Driving school woes

Utopian · 2nd March 2010, 23:03

In petrol cars, you need to release the clutch really slowly if one is not supposed to use the accelerator since the torque provided is low at low rpms. Hence more probability of engine stalling.
Diesel cars are real fun to drive in this prospect. You dont have to use the accelerator at all. Huge amount of torque is available at low rpms and you can pull off easily in the first gear.

anilisanil · 12th July 2010, 18:24

Well, this is my experience of how I "learnt" how to drive.

I enrolled with this Kailash Giri driving school for learning to drive as it is in my neighbourhood. I still repent the decision and still have to find a right wall to bang my head against.

As I am making a conscious effort to forget when I enrolled for this god forbidden place, I still vividly remember the freakness-inducing voice of the "aunty" who seems to co-own the prestigious driving firm!

How much do you charge for teaching to drive?

3300 INR

Doucments required?

age proof, residence proof. You belong to Pune?

No!

Then we charge 1500 extra...

At this point of time I have had my eyes popping out. I retorted!

I should be realy happy to give you that, no?

I mean, why? Why 1500 extra?

Because you are from outside Pune.

I slilently walked out and found out that other too were charging for outsiders (bribing aka admin charges) but not 1500. But those were a bit far off from my place. So I wanted to test my negotiating skills. Called up the person whom I wish I never met!

She happily told me that getting a DL is probably one of the easiest and cheapest things that could be done in a Government office and that she could get my DL for about 500 bucks here and there!!

I ended up paying 1000 more! So much for being a "non-local"

Then started struggle!!

The person who taught me driving was a jerk! Forget about his interpersonal skills which often jumped the good old line by leaps and bounds by shouting at me at his own wish and will, but the teaching driving itself was non-existent if it was ever intended.

Every morning I used to be taken an ultra empty road and was asked to drive, all I had to do was press the gas and ocassionally turn the steering. I mean I used to get a better feeling when I used to drive my chair! You know what I mean? Ah?

So the D-day arrived with me being as unsure as I generally used to be on a maths exam, but the driver assured me "main hoo na!" And you know what? Indeed he WAS there.

I gave my DL exam in a motor driving school car with the clutch, break and gear being controlled by my driver and me just turning the steering here and there. Not just me, almost everyone who took the license that day drove like that.

And I am sure, if each of them drive like that on the roads each would decrease the populations of our country by atleast 20!

On a sad note I should confess that today I hold a 4 wheeler permanent driving license and I am sure if venture onto the roads as is, either my car or me or another stupid like me would be a dead meat!

P.S: I hired a driver and am learning to drive again!
P.P.S: If you are from Pune, avoid kailash giri driving school like plague!!!!!

kadurRacer · 5th January 2011, 10:43

Recently I joined NAS Driving School in Bangalore. The instructor is asking me to pay Rs.500/- as GURUDAKHINA apart from Rs.2800/- that I have paid for the Driving school. Is it a common practice? Is 500 bucks justified for 8 hours of teaching.

The guy who teaches me takes me on a straight road. Makes me stop at a Petrol bunk every day

and makes me pick up the next person.

It’s been 5 days (2.5 hours) and he has not even let me touch the accelerator. Gurus.. please give me some gyan as to what should I demand him to teach apart from moving the vehicle and driving on a straight road.

I feel, a thread on best practices to choose a driving school and what to expect out of an instructor should help newbies like me.

let me know if a thread is already available.

jayded · 5th January 2011, 16:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by kadurRacer

Recently I joined NAS Driving School in Bangalore. The instructor is asking me to pay Rs.500/- as GURUDAKHINA apart from Rs.2800/- that I have paid for the Driving school. Is it a common practice? Is 500 bucks justified for 8 hours of teaching.

The guy who teaches me takes me on a straight road. Makes me stop at a Petrol bunk every day

and makes me pick up the next person.

It’s been 5 days (2.5 hours) and he has not even let me touch the accelerator. Gurus.. please give me some gyan as to what should I demand him to teach apart from moving the vehicle and driving on a straight road.

I feel, a thread on best practices to choose a driving school and what to expect out of an instructor should help newbies like me.

let me know if a thread is already available.

It's a pity that these guys ask for "Dakshina" and spoil the whole point

When I joined classes, I offered 100/- as "Dakshina" and also bought him some sweets the day I passed the driving test. All these happened 5 years back

As per how your classes are going curently, I feel you would hardly learn anything in the remaining time. Talk to the owner of the school and let him know that you are not being taught what you ought to be. It's really important that you learn techniques like driving in stop-go traffic, driving up steep inclines including halting and then climbing using half-clutch technique, braking techniques, parking in tight spots, etc., to name a few. These are the scenarios that you will be facing in your day to day driving than the occasional straight empty stretches. So I guess it's high time you demand all these lessons.

All the best for you test, drive safe

Newpunter · 5th January 2011, 17:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by kadurRacer

Recently I joined NAS Driving School in Bangalore. The instructor is asking me to pay Rs.500/- as GURUDAKHINA apart from Rs.2800/- that I have paid for the Driving school. Is it a common practice? Is 500 bucks justified for 8 hours of teaching.

The guy who teaches me takes me on a straight road. Makes me stop at a Petrol bunk every day

and makes me pick up the next person.

You are lucky. When I learnt driving, the driver asked me Gurudakshina and kept asking repeatedly everyday( I told him i forgot to bring the cash ) , till I got tired and paid him 300/- . But this was just the beginning. He used to make me drive to his home everyday and then he would pick up his daughter and then drop her off at her school and then I would drop him off at the school

. I became his family driver for the entire week or so .

prateekm · 14th September 2012, 14:29

Wow, just 500 dakshina? I'm learning driving from Chohan Driving classes (quite reputed in Mumbai) and the guy is asking me for 1000 bucks for 10 hours of driving where they don't allow you to go beyond the 3rd gear. Also, their simulators don't work. The guy did teach fine, and after 10 hours, I am confident enough to drive the car. Also the car is in pretty good shape (Corolla). So, learning from the driving class has costed me 5500 + the dakshina. I seriously wish I had paid heed to dad's advice and learned driving from Maruti Driving School.

2nd March 2010, 23:03	#31
Utopian BHPian Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: New Delhi Posts: 603 Thanked: 123 Times	In petrol cars, you need to release the clutch really slowly if one is not supposed to use the accelerator since the torque provided is low at low rpms. Hence more probability of engine stalling. Diesel cars are real fun to drive in this prospect. You dont have to use the accelerator at all. Huge amount of torque is available at low rpms and you can pull off easily in the first gear.
	() Thanks

12th July 2010, 18:24	#32
anilisanil Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Pune Posts: 1,420 Thanked: 291 Times	Well, this is my experience of how I "learnt" how to drive. I enrolled with this Kailash Giri driving school for learning to drive as it is in my neighbourhood. I still repent the decision and still have to find a right wall to bang my head against. As I am making a conscious effort to forget when I enrolled for this god forbidden place, I still vividly remember the freakness-inducing voice of the "aunty" who seems to co-own the prestigious driving firm! How much do you charge for teaching to drive? 3300 INR Doucments required? age proof, residence proof. You belong to Pune? No! Then we charge 1500 extra... At this point of time I have had my eyes popping out. I retorted! I should be realy happy to give you that, no? I mean, why? Why 1500 extra? Because you are from outside Pune. I slilently walked out and found out that other too were charging for outsiders (bribing aka admin charges) but not 1500. But those were a bit far off from my place. So I wanted to test my negotiating skills. Called up the person whom I wish I never met! She happily told me that getting a DL is probably one of the easiest and cheapest things that could be done in a Government office and that she could get my DL for about 500 bucks here and there!! I ended up paying 1000 more! So much for being a "non-local" Then started struggle!! The person who taught me driving was a jerk! Forget about his interpersonal skills which often jumped the good old line by leaps and bounds by shouting at me at his own wish and will, but the teaching driving itself was non-existent if it was ever intended. Every morning I used to be taken an ultra empty road and was asked to drive, all I had to do was press the gas and ocassionally turn the steering. I mean I used to get a better feeling when I used to drive my chair! You know what I mean? Ah? So the D-day arrived with me being as unsure as I generally used to be on a maths exam, but the driver assured me "main hoo na!" And you know what? Indeed he WAS there. I gave my DL exam in a motor driving school car with the clutch, break and gear being controlled by my driver and me just turning the steering here and there. Not just me, almost everyone who took the license that day drove like that. And I am sure, if each of them drive like that on the roads each would decrease the populations of our country by atleast 20! On a sad note I should confess that today I hold a 4 wheeler permanent driving license and I am sure if venture onto the roads as is, either my car or me or another stupid like me would be a dead meat! P.S: I hired a driver and am learning to drive again! P.P.S: If you are from Pune, avoid kailash giri driving school like plague!!!!!
	() Thanks

5th January 2011, 10:43	#33
kadurRacer BHPian Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Bangalore Posts: 50 Thanked: 8 Times	Driving Instructor Asking me 500 bucks as "GURUDAKSHINA" Recently I joined NAS Driving School in Bangalore. The instructor is asking me to pay Rs.500/- as GURUDAKHINA apart from Rs.2800/- that I have paid for the Driving school. Is it a common practice? Is 500 bucks justified for 8 hours of teaching. The guy who teaches me takes me on a straight road. Makes me stop at a Petrol bunk every day and makes me pick up the next person. It’s been 5 days (2.5 hours) and he has not even let me touch the accelerator. Gurus.. please give me some gyan as to what should I demand him to teach apart from moving the vehicle and driving on a straight road. I feel, a thread on best practices to choose a driving school and what to expect out of an instructor should help newbies like me. let me know if a thread is already available. Last edited by Jaggu : 5th January 2011 at 10:48. Reason: Strictly 2 smilies per post, please go through Announcements section before proceeding.
	() Thanks

14th September 2012, 14:29	#36
prateekm BHPian Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Mumbai & BLR Posts: 790 Thanked: 553 Times	Re: Driving school woes Wow, just 500 dakshina? I'm learning driving from Chohan Driving classes (quite reputed in Mumbai) and the guy is asking me for 1000 bucks for 10 hours of driving where they don't allow you to go beyond the 3rd gear. Also, their simulators don't work. The guy did teach fine, and after 10 hours, I am confident enough to drive the car. Also the car is in pretty good shape (Corolla). So, learning from the driving class has costed me 5500 + the dakshina. I seriously wish I had paid heed to dad's advice and learned driving from Maruti Driving School. Last edited by prateekm : 14th September 2012 at 14:32.
	() Thanks