[driving_smartly]

Age: 15
Vehicle TATA Sumo
Tutor : Driver

Age: 18
Vechicle: Maruti 800
Tutor: Instructor from Driving school, got my license through them.

Always wanted to learn start stop on hill, but the instructor never showed interest. Once had a weird experience i was seating behind and other woman was learning, when instructor use to say her put 2nd gear, 3rd gear etc., the lady use to bend towards gear looking for gear stick asking him where to move that too while driving on road as a i 18 year old then i was laughing then but now i realize that consequences could have been worse.

Drove my Dad's 118 Ne till the age of 23 by that time learned everything on it before moving on to my own Santro

One more thing am still not comfortable with two wheelers nor did i intend to learn it neither do i seat behind someone on a two wheeler (fear factor of two wheelers being unsafe still plays in my mind)

[Saanil]

Learnt when I was 19. Got myself enrolled in a driving school and used to drive in the afternoon - when the traffic was a bit less in my area. I had chosen Maruti Zen as my learning vehicle with Esteem as the other option. Driving lessons though were not perfect but covered the essential parts - Start&Stop on a slope, Parallel parking and U turns. I had caused a lot of traffic jams while making U-turns with Zen.

I want to learn how to ride bikes. Do driving schools teach bikes? One ways is ofcourse catch a friend who owns a bike but none of my friends own a bike.

[noopster]

I learned to drive as soon as I turned 18. Dad wouldn't let me get behind the wheel before then. At that time I thought it silly but now I appreciate the wisdom behind it.

Of course I knew all the theory by then and by observing my Dad and others drive, had developed a good road sense as well by then. So it didn't take too long. Dad signed me up at Chohan Driving School, like many other Mumbaikars do. My tutor was a Dubey-ji, who did a decent enough job.

One thing I used to find very embarrassing- now I find it hilarious- was that I flunked my first driving test. Yeah- you read that right! A driving test used to be (and probably still is) a mere formality. In my case I did everything right- the RTO guy taking the test asked me to drive a very short distance in fairly heavy traffic, so I went 1-2-3, then got caught in some traffic after which he asked me to pull over, park on the side of the road etc. which I did without stalling or hitting anything, even checked my mirrors etc.

He flunked me! I was indignant but there is apparently no recourse. Dubey-ji's theory was that I didn't put it in 4th. I was like, what the hell- did you not see the traffic? And he asked me to stop and reverse and park and what not and I did it perfectly! But no dice.

The repeat test was a month later- I nailed it, this time zipping through up to fourth in record time!

I suspect they have quotas and he had reached his limit for the day (the first time). At least that's what how it's played out when I tell it these days

My driving style is heavily influenced by a good friend whose old Toyota I rode around in a lot in college days. He was a very smooth driver, lightfooted yet swift, and had this habit of driving with one hand almost always on the gearshift lever, which I picked up and retain to this day. NG- if you're on TBHP, this one's for you!

[mi2n]

I learned to drive just after my 10th standard board exams were over. Was 16 years old. Vehicle used was our 7 month old 1995 Ambassador Nova Diesel.

It took me all of 2 weeks rigorous training(4-6 hours a day!).

Was taught by our long time chauffeur and friend, whom i fondly call "munmun".
Have to mention though that both dad and uncle are backseat drivers and were adamant that i follow suit. I had other ideas though!

[Karthik1100]

My Urge to drive cars started at the age of 11 after i started observing cars like austin kimberley, dodge ply mouth, beetle, morris minor, fiat Millicento elegant, fiat 124, mercedes around our house in Basavanagudi . i heard from my dad many a times even my grand parents were also having cars like Landmaster worth Rs.16000, VW Beetle worth Rs.11000, Standard super 10 worth Rs. 8000 and the last car my grandpa owned was Ambassador Mark II. My grandpa stopped driving cars when he was around 40 after his 1st accident, later he had drivers. I am very unlucky, i could see and feel those cars only in photos. all the cars were sold when my dad was around 15years due to maintenance issue and misuse of cars by drivers. my dad could only learn but he couldn't enjoy much. and the first car my dad bought was Premier Padmini Deluxe BE(FIAT 1100) in 1998. still he couldn't enjoy driving as he was 52years by then and was scared due to the increase of traffic in Bangalore. he too had drivers (drivers were changed often) and my dad was not allowing me even to sit in driver's seat only because i was just 13 and drastically changed traffic. but i was not a guy who listen to what dad says.
I used to take out the car along with a driver and used to bribe them Rs.50 from my pocket money to interchange the seats and started learning to drive FIAT. They taught me many Technics in driving and small time repairing, and little bit about mechanism too. The secret was revealed after few months and from that time to till the age of 18 my dad never let me cross 40kmph speed in city. and was insisting me to drive only in wider roads and my driving was limited to city limits. In those days the longest distance i traveled was 30kms.

[EARTHed]

Dear Karthik1100: I thoroughly enjoyed reading your posts. I too have the same driving history like yours. Started of with FIAT Millecento and then with a Premier Fiat President and now a FIAT Jet.

But my Dad was very strict and never let me drive till I was 18. I request all current Gen Dads too to follow this rule.

[darshan.ckm]

- Age: 16
- Tutor: cousin
- Car: Jeep
- Location in India: Chikmagalur, Karnataka

- Age: 16
- Tutor: Uncle
- Bike: RX 100

Used to drive in estate roads till i got my license.

[Karthik1100]

Originally Posted by EARTHed

Dear Karthik1100: I thoroughly enjoyed reading your posts. I too have the same driving history like yours. Started of with FIAT Millecento and then with a Premier Fiat President and now a FIAT Jet.

But my Dad was very strict and never let me drive till I was 18. I request all current Gen Dads too to follow this rule.

Thank you very much doctor uncle. I remember seeing your old photos and your president car's photo in Facebook album. and it was nice to know you too have similar driving history like mine. and please allow your kids to learn driving at least in empty play ground or in your form house. let them remember all those fun when they are old.

[nfsfreak]

Stage1:
Age - 24
Tutor - Driving school instructor. Got the license thru Driving school.
Car - Omni
Location - Trichy

Stage2:
Age - 25
Tutor - Myself
Car - Toyota Yaris
Location - South Africa (its a rental car sponsored by my company. By that time, i know the basics of driving and rules in SAF.)

[theexperthand]

Age: early 20s
Vehicle HM Ambassador
Tutor : Dad

My first lessons started with maintenance - My dad is an avid DIY enthusiast and the genes have passed to me too - before I learned to drive the car, I learned the basic mechanics and maintenance. I started learning by backing out the car from garage to our drive way, but the first time I drove the car alone was on an incline on an unpaved, gravel road - it was a short drive - about half a km. The lessons continued in and around our home.
Learned start-stop on inclines, parallel parking, U-turns etc but sadly, I never did much of highway driving with our beloved Ambassador.

[freakmuzik]

Age - 8
Tutor - Dad
Car - Premier Padmini Deluxe BE
Location in India - Chennai

Describing all those moments is surely making me nostalgic (even though I'm just 17 now! lol). I was a completely car crazy kid right from my Pre-kg days. I made my dad buy automags (though I could barely read them!). By age 6 or 7, I used to sit just beside my dad and handle the steering ( inside our colony, when there are no vehicles or people around). And within a few months, my dad had enough confidence to give me the controls. In a ground nearby our house, I remember sitting on my dad's briefcase and driving the car when I was 8 years old as I couldn't see the way clearly!! lol

Even though I learned to drive so early, I can confidently say that I never have taken the vehicle out on the road and I am happy to say that my dad will not allow to do so, even if I ask him to.

Regarding two wheeler, I learned when I was in 6th or 7th std. I guess. I do not take two wheelers too!


I am eagerly waiting to turn 18 ( Just a few more months left! Phew!! ).

[prateekm]

^ Same here. Another month to go and it seems the wait is never ending

Dad has shifted to Gurgaon for some month, so I have the car keys. Sometimes, it's tempting, but I have been resisting.

Regarding two-wheelers, Learned to drive my Honda Dio after getting a gearless license at 16.

[Mansha]

Age: 14
Vehicle: Mahindra jeep and Maruti 800

Tutor: Self (I remember when Dad once tried to teach me how to drive. He took me to a ground nearby and told me to get on the wheel and pick up the car in first gear. I drove easily. He asked me to do the same a couple of times (which was a piece of cake) Dad ended up saying quit kidding, take the car home and tell me when did you learn how to drive. Fun Day. LoL)

Place: Sehore (MP)

[shivapsreddy]

Age : 12
I learnt driving at the age of 12 with the tractor owned by my father. My tutor was the tractor driver. I was at home in the summer holidays so learnt it.

[RS_DEL]

First escapade at age: 14
Car: Amby
Proper driving at age : 16
Car: Good old Amby

Took the car out after a couple of monitored stints with the driver. Took it solo one day and backed it up on a kabbadi waala's cycle, totalled the exhaust pipe of the car too. Poor sod asked for compensation. The driver took a look at the cycle and then dragged him (the kabbadi waala) by the scruff of the neck (driver was a yatt) to the car shoved him underneath, asked him in theth i.e.abs pure punjabi, if our loss was greater or his.decorated with a couple of choice expletives as can be done only by us punjabis.LOL LOL..

Then my grand mother took pity on the kabbadi and handed him 50 bucks - in 1977 that was a big sum of money.Man am I old!

Needless to add I was suitably chastened by the old man for my escapade.Made to wait for 2 more years and then was allowed to drive after satisfying the old man I was not a bull in a china shop so to speak.