RTO Drivers License Test Experience

Writing this post as a follow up to my earlier post – RTO Learner’s License Test Experience.

One has to give the test for the Driving License between the period of 1 month – 6 months of receiving the Learner’s License.
I guess one can give this test any number of times but at a gap of 1 week between each failed attempt.

I went for the DL test sometime in March without much preparation. I had practiced driving my bike for the past month but I didn’t expect to pass in the 1st attempt for sure since I had read numerous stories about corruption at the RTO.

After filling in some documents & having your pic taken by a webcam @ the RTO office , I was told to give the test @ the driving track between 1pm – 3pm.

Apparently the RTO tests here in India haven’t been standardized. I think its due to the fact that not all RTO centers here have suitable driving tracks.
Depending on the location of your RTO, the test can be :

1. Drive the bike on a road amongst the traffic along a certain route (circular/8 shaped etc).
2. Drive the bike around a ground or/& perform a 8 shaped curve.
3. Drive along the constructed track which will surely have a 8 shape in it somewhere.

Note : (2) & (3) have to be performed while giving proper hand/light signals & without placing your foot down !

I didn’t know what to expect since there were barely any pics of the driving track on the net. A google map ariel view gave me some idea about it.

As luck would have it, my RTO test turned out to be (3). Its actually a good test to determine your driving skills. But since I wasn’t confident of my skills, I was actually quite terrified of it.

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Attempt 1 :

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I think I was the first person to be called. The Inspector told me to go around the track once then go along the spiral road followed by the 8 & return – all while ensuring the foot isn’t placed on the ground even once.

I screwed up at the spiral road – placed a foot down to balance myself since my ’1st gear’ jerky driving almost nicked the surrounding bricks. But I continued driving along the rest of the road & the 8 too. Surprisingly the ’8′ didn’t trouble me a bit. So atleast I had something +ve to take from this !

I was told to take the test again after a week.
I didn’t though. I felt I needed more practice. So I tried tried driving a ’8′ along empty routes on the 1st gear using a half clutch approach. (I did try 2nd gear too since its smoother but then you have to focus additionally on ensuring the engine doesn’t die down at your speed using the clutch).

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Attempt 2 :

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I gave the test some 2 months later. I practiced only a week …but avoided the test since the location was quite far & work kept me busy. I had to fill in the papers again (minus the pic clicking).

This time too I had little hopes. I was actually searching for an agent to bribe…since the other aspirants from driving schools had it very easy – they just had to go around the track once. But I wasn’t able to find a single agent….besides that it doesn’t help when you are the 1st person to be called for again…Just my luck

The Inspector asked me for my papers. Being nervous, I didn’t realize I had the insurance papers beneath the seat & told her that I didn’t get it. Thankfully she told me get the papers IF I pass the test. I silently told myself – “Hehe so I won’t need the papers today”

So I began driving. For some reason I became very calm after starting the bike. Things fell into line & I was able to navigate through the whole track without any issues. But I still didn’t expect to be passed since I really believed in what my friend had told me – “No bribe -> failure”. I had read tales of how people were failed for trivial matters like using light signals instead of hand signals…of coming in casual shorts rather than formal attire (I was in jeans….so that should be ok ).
Surprisingly the Inspector informed me I had passed !

My mind shouted out “Woohoo ! Party time !”. I grinned & thanked the Inspector & left to get the papers.

It took a month for the license to reach me. Ideally it takes 2 weeks but it was stuck @ some bureaucratic point between the department which prints the license & the dept which posts it.
Had to visit the RTO again to get that cleared. But no complaints …I can finally drive around without hiding from the cops

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Conclusion : Its actually good to take the hard ‘non bribe’ route. Makes you feel like you deserve the license !

RTO Learners License Test Experience

Note : I usually avoid writing on such a practical experience. But I decided to do so since I couldn’t find much notes by anyone else on this topic.

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I dislike 2 kinds of tests :

1. The ones which require you to memorize huge chunks of data for writing it out verbatim on to the paper.
2. The ones which don’t give you the scope of testing in advance.

Recently I realized that the Learner’s License Test @ RTO Bangalore belongs to the 2nd category. Learnt it the hard way .
The small booklet given to you => Just the basic rules of the road.
You need to go on the net & learn things on your own !
The ambiguous nature of the questions can cause a lot of misunderstandings too.

I have been told by my friends that the whole thing exists to encourage people to take the easy way out – Bribing. Governmental offices here in India are notorious for being the least user friendly place ever. Getting things done by an agent/tout leads to a hassle free experience for sure.
But I was determined to clear the exam on my own…& managed to do it too – though only by the 3rd attempt

I decided to blog on my experience here so as to help others in getting their LL done without facing too many difficulties.

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Place : RTO Bangalore

Purpose : Get Learner’s License

Things to do : Fill the form + pay the nominal amount (Rs 30) + have your Identity proof & Address proof attested by the RTO officer + Give the written examination (15 min).

Best time to visit : Weekday mornings.

Exam details : 15 questions to be answered in 15 min. Passing : 10/15

Useful Sites for Studying :

1. 137 Questions Set : Either Single page OR User Friendly 25 Questions set (Change url from 1-6 to visit each set)
2. Additional 85 Questions set
3. Sample Test (refresh the url for a new set)
4. Road Signs

Some Questions which I faced in my tests (The ones mostly not present in the links above. I have added my comments in red.) :

1. List in order of preference : [Preference of Life I hope ? ]
   1. Vehicle, Animal, Human
   2. Animal, Vehicle, Human
   3. Human, Animal, Vehicle
2. What do the given signs draw attention to (Slippery road sign & Loose Gravel road sign)?
   1. Brakes
   2. Steering
   3. Clutch
3. In a 2 way lane there is a slow vehicle ahead of you. Road is clear for overtaking You should : [Answer is given in the 85 sample set above. But still not clear why ? ]
   1. pass the vehicle from the left hand side
   2. pass the vehicle from the right hand side
   3. pass the vehicle from any convenient side.
4. Number of hand signals for a driver : [Easy answer but caught me off guard. ]
   1. 4
   2. 5
   3. 6
5. Who has the authority to change the regulations of the road?
   1. RTO
   2. Police
   3. Central Government
6. If the right turn is prohibited then a U – turn is also prohibited. [Tricky question for some1 with no practical experience. ]
   1. True
   2. False
7. When should you give the right of passage to an approaching ambulance ? [Still not sure of the answer ? ]
   1. Never
   2. When the siren & top light are activated.
   3. When the siren & top light are activated OR there is patient inside.
8. Color of Learner’s sign on a vehicle is :
   1. Red on yellow.
   2. Red on white.
   3. Black on White.
9. The correct way of taking a U – Turn is :
   1. Center of your road to left of the other road.
   2. Center of your road to center of the other road.
   3. Right of your road to center of other road.
10. Overtaking is permitted only when :
    1. Vehicle in front of you slows down.
    2. Vehicle in front of you gives sufficient right space.
    3. Owner of the vehicle in front of you gives the appropriate gesture to overtake.
11. Vehicle will not be seized when you do not have :
    1. Driving License.
    2. Registration certificate.
    3. Insurance papers.
12. What is the given sign ? (Rectangular signboard with couple of names of places along with distance given one below the other)
    1. Re-assurance sign.
    2. Direction sign.
    3. Destination sign.
13. Loud horn has to be used compulsorily for :
    1. Incline & Decline
    2. Left & right curves
    3. Both
14. Fill in the blank : “It is not allowed to go in ___ direction on a one way road”
    1. Reverse.
    2. Same.
    3. Opposite
15. Correct Driving near a high court :
    1. Horn & proceed cautiously.
    2. Drive slowly without overtaking.
    3. Don’t horn & don’t overtake.
16. Correct Driving near a temple :
    1. Horn & proceed cautiously.
    2. Drive slowly without overtaking.
    3. Don’t horn & don’t overtake.

Special Note : The supervising inspector was a helpful guy who encouraged me to try harder after I flunked the 1st time. Even told me to take more than the usual 15 min to answer the exam if needed.

I passed the test in my 3rd attempt with 12/15 marks. Could have got full…but for some careless mistakes on my part.

The whole list of chores can be accomplished within an hour IF you are 1 of the early birds on a weekday morning.

Thats my note on this topic. Hope it serves its purpose.

I would love to hear to hear more about such questions. So feel free to add to the list via comments !

Cricket Fever !

What a weekend ! As I write this little entry, I am damn excited about the Cricket World Cup which will be starting in an hour .
Like the old days, I think the streets will be emptier again…with people hooked onto the matches involving their favourite teams.

Add your own competition to the mix & it gets even more exciting.
I enrolled myself in theESPN Cricinfo Fantasy League competition. It makes for a superb platform to play alongside the pros as well as your own friends with whom you can setup your own private leagues.

As always, I have kept my computer ready for the multi-tasking to be done during the match with an addon to keep track of whats going on (if I am not near the TV). It should be helpful for those who are unlucky enough to have office policies in which all cricket sites are blocked .

Chrome Addon : ESPN Cricinfo
Firefox Addons : ESPN Cricinfo , CMDN.com

Also got a great World Cup schedule pic as my wallpaper :

I am glad that ESPN – Star Sports are the broadcasters this time. The other channels always tend to irritate the viewers with TV ads placed right on the pitch :-/

Lastly my own thoughts on the Cricket World Cup :
I hope India wins it. It will be Sachin’s last world cup & the team’s desire to achieve it for the country & for him is touching indeed.
If not, then its time to immerse myself more in the ESPN cricket competition

Of Mahatma Gandhi & Independence

Yesterday, on the eve of India’s Independence, I saw Richard Attenborough’s 1982 Oscar nominated movie ‘Gandhi’. It was the 1st time I had seen the whole movie after becoming an adult.
I loved the movie. It was a reminder of all the history I studied back in my school days. Back then history was 1 of my favourite subjects…& I welcomed this opportunity to revisit some of the brave leaders & the momentous events they participated in.

After watching the movie, I was reminded of how unique M.K Gandhi was. They called him the ‘Mahatma’ (Maha-Atma as in Great Spirit) for a reason.
In a world, where the ‘eye for an eye’ saying seems prominent, here was a person following the Bible’s ‘Turn the other cheek’ philosophy.
Revolutions all over the world involve violence(in the past as well as the present)…but India’s freedom struggle involved the usage of non violent means (Satyagraha) to achieve its goal.

Its extremely easy to follow your emotions & revert to violence on provocation…but it takes true determination & willpower to stay away from that path & instead walk along the hard way of non violent resistance & make the wrong doer realize his mistake.

1 point which critics make is that India could have achieved Independence much earlier had they resorted to an armed uprising. But I agree with the Mahatma’s thinking : ‘The theory of satyagraha sees means and ends as inseparable’. The end result is important…but the means to it matter more.
Had this lesson of non violence not being taught by Gandhi, then I really wonder what would have made great leaders like Martin Luther King & Nelson Mandela stand out in history.

I will wrap up this blog entry with a line which was quoted in the end of the movie.

“When I despair, I remember that all through history the ways of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants, and murderers, and for a time they can seem invincible, but in the end they always fall. Think of it–always”
- Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi

India’s Best Trains

Its travel time folks ! I am heading to Kolkata this weekend to attend a friend’s wedding.
While the event as also the time spent there are expected to be a blast, we decided to enjoy ourselves even during travel time
I have NEVER been on a long distance train in India…..so travelling for 26 hours via the Durunto Express should be a novel experience !

[Update : The Duronto Express is a well maintained fast train which really goes non stop to its destination ! They have a great catering service also with regular bursts of food supplements.]

Speaking of trains, most of us have a rather bad opinion of train travel in India…..not very clean….very cramped (short distance trains!) etc.
I thought why not look up something on some of the best trains of India instead ? That ought to make most people change their opinions on train travel here ! (yaya…I know I am a very optimistic person )

Palace on Wheels :

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Started In	:	Jan 26 1982
Route	:	Delhi – Jaipur – Jaisalmer – Jodhpur – Sawai Madhopur – Udaipur – Bharatpur – Agra – Delhi
Duration	:	7 Nights / 8 Days .
Season	:	August- April
Cost	:	450$-670$(September-April) or 340$-500$(August) per person per night depending on the type of occupancy.
Description	:	Rated amongst the top ten luxury trains of the world. A journey, which takes you to enthralling Rajasthan – the land of chivalry, then on to a rendezvous with one of the Seven Wonders of the World – the Taj Mahal at Agra. Completely self-sufficient, its public spaces include two restaurant coaches and a bar coach with an attached library.

Deccan Odyssey :

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Started In	:	2004.
Route	:	Mumbai – Ganapatipule – Tarkarli – Goa – Pune – Aurangabad (Ellora) – Ajanta (Nashik)
Duration	:	9 Nights / 10 Days .
Season	:	October to March
Cost	:	285$-950$ per person per night depending on the type of occupancy.
Description	:	This really aims to be a complete 5-star hotel on wheels, with two restaurants and a bar, a sauna, business centre and other such amenities on board. One gets to visit the beautiful beaches in Goa and Maharashtra, the grand forts and palaces of the Marathas and the Osho Ashram in Pune.

Golden Chariot :

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Started In	:	October, 2009.
Route	:	Bangalore – Kabini – Mysore – Hassan – Hampi – Badami – Goa – Bangalore
Duration	:	7 Nights / 8 Days.
Season	:	October – April
Cost	:	285$-485$ per person per night depending on the type of occupancy.
Description	:	Named after the famous Stone Chariot in Hampi, a world heritage site. It takes enthusiasts across exotic locations in the state of Karnataka, in India. There are Eleven Passenger Saloons of Four Sleeping Chambers(cabins) each;Two Dining Cars with onboard Kitchen; Bar Lounge Saloon; & facilities of Conference Space,Business Center,Mini Gymnasium,Aryuvedic Spa center.

Royal Orient :

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Started In	:	1994-95.
Route	:	Delhi-Chittorgarh – Udaipur – Palitana – Somnath – Diu – Ahmedpur – Mandvi – Sasangir National Park – Junagarh – Ahmedabad – Jaipur – Delhi
Duration	:	07 Nights / 08 Days .
Season	:	September – April
Cost	:	175$-350$(October-March) or 132$-263$(April & September) per person per night depending on the type of occupancy. (not including liquor,laundry ,video camera expenses)
Description	:	The train covers some of the most exotic and lustrous destinations comprising of serene lakes, ancient temples, beautiful sea resorts and it also provides you an opportunity to closely monitor the rich wildlife of Rajasthan and Gujarat. A restaurant car is attached with the train to provide you Indian, continental, Chinese as well as Rajasthani and Gujarati cuisine. Additional facilities include a well stocked bar & a library.

The Fairy Queen :

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Started In	:	1855-1908 , 1997-Present.
Route	:	Delhi – Alwar – Sariska – Delhi
Duration	:	2 Days .
Season	:	October-March.
Cost	:	48$-165$ per person per night depending on the depth of travel(1 way/2way,Sariska travel etc).
Description	:	It holds the Guinness World Record for being the oldest working Steam locomotive in regular operation. This train has got only a first class chair car having 50 seats and a pantry car for on board catering. The train will stop at every major destination and the ambience of it will provide you an excellent opportunity to feel like a maharaja as you travel through the royal land.

Other fantastic luxury trains include Heritage on Wheels, Royal Rajasthan on Wheels ,India on Wheels etc .

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Ref :

http://www.visit2india.net/


http://www.famousinindia.com/famous_trains_in_india.html


http://www.irfca.org/faq/faq-seltrain.html

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