California Driving Test
February 9th, 2006 | by Digvijay Lamba |I learned driving from dad in the hills in Himachal and then drove once in a while when I was home in Delhi. As such, other than a few long distance trips and some local driving I have a decent but not continuous driving experience in India.
Now I have been travelling off and on to Bay Area in California for the last one year and have been driving almost since day one… I know many of you have heard several California Driving Test stories and well I have one to tell. Now in all my time driving here for the last one year or so I think I have done pretty well. Don’t get me wrong… it did take me a few days to get the hang of right side driving and a lot tips from some knowledgable friends to find out the more obscene rules. I have most definetely had a few calls where did something not strictly legal… but nothing even close to major. But as such, and my friends can cover me here, I do believe I drive reasonably well. I have even driven down to Las Vegas from Sunnyvale and back (sharing with one other driver) which was nearly 500 miles of freeway driving. As such logic say I should think tomorrow’s driving test is going to be a walk in the park.
But, hell, I have had a terrible time giving driving tests. You see, this is my second round of testing… the first time I failed two tests 
. Both times I cleared the written with only 1-2 mistakes (and I am not saying it for sympathy) but I had the worst time ever testing.
The very first behind the wheel test had me failing within my first 100 meters. I driving out of the DMV make a left into a middle lane (with two yellows on the side… the one for turning)… I ask the tester if I should turn? he says… keep going. So I keep going straight. Only the thing is, that the lane is meant only for turns… I fail. I would call it serious miscommunication.
The second time I have a great patient driving experience for 10 minutes and I can tell I am doing fine. The instructor is happy… laid back. I am almost back to the DMV and am at the exact SAME intersection as last time but coming in the reverse direction. Now this intersection has no traffic lights but stop signs on all four directions. The guy coming from the road perpendicular to me on my right reaches the intersection at stops almost exactly at the same time as me. (I think I reached first… but whatever) Now I know I am being tested … and it’s like he is being tested too. So I wait… going by the principal that it’s better safe than sorry. I am waiting… and I am guessing thinking like me he is waiting too. Now I am nervous… have I waited too long? I have heard of people failing for being too cautious!!! So I wait a few more seconds… the tester is looking cool… but I decided I have waited too long and the other guy’s probably waiting for me too. So I start… as luck would have it he starts too and then both of us stop. Now I think.. the guys i s smart enough to see whats going on… and I see the other guy waiting… so I take the plunge and drive through. Guess what??? I failed!!!! the friggin rule says that if two people reach the intersection at the exact same time… the one on the right has the right of way. Friggin bloody rules and friggin testers.
So as you can see… it is with some terpidation and lack of faith towards the fairness of the system that I go for the test tomorrow. If I fail… you can be sure my one year of driving in california roads is a good testament to the stupid driving testers.
-wish me luck
Digvijay
Tags: Driving Test, Interesting
2 Responses to “California Driving Test”
By Abhishek Goyal on Feb 9, 2006 | Reply
This is funny … Inzamam’s frustration about cricket rules – “I am given out when i stop the ball and when i don’t”. My car is at home now. Need to start learning to drive soon.
By AB on Feb 15, 2006 | Reply
Did you pass ?