[powerwidFE]

Hi All!

I am starting this thread so as to elicit responses from my fellow T-BHPians as to when did they remove the 'L' board from their cars. By 'when', I mean the number of KMs and/or the amount of time.

Also, it would be great if they specify what event (if any) prompted them to do so or are holding them back from doing so.

I removed my 'L' board after doing 1,019 KMs on my new WagonR in about 1.5 yrs time. (Yes, I don't get to drive much!). There was no significant event in prompting me to do so, it just occured to me that I (hopefully) no longer need the 'L' board and so,removed it.

But, yes, one of the reasons which could have prompted me to do so was 'gyaan' that the parking attendants start giving out on seeing a 'L'-boarder. It is a real irritant and once I even banged a parked Honda City due to the stupid attendant's instructions.(Nowadays, I just roll up the windows and turn up the volume of the music to keep the attendant's voice out. What are the parking sensors there for,after all?)

[Octane_Power]

I had kept it just for the formality.
I affixed it on my car and it was there only for the period in which we have the "Learner's License" and it is mandatory to drive a car with an "L" front-and-back and an occupant in the front seat with a proper "Driving License".

Was removed at the very next day after I got my "pakka license"

OT- Never thought of this but thanks to this thread this question crept up,
What do you call the License which you get after the Learner's License?

-Bhargav

[carzone]

Mine was at the first service of my car. 1 month and some 900 Kms. I did not intend to, but half part came out in the washing, and rather than adding another half, peeled it off.

Added it once more when dad was learning to drive, which again got peeled of during me giving the car a wash.

Originally Posted by Octane_Power

OT- Never thought of this but thanks to this thread this question crept up,
What do you call the License which you get after the Learner's License?

Eh, well, you call it 'License'.

[ashis89]

I never removed it because, err I never put it. It actually happened this way: I started learning in my Dad's 800 during dawn times. After the 1st day training, my dad asked me to put a 'L' at the back. But I forgot and kept forgetting. Finally after 10 odd days and some 300kms I did remember but then my dad stopped me saying I had learnt quite a bit and din't need a 'L' now. I know that is wrong but this was some 8 years back and I was in 10th(again another violation).

Originally Posted by Octane_Power

OT- Never thought of this but thanks to this thread this question crept up,
What do you call the License which you get after the Learner's License?

This is called the Driver's Licence while the prior one is Learner's.

[mahen_narang]

Nice simple question powerwidFE.

I dont remember distinctly but I removed my "L" sign around 1000 Kms when the RED tape that I had put up as "L" sign started to peel OFF.
I was confident of driving and in any case did not want the sign to be on my car.
I hate any kind of sticker on my car, ofcourse other than that of teamBHP sticker

[agambhandari]

Even according to the Indian Motor Vehicles act, you only need to have the Learner's L sign only as long as you are on a Learner's License. That too only when the car is being driven by the person possessing a Learner's license(can happen if it is a family car).

Once you get a Permanent driving license, the L can go into the bin. L is not a get out of trouble card when you mess up.

[Soumyajit9]

Purchased Car - 29th March 2011
Registered for Driving School - 04th April 2011
Got Learner's License - 10th April 2011
Got Permanent License - 12th May 2011
Removed 'L' Board - 14th May 2011

[AbelAFC]

L-board currently on the car. Waiting for that elusive DL. Anytime this week
.

[ashphil]

I had held a learner's license for 6 months before I took my driving test. I was quite ready to take off the L board after the first month of holding the learner's license. However my dad told me to leave the board on the car until I got my permanent driving license. I did just that. I took it off at the RTO Office as soon as I passed my driving test.

[Tapish]

Here's my story.

I had a permanent license before I knew how to drive a four wheeler. I was getting one for two wheelers and the guy on the counter himself checked the "four wheelers".

When I finally got the car, a friend advised (now looks silly) to not put the L board as it would make people overtake you/ honk unnecessarily (I lived in Gurgaon then). So I did not put an L Sign at all.

5 days after I got the car, I drove down from Delhi- Nainital, and the plate was really never needed

Tapish

[pyrodrive]

I never had the L board..because I never did have a learner's license !
Back in those days, (mid-late 90s), the rules were lax and I got my proper licence in two days, without any tests etc. :-)

[joshuakeys]

I never had one, about licence, one of my dad's friend works in the RTA, got licence in couple of days. It was in 2008, though i started driving long time back. Got my licence too late.

[Jeroen]

I'll be honest. I never had a L-plate. Nobody told me and I never read all the conditions that came with the learners permit.

Got the learners permit and went for my permanent license as soon as I could. Did not do any driving on my learners permit as I was abroad, but still.

As I hold a Dutch and a USA international DL, with several million miles clocked in Europe, USA and several other parts of the world I don't think I was a real danger on the road. Even today, with my permanent DL I still like to think of myself as the most cautious driver in India, certainly in Delhi.

With or without L-plates, it is mayhem out there!

Be careful.

Getting al DL in India is quite an experience for a non-Indian.

Jeroen

[airguitar]

I had mine on for about 150 kms/1 month - I thought it was additional unwanted attention at night and more harassment by bus drivers, esp the private ones.

@Jeroen : 'several million miles' ?!

[stringbh]

I removed the L board around two months after purchasing car. That I removed because, a courier fellow tried to identify me like this: "sir, that white sedan with big RED L board?" Next thing I did after coming home, was to rip off the L-board !