Being the evangelist for freedom that I am, my freedom was constrained for a long time in the absence of a license to drive. I badly needed a driving license!
This one was much different. With my trainer at home freaking out and almost fainting the moment I touch the steering, or trying to help me by suggesting my every move from how much to push the gas pedal or pointing out that the light has turned green, I had a hard time practicing. The cops came to the rescue!! By cops I mean real cops, but driving teacher cops. They had immense faith in me and high hopes for me, which finally led to me practising in a church parking lot how to reverse and get into a parking slot and from there to normal city driving amidst heavy traffic, parking up and down hills and the like. It was good, it gave me a lot of confidence. More than that, it gave Arnab confidence enough to let me drive to Costco or Fred Meyers!
Finally, it was time enough to give it a try. I was taken to the DOL and a grumpy faced lady came to ask me the hand signals, tested if the indicators and brake lights were ok and finally got into the car. (Actually, before she got in, the passenger side door was locked and instead of unlocking it, I promptly rolled down the window :P) Anyway, she told me to drive out of the DOL parking lot and my skill test started.
I am not an over cautious person by nature, but during the drive test I tend to be one. I turned the signals on, looked both ways and then made turns. A colleague told me to "make exaggerated looks over the shoulder" and not a casual glance, so that the examiner knows that I am looking over the shoulder. I followed that. Then there were the complete stops at stop sign, count 1-5 and then go. Yes, I checked that off my list as well.
I was a bit worried about reversing round the corner. I still do not know why anyone with a sane mind would ever want to back round a corner. The example they give is backing out of an alley or a driveway. Personally for me, I would never buy a house with such a strange driveway! Anyway, as the rule goes - one can never argue with an examiner. So I didn't say anything and started to look at my side mirror and out of the back window and reversed round the corner of a neighbourhood road. I was happy when I could see the curb through my side mirror so I knew I was not going farther off than 18 inches.
Changing lanes is something that worries me most. It doesn't just depend on me but also on the drivers of the cars around me. Luckily, the place was not crowded at that time of the afternoon and also as I was in a driving school car, I guess those drivers wanted to keep a safe distance! (Who wouldn't with a student driver?) So that went well too.
Finally I came for parallel parking. It's not as difficult as students think it to be. You need to know what you are doing and which move of the steering would move the car in what way. You turn the steering all the way to the right, back up until you turn 45 degrees, back up straight into the slot and then straighten yourself up in the slot. When I did this right, I knew I was through!
I had to get in a normal parking slot after that and the examiner explained to me where I scored and where I lost points. Finally the verdict was "you qualified"!!
So now I get to join the millions of women drivers around the world!
[PS: My picture on the drivers license is not THAT BAD :)]
It is not my first one. I had my driving license in India but the less I talk about it, the better! A coworker of mine asked me if we need license to drive in India. I decided keeping quiet should be better than explaining what I was tested on there. (I was asked to drive around a park, all left turns and was done! No hand signals, no written test, nothing!)
Finally, it was time enough to give it a try. I was taken to the DOL and a grumpy faced lady came to ask me the hand signals, tested if the indicators and brake lights were ok and finally got into the car. (Actually, before she got in, the passenger side door was locked and instead of unlocking it, I promptly rolled down the window :P) Anyway, she told me to drive out of the DOL parking lot and my skill test started.
I am not an over cautious person by nature, but during the drive test I tend to be one. I turned the signals on, looked both ways and then made turns. A colleague told me to "make exaggerated looks over the shoulder" and not a casual glance, so that the examiner knows that I am looking over the shoulder. I followed that. Then there were the complete stops at stop sign, count 1-5 and then go. Yes, I checked that off my list as well.
Changing lanes is something that worries me most. It doesn't just depend on me but also on the drivers of the cars around me. Luckily, the place was not crowded at that time of the afternoon and also as I was in a driving school car, I guess those drivers wanted to keep a safe distance! (Who wouldn't with a student driver?) So that went well too.
Finally I came for parallel parking. It's not as difficult as students think it to be. You need to know what you are doing and which move of the steering would move the car in what way. You turn the steering all the way to the right, back up until you turn 45 degrees, back up straight into the slot and then straighten yourself up in the slot. When I did this right, I knew I was through!I had to get in a normal parking slot after that and the examiner explained to me where I scored and where I lost points. Finally the verdict was "you qualified"!!
So now I get to join the millions of women drivers around the world!
[PS: My picture on the drivers license is not THAT BAD :)]
4 comments:
Congratulations Sayari. amar license -er chhobita horrible jodio.
License ba ID'r chhobi ra to baje hoyar jonyei bikhyato :)
Arey bolo na, kodin ja gelo ar blog dekhbar time i pachhilam na :(
ha ha ha... eta pore i remember amader oi madox square er test and madhuri r hand signal with her baba sitting beside.
Oh absolutely! Janla theke haat ber kore phone dial korar action e left turn er signal dicchilo o!!! Ar amra goriye goriye hashcilam!!! :D :D :D
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