This is India: Driver's Test

Last Summer I started driving. When we moved here I never thought I would ever consider driving in this country. However, the more I rode around the more I started thinking about it. It seemed silly that I couldn’t drive the 10 minutes to my in-laws by myself. That I had to wait around for a driver or taxi to come and get me was really wearing on me. For one reason, they’re always late. So I started driving myself. Usually only during low traffic times and on roads where I wouldn’t encounter too many other cars. I soon was racing through high traffic zones, scaring my wife along the way. It seemed it was time to get my driver’s license, if for no other reason than to have a valid ID.

I went down to the Licensing location and filled out an application. The guy sitting on the street who helped me fill it out, told me that if I wanted I could get the “special” license that would not require a driver’s test. I was basically given the decision of which is a better story: going through a driver’s test in Kolkata or bribing my way into a driver’s license in a foreign country? Both had great potential. I decided to go with the test, since this was almost $100 less and not illegal.

A month passed by and I was finally going to the testing location. I went with my driver and my father in law’s assistant. The two of them were standing outside the car while we were waiting for my turn. Suddenly they opened my door and asked me to get in the driver’s seat. They wanted me to drive. I saw this is a “pre test.” Neither of them had seen me drive and I think they were a little nervous. So I drove around the block without incident. However, when I got back to our parking spot, I quickly swung the car into place. Some might call this a perfect parallel parking job. These two, however, got freaked out and begged me to drive slow during the test. I agreed to this condition.

Another hour passed and finally the guy who helped me with the application came running up to us. The driver took us to a nearby park. The street was packed with cars and people taking tests. He asked me to get in the car, he then explained the hand signals for indicating turning directions. Strangely, these were slightly different than the ones I was taught in the US. He told me to drive around the block and indicate with my hands when turning. However, he was not going to be in the car for this. It was just me and my driver. So I drove around the block and came back to the busy street. I got out of the car and talked to the person who seemed to be running the show. He looked at my application and my passport then gave them back to me and told me to leave. We all got back in the car and I assumed that I would soon have my “real” test. Wrong. That was it. Driving around the block by yourself is a driving test.

I waited another two hours before being taken to the head of the line (skipping passed about 100 Indians standing there) to get my photo taken and signed a paper. Then I was done.

I later found out that this guy had told my father in law’s assistant that since my American Passport had a different address then my local Kolkata address (duh) I would have to pay an extra Rs.2000. My father in law started to get angry and within a week, everything was set. Within a few weeks the license was delivered and my driving has become officially sanctioned.

Booyah.