Driving in Mumbai

Learning to drive in Mumbai is not that difficult and even getting a license is not that difficult if it gets done through a driving school. All it takes is spending half an hour each day for learning the lessons, half day to get LLR and one full day in the RTO office to get DL. This is considering that the driving school persons will help you skip the massive queue lined up to sign in front of the officer before and after taking the driving test. The driving test depends on the mood of the officer taking the test. The officer has a really challenging job to do. The test is conducted for a group by one officer and each group consists of at least 8 – 10 people. The officer is supposed to ask each person ion the group to drive for at least half a km while testing the person on his driving skills. If the officer-in charge is tired or stressed out only 2-3 people in the group gets the test and rest are given license without even a test. Generally it’s the girls who are chosen to get the actual test and I was happy I got to drive for at least 100 metres, else I would have felt the guilt of getting license without driving.

Glimpse of Mumbai Traffic

The real challenge starts after getting the license and when one has to drive on potholed roads, with the never declining traffic amidst autos, trucks, buses and other vehicles. Its even worse, when there is a sudden bottle neck, raining profusely or when one has drive through elevated roads and curves. Imagine the situation when one has to pass through more than 3 or 4 hurdles mentioned above while driving. Some of them don’t even have the patience to wait for the green light at a traffic signal. It’s only after practicing hard for at least a year, one can become comfortable driving in the city… As for me I am still in the learning and practicing stage though I have got my DL almost 6 months back. I hope I can practice more and get adjusted to driving independently here soon.