BHPian handsofsteel recently shared this with other enthusiasts: The last time I posted my refreshing personal experience at Delhi’s Traffic Courts, I received many PMs with further queries from members many of who were motivated to go down that route rather than pay bribes. Several got back on completion of their endeavours expressing their gratitude. The thread can be found here A year or so later, I found myself having to get a DL for my kid who has recently turned 18. Did some research on Google and found that driving tests these days at NCR are on an automated test track with minimal manual intervention. A YouTube video is attached for referenceDriving License Test: Following are the steps1. Apply online for a Learner’s License. Take a printout of the same. We couldn’t. More on that later. 2. Learn how to drive. (Enrol in a driving school if you want to.We did.) 3. Book a slot online for a Test (date of test at least 1 month after issue of LL). 4. Appear for the test. Simple, isn’t it? But as we were to find out, it was anything but that. Prima facie, it seemed as simple as the passport appointment. We booked the first slot and reached half an hour early. I had to borrow a friend’s car as we only have automatics and I wanted an all inclusive license for my kid (old habits of questionable utility). We had taken along the only document that could be printed from the website, the fee receipt along with the appointment confirmation. First jolt – A notice at the gate stated we needed pre-filled Form 1,3, LL printout and a medical certificate. There was no such list of documents on the website. Just as I was rushing home to get these, a guy materialised out of thin air and said he’d give everything at 20rs a print. Adamant at not yielding to these guys, I went home only to realise that none of these documents could be printed from the website. There was simply no option. Tried 5-6 times, but to no avail. Called up my wife who, in her infinite wisdom had already approached the guy who charged 100/- and gave the complete set (he clarified that the medical certificate was not required). He refused to share the url with my wife indicating a virtual monopoly/backdoor accessible to him and not to the common man. Jolt 2 – The test centre opened exactly 45 mins late with staff straggling in. Our kid lined up for the test among the first lot and was asked to go to the 2 wheeler test first. Only the applicants are allowed inside the gate with the vehicles. No mobile phones / dashcams etc are allowed beyond this point. Having waited 30 mins in line, the kid was then told to go for the 4 wheeler test and then come back for the 2 wheeler test. By this time, the 4 wheeler track was full and we had to wait for more than an hour. Throughout this wait, touts kept approaching us with a guaranteed result offer. Charge – 5000/-. Jolt 3 – At about 11:15, our car, driven confidently by our kid (owing to hours of a tyrannical training regime at home and the calm driver from the driving school), rode to the first boom barrier wherein after a detailed check for all electronic devices, the test began with a reverse S. The kid sailed through the same, followed by parallel parking, traffic stop and the figure of 8. At the end of the figure of eight, with the incline remaining, there were two outlets, both leading to the approach to the gradient. One of them labelled EXIT and the other blank. Having seen others go through the EXIT, the kid also drove through this onto the gradient when the car was stopped and asked to leave as having failed. Reason given was “exited the track area voluntarily.” Point to be noted – there was no route Map/ briefing before the test etc given to the candidates. A few of the candidates were seen arguing with the staff and writing letters of protest. Jolt 4 – as the kid went for the 2 wheeler test next, realised that the front right indicator was not working. (All had been checked at home but the silly thing had a mind of its own). The kid proactively pointed it out to the inspector before the test and was promptly sent home without even appearing for the test. Request to use a fellow candidate’s vehicle was turned down stating that in a 24 hr period a vehicle could come on camera only once. Therefore you can’t borrow a vehicle from anyone. (for hire Tata nanos at 1000 rs a pop were being used by many which didn’t seem to bother anyone though). I took it as a good lesson for the kid and was planning to come back when I was approached by 3 people offering to help us clear the tests with a promise of payment only after getting the test results. Indignant, I marched off with the kid in tow lecturing about moral values and bribery. I came back and in the course of a casual conversation, told my friend about this. He was quick to share his identical experience from 6 months back. Another gentleman dropped by and corroborated the same through his experience. Both have been driving for over 20 years. In every case, people had been failed for parallel parking. In both their cases, considering a paucity of time, they utilised the touts and paid them 5 k each. (Different centres). The modus operandi then went like this, they were handed a phone at the first boom barrier which was put on speaker and placed between their legs on the seat. The inspector in the high mast/observation tower the guides you through every stage including wheel kaato, slow down, speed up etc. according to one of them, he simply ignored everything that was said and drove normally. At the end of the track, the attendant collects the phone back and stamps passed on the forms. We didn’t want to leave anything to chance. Having paid a further 300/- as fees, successful parallel parking runs everywhere at Karol Bagh (practical training imparted twice a day by yours truly), up-gradient starting at a nearby feature and enough figure of 8s to make one’s head spin, we went for the 2nd attempt after a week. This time, the kid was failed in the parallel parking test – no reasons given. Cleared the two wheeler test though. Again approached by several touts and turned everyone down. Interestingly, saw a lady driver bemoaning her 3rd failure in an automatic creta for having brushed the kerb. Her husband went and paid the tout, she was asked to go in again after 30 mins (rules stipulate a 3 month waiting after the 3rd failure). Asked the tout what would we get in lieu of the fee, wherein he described the same above process , as narrated by my friends, to the T. After an intense debate at home, my kid is adamant to pass it by merit in the 3rd attempt next week. This time, I am on the verge of losing my resolve and don’t know if I can keep borrowing a car and sparing time for this seemingly futile endeavour. Next time, after 3 months. Here I am, feeling like a hypocrite and wondering what lessons we are imparting to our next generation. The more things change, the more they remain the same. The system does corrupt everyone over time, sure, but do they need to start under this premise that a bribe is the only way out to get things done? I really don’t know what to do if the kid’s failed again. For the record, I would trust my kid now in traffic with my super car, if I had one Check outBHPian commentsfor more insights and information.
