?

Yes, the vehicle stops abruptly with a jerk

Originally Posted by sbraj

Case 1 : Either they end up releasing clutch early and since accelerator is not pressed, engine switches off.

Well, you only need to release the clutch gradually, the torque in 1st is quite high that, especially for beginners, the vehicle starts moving in 1st & 2nd gear without knocking & without the gas pedals.

Originally Posted by sbraj

Case 2 : Or they keep the clutch pressed and apply accelerator resulting in high revving but vehicle not moving. Then they would release the clutch and vehicle would jump forward due to sudden acceleration.

Either of these show that they are still learning, and not yet reached a stage of control.

Very True

Originally Posted by sbraj

So, the driving schools adjust the slow speed such that (case 1) when you release the clutch (slowly or suddenly) vehicle starts moving even when you have not applied accelerator.

Got your point on what the driving school is adjusting, but I'm not sure how they do it

The point that I was trying to convey is that, when you foot off from clutch gradually in any car it is sufficient to move the vehicle without knocking or pressing the gas in 1st & 2nd gear.

[quadmaniac]

Originally Posted by aargee

The point that I was trying to convey is that, when you foot off from clutch gradually in any car it is sufficient to move the vehicle without knocking or pressing the gas in 1st & 2nd gear.

Exactly, even I don't quite understand the difference. Unless these cars can even move on upward slopes without pressing on the accelerator

[sbraj]

Originally Posted by quadmaniac

Exactly, even I don't quite understand the difference. Unless these cars can even move on upward slopes without pressing on the accelerator

You are right. My driving test car did that.

I had my test at RTO, Yeswantpur, Bangalore. Car used was a Maruti 800 belonging to driving school.

There is a track in the ground where one needs to drive for the test.

1. At the starting point the officer asked me to switch on the car.
2. Told me to use first gear only for moving from rest to motion. Do not use 1st gear at any other point of time.
3. Drive through the marked tracks without halting and without coming to 1st gear.
4. Stop at the destined place. Take reverse uphill and park.

Step 4 meant that I put the car in reverse and slowly go uphill. There is a wall behind, and I should not hit it.

For a newbie, this is probably the toughest. Because last weekend I asked my wife to do the same in my Getz and she struggled.

But in my test, I just put the M800 in reverse and took my leg off the clutch. It was moving backwards uphill.

BTW, one can do this in any (petrol?) car. With finer control over the clutch. The degree of movement will vary, depending on the amount of fuel supplied.