Driving school woes

quadmaniac · 25th February 2010, 17:27

<disclaimer>Ok, this is more of a rant post, plus a query at the end.</disclaimer>

I am new to driving, and I had enrolled in the locally popular "Megacity Motor Driving School" here in Begumpet, Hyderabad.

They have charged some 3300 for driving lessons alone (i.e. without license). Now that my lessons are over, I'm quite unimpressed, to say the least!

Positives:

- home pickup and drop
- Car was good (Santro with PS in decent condition)

... thats about it!

Negatives: too many to mention, but anyway:

- Did not practice reversing more than 2-3 times
- No parking practice (once only for namesake when I complained)
- Did not even mention how to cope with up-sloping roads, forget about parking brake vs brake-accelerator techniques
- Extremely lazy about license. I have completed my lessons a month back, and I'm yet to get my learner's license (part of fault is mine here probably - I did not know when to push them well enough)

totally not worth 3.3k

Coming to my question - when I blasted them about why I'm getting my license so late, they said - why worry syaar, you can drive any vehicle for 6 months with that license as long as you have "L" board - no need of another person with permanent license to accompany you.

I could not get any information regarding this from Andhra's RTO website:

Welcome To TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT GOVERNMENT OF ANDHRAPRADESH - INDIA

So can anyone please confirm/reject this? Can I drive without a permanent license holder when I have an LL?

Thanks in advance!

Neil.Bhujbal · 25th February 2010, 17:35

Yes you can drive without a Permanent License when you have the LL but with a 'L' board on your car/bike.

But i guess that is only when you are alone. In case you have someone else with you he/she needs to have a permanent license.

nairrk · 25th February 2010, 17:35

imo, Learners licence is to be taken before going for driving clauses (or are driving schools are exempted from this?). Learners lience has a validity and within that time you have to attend for the RTO test and get the Licence.
Once the LL is expired, you have to obtain another LL against paying a small fees to the RTO. This is the normal proceedure but not sure if any change in Andhra?

HammerHead · 25th February 2010, 17:47

Firstly, you must have Learners License to learn driving. Thats the first step once you enroll to a driving school.
As far as I remember,
1. There should be a permanent license holder accompanying you when you drive with LL.
2. The "L" should be in red with white background. I know no one follows the last rule

3. You can apply for permanent license 30 days after you get the LL.

vigneshA · 25th February 2010, 17:49

With Learner's license, you are not permitted to drive alone. You should be accompanied by a person with valid permenant license.
The L board is in addition to this.
And you are requried to have the LLR to start with even the driving school.

Sudan_NFS · 25th February 2010, 17:50

Even for Driving schools you need to get the LL before you drive and it's valid for six months.
This is the case with most of the driving school. up-sloping was taught to me because to take DL who have to stop in an up-slop and then hold the vehicle with half clutch and then move the vehicle to pass the test(without stalling the engine).
It's basically how well your RTO keeps the test for clearing the DL.

rm_arjuna · 25th February 2010, 17:56

incase ,your are to appear for DL test at UPPAL RTO the test track has got a upslope and then you have to reverse before making a u turn downhill.

ElantraGT · 25th February 2010, 17:56

[quote=HammerHead;1752476]
There should be a permanent license holder accompanying you when you drive with LL.[/quote]

+1 to that. When you are driving with a learners permit, you should be accompanied by a person with a valid permit all the time. This is one rule that most of us oversee.

SRK · 25th February 2010, 18:00

I used the training school's car just to get used to the clutch usage.

For all the other things, you'll just have to learn it on your own with your own car.(I did so)
I feel there are only a few schools which teach well, others just teach how to accelerate,brake and shift gears and sometimes parking.

Archish · 25th February 2010, 18:04

These driving schools are such a waste of time, I still remember when I went to the RTO to get my license and was taking driving tests a group of girls too were there to get thier license, they had come in through a driving school. None of them could move the car for even 10 feet. The RTO asked them how much the driving school charged them for the lessons, when they said 5k, he commented "you have wasted 5k, there is no way i can give license to you people". But guess what, after couple of hours, when I was standing in the queue to get photographed, the group of girls too were standing the same line excitedly chatting about their accomplishment. The driving school had greased the system to get the license for these people.

Imagine, there are thousands of drivers out there without basic training and knowledge about driving and these so called 'driving schools' are responsible for most of them.

quadmaniac · 25th February 2010, 19:47

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?

iamswift · 26th February 2010, 13:24

If RTO officer finds pathetic performance by an individual in driving tests, who came through driving school, the RTO should block that driving school, for say 6 months.
No one who comes through that driving school should be allowed to take tests.
This should bring all the driving schools inline. (I know - Its India. This can never happen).

For the exhorbitant fees they charge, they should do their damn job.
If they want to get money without work, better to sit at temples and start begging.
I'm really angry at Indian driving schools and their state.

We do see few good driving schools. Maruti driving school (only at selected cities) and G.D driving school (G.D Naidu group) of Coimbatore - They won't get you license but provide great confidence that one can get license themselves.

vigneshA · 26th February 2010, 13:32

There are good driving schools as well, Maruti Driving School one of them. My friend after having driven in US went back to school just to get it right and he said he found it very useful.
They do a theory class and a day or two on simulator before you get onto actual car!!

Musicmaker23 · 26th February 2010, 14:14

I'm sorry to tell you that you've been taken for a ride by your driving school (excuse the pun). Rs.3300 on a santro, without licence!

I paid 3000 for a good Esteem & got my permanent licence within 45 days of starting (would've been earlier but my instructor fell sick for a week).
Its a sorry state we find ourselves in, where every 2nd driving school fails to inspire any confidence in the pupil & still manages to get them passed. My instructor actually told me that there's a small part of the fees i pay them that goes directly into the hands of the police incharge of the RTO to pass the students from a particular school.
I learnt on an esteem, yet when the final driving test came, i was made to drive in a santro which i was absolutely new to. & guess what? the police constable didn't even accompany me, it was one of the instructors from the D-school itself who wanted me to hurry up so that others can finish off before the police finished off their paperwork!
People who needed a motorbike licence were made to ride an activa!! That too for a small circle 10 feet across..
The entire system is a scam.

Please don't try to figure out how diligent the police will be if you get cause with a LL alone in a car, because its against the law! The LL will only last you 6 months & you will always need a licenced driver next to you. Do you really want to get caught like that?

shishir_bn · 26th February 2010, 14:35

3300/- was costly IMO. For me they took 1800/- for LL and getting a DL along with the class. After teaching the basic the teacher would never allow me to drive on the straight road. He used to say everyone can drive on the straight road and he used to take me to the busiest road and road will full crosses/pot holes and never allowed to go go into the pot holes as I had to turn and cross the pot holes and I would learn how to manage the traffic. He used to take me during peak traffic hours after 3rd day itself and always used to stop on a steep gradient and told me to go forward with half clutch. It was a wonderful experience to learn from that matured teacher. I was lucky.

25th February 2010, 17:27	#1
quadmaniac BHPian Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 430 Thanked: 119 Times	Driving school woes <disclaimer>Ok, this is more of a rant post, plus a query at the end.</disclaimer> I am new to driving, and I had enrolled in the locally popular "Megacity Motor Driving School" here in Begumpet, Hyderabad. They have charged some 3300 for driving lessons alone (i.e. without license). Now that my lessons are over, I'm quite unimpressed, to say the least! Positives: - home pickup and drop - Car was good (Santro with PS in decent condition) ... thats about it! Negatives: too many to mention, but anyway: - Did not practice reversing more than 2-3 times - No parking practice (once only for namesake when I complained) - Did not even mention how to cope with up-sloping roads, forget about parking brake vs brake-accelerator techniques - Extremely lazy about license. I have completed my lessons a month back, and I'm yet to get my learner's license (part of fault is mine here probably - I did not know when to push them well enough) totally not worth 3.3k Coming to my question - when I blasted them about why I'm getting my license so late, they said - why worry syaar, you can drive any vehicle for 6 months with that license as long as you have "L" board - no need of another person with permanent license to accompany you. I could not get any information regarding this from Andhra's RTO website: Welcome To TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT GOVERNMENT OF ANDHRAPRADESH - INDIA So can anyone please confirm/reject this? Can I drive without a permanent license holder when I have an LL? Thanks in advance!
	() Thanks

25th February 2010, 17:35	#2
Neil.Bhujbal BHPian Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Pune Posts: 192 Thanked: 90 Times	Yes you can drive without a Permanent License when you have the LL but with a 'L' board on your car/bike. But i guess that is only when you are alone. In case you have someone else with you he/she needs to have a permanent license.
	() Thanks

25th February 2010, 17:35	#3
nairrk Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Kannur Posts: 2,441 Thanked: 674 Times View My Garage	imo, Learners licence is to be taken before going for driving clauses (or are driving schools are exempted from this?). Learners lience has a validity and within that time you have to attend for the RTO test and get the Licence. Once the LL is expired, you have to obtain another LL against paying a small fees to the RTO. This is the normal proceedure but not sure if any change in Andhra?
	() Thanks

25th February 2010, 17:47	#4
HammerHead Senior - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Goan in Pune Posts: 1,247 Thanked: 641 Times View My Garage	Firstly, you must have Learners License to learn driving. Thats the first step once you enroll to a driving school. As far as I remember, 1. There should be a permanent license holder accompanying you when you drive with LL. 2. The "L" should be in red with white background. I know no one follows the last rule 3. You can apply for permanent license 30 days after you get the LL. Last edited by HammerHead : 25th February 2010 at 17:50.
	() Thanks

25th February 2010, 17:49	#5
vigneshA BHPian Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Chennai Posts: 213 Thanked: 93 Times	With Learner's license, you are not permitted to drive alone. You should be accompanied by a person with valid permenant license. The L board is in addition to this. And you are requried to have the LLR to start with even the driving school.
	() Thanks

25th February 2010, 17:50	#6
Sudan_NFS BHPian Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: chennai Posts: 759 Thanked: 16 Times	Even for Driving schools you need to get the LL before you drive and it's valid for six months. This is the case with most of the driving school. up-sloping was taught to me because to take DL who have to stop in an up-slop and then hold the vehicle with half clutch and then move the vehicle to pass the test(without stalling the engine). It's basically how well your RTO keeps the test for clearing the DL.
	() Thanks

25th February 2010, 17:56	#7
rm_arjuna BHPian Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 468 Thanked: 149 Times	incase ,your are to appear for DL test at UPPAL RTO the test track has got a upslope and then you have to reverse before making a u turn downhill.
	() Thanks

25th February 2010, 17:56	#8
ElantraGT BHPian Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Chennai Posts: 441 Thanked: 12 Times	[quote=HammerHead;1752476] There should be a permanent license holder accompanying you when you drive with LL.[/quote] +1 to that. When you are driving with a learners permit, you should be accompanied by a person with a valid permit all the time. This is one rule that most of us oversee.
	() Thanks

25th February 2010, 18:00	#9
SRK Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Mumbai Posts: 1,201 Thanked: 524 Times	I used the training school's car just to get used to the clutch usage. For all the other things, you'll just have to learn it on your own with your own car.(I did so) I feel there are only a few schools which teach well, others just teach how to accelerate,brake and shift gears and sometimes parking.
	() Thanks

25th February 2010, 18:04	#10
Archish BHPian Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Chennai Posts: 319 Thanked: 108 Times	These driving schools are such a waste of time, I still remember when I went to the RTO to get my license and was taking driving tests a group of girls too were there to get thier license, they had come in through a driving school. None of them could move the car for even 10 feet. The RTO asked them how much the driving school charged them for the lessons, when they said 5k, he commented "you have wasted 5k, there is no way i can give license to you people". But guess what, after couple of hours, when I was standing in the queue to get photographed, the group of girls too were standing the same line excitedly chatting about their accomplishment. The driving school had greased the system to get the license for these people. Imagine, there are thousands of drivers out there without basic training and knowledge about driving and these so called 'driving schools' are responsible for most of them.
	() Thanks

25th February 2010, 19:47	#11
quadmaniac BHPian Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 430 Thanked: 119 Times	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?
	() Thanks

26th February 2010, 13:24	#12
iamswift BHPian Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Madras Posts: 204 Thanked: 122 Times	If RTO officer finds pathetic performance by an individual in driving tests, who came through driving school, the RTO should block that driving school, for say 6 months. No one who comes through that driving school should be allowed to take tests. This should bring all the driving schools inline. (I know - Its India. This can never happen). For the exhorbitant fees they charge, they should do their damn job. If they want to get money without work, better to sit at temples and start begging. I'm really angry at Indian driving schools and their state. We do see few good driving schools. Maruti driving school (only at selected cities) and G.D driving school (G.D Naidu group) of Coimbatore - They won't get you license but provide great confidence that one can get license themselves.
	() Thanks

26th February 2010, 13:32	#13
vigneshA BHPian Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Chennai Posts: 213 Thanked: 93 Times	There are good driving schools as well, Maruti Driving School one of them. My friend after having driven in US went back to school just to get it right and he said he found it very useful. They do a theory class and a day or two on simulator before you get onto actual car!!
	() Thanks

26th February 2010, 14:14	#14
Musicmaker23 BHPian Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Mumbai Posts: 145 Thanked: 9 Times	I'm sorry to tell you that you've been taken for a ride by your driving school (excuse the pun). Rs.3300 on a santro, without licence! I paid 3000 for a good Esteem & got my permanent licence within 45 days of starting (would've been earlier but my instructor fell sick for a week). Its a sorry state we find ourselves in, where every 2nd driving school fails to inspire any confidence in the pupil & still manages to get them passed. My instructor actually told me that there's a small part of the fees i pay them that goes directly into the hands of the police incharge of the RTO to pass the students from a particular school. I learnt on an esteem, yet when the final driving test came, i was made to drive in a santro which i was absolutely new to. & guess what? the police constable didn't even accompany me, it was one of the instructors from the D-school itself who wanted me to hurry up so that others can finish off before the police finished off their paperwork! People who needed a motorbike licence were made to ride an activa!! That too for a small circle 10 feet across.. The entire system is a scam. Please don't try to figure out how diligent the police will be if you get cause with a LL alone in a car, because its against the law! The LL will only last you 6 months & you will always need a licenced driver next to you. Do you really want to get caught like that?
	() Thanks

26th February 2010, 14:35	#15
shishir_bn Senior - BHPian Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,195 Thanked: 120 Times	3300/- was costly IMO. For me they took 1800/- for LL and getting a DL along with the class. After teaching the basic the teacher would never allow me to drive on the straight road. He used to say everyone can drive on the straight road and he used to take me to the busiest road and road will full crosses/pot holes and never allowed to go go into the pot holes as I had to turn and cross the pot holes and I would learn how to manage the traffic. He used to take me during peak traffic hours after 3rd day itself and always used to stop on a steep gradient and told me to go forward with half clutch. It was a wonderful experience to learn from that matured teacher. I was lucky.
	() Thanks