Got my LL

I got my learner's license to drive a 4-wheeler! Contrary to most people, I'm completely comfortable driving in India, even after spending 12+ years in the US. I never had any qualms about driving here, even on my infrequent visits to India when I lived in the US.

The experience of getting the license was, at best, eminently forgettable. We (Sahana & I) went to the RTO (Road Transportation Officer) office in Yeswantpur. Earlier, we paid Rs.1300 to a "driving school" to do the paperwork for us to help push the thing through faster. We were asked to meet a person at the branch office of the driving school which was located on the premises of the RTO office. However, when we reached the place, we found a large, disorganized group of people clamoring to get their license (learner's or permanent). Believe it or not, it took the guy at the counter an hour to get to my papers, and all he did was stick my photo to it and fill a few fields with some information. Then, he sent us to the RTO and asked me to take the test.

When we walked up the stairs to the room where I was supposed to take the test, I noticed the red stains where people had spit "paan" on the walls. For the umpteenth time, I was puzzled by the huge difference in the thought processes of humans in India which made them think that it was OK to spit inside a building!

Before taking the test, I had to get my papers checked by an officer and for this, I was asked to go to a different room. Here, there was a long bench, where people had to sit on while they awaited their turn to be called by the officer. However, there was no queuing system in place. People who came to the bench after me would casually walk past me and sit in an empty space somewhere in front of me! Ethics and morality appear to have no place in the lower elements of Indian society! It's not as if they do it because they want to break the rules. It's because they're not aware that there are rules to follow. I realized this when another guy came in and tried to break into the line in front of me and I told him firmly to go to the back of the queue. I was surprised at how apologetic and polite he was in his response.

The test was quite easy, although I got a few answers wrong. Still, I passed and that's all that matters! The whole process took about 3 hours :(. I wonder how long it would have taken if we hadn't paid Rs.1300 to the driving school. Anyway, there's a waiting period of 1 month before I'm allowed to apply for a permanent driving license.