Video of the week: Indian driving test
There are allegations of racism and colonial mentality when it comes to transferring a foreign driving licence to a local one here. But given how driving tests in countries such as India are conducted, along with experience only in random low-speed unstructured traffic, maybe the bias is a good thing in this case.
Comments
vivek
i guess it differs from state to state though..coz in kerala, u gotta do an “H” …and tat includes a series of backing up and goin forward all thru a path only as big as the car…however, gettin license frm an outside agent is very true…morever, in Kerala, if one has a Dubai license which is over a year old, then all the person gotta do is give a signal test, pay a fee of 1300 Ruppees…and BINGO..the license is yours!
However, there is one thing..no matter how good the driving techniques they teach here and worldwide be, its mostly of no use in India..and a good 95% of those who learned driving from countries such as the UAE will never ever be able to drive in India; or atleast, wont have enuf courage to go behind the wheels..Those who drive in India sure do not know enough International driving rules; but most of ’em do possess the best judgement skills whch even some of the arguably above average drivers here lack! Anyway, I myself had no troubles at all driving in India (I took my driving lessons from here in Dubai)..I feel it is more of courage and some good experience with the clutch that you need to drive thre!…
nywayz, these days, there is a new trend tat is coming up…dodging the chaos!!..yess..if one shall now go to Mumbai, they mebbe able to witness everything starting frm Hyundai Santros (Atos prime) and Getz, to stock and tuned Honda Civics and Accords to BMW 5 & 7 series doing dangerous manuevers and dodging the ever chaotic traffic!!..I myself was caught once while speeding and dodging in a Hyundai Getz @ 130 when i was in pursuit of an Innova who had cut me off dangerously earlier 😛 ..Crazy!! 😀
chris
well maybe in mumbai its like that, most southern states have a proper driving test unless you pay huge bribes. i cant comment about the north as i havent lived there.
Bijoy
Isnt that Jeremy Clarkson sitting next to the dude in the end of the video?? if so, the video must be really old!
vivek
^^^^^ the video is indeed very old..check out the number of ambassadors and old cars on the road….if they had to take a video now, ambassadors wud hav been a rare sight while one getting to see a lot many foreign cars..
Nanda
Hmmm well.. I had obtained the Indian driving licence in 1990 and was “rocking and rolling” in my Amby
Till I ‘evolved’ enough to get hold of an Omani driving licence 8 years later and the UAE licence in 06.
I abhorred driving in India till the last year when I was forced be around for a couple of months.
I found that the ‘lack of training ‘ was actually a boon because you gotta be more alert and look for potholes humans, poultry ,pigs cows, falling lampposts and the trailer bearing down on you bcz the driver had weighed down the gas pedal with a brick and fallen asleep.
I also discovered that the excitement and enjoyment does not essentially get better with the increased conveniences – it actually distracts the driver and dulls his mind.The beauty of driving lies in understanding your terrain and adapting to it–
In India the fun comes from the unpredictable nature of driving and having to be on the your toes ( hmm literally). In India driving is as much a cerebral excercise as a physical one.
Carazoo.com
Nice video 🙂