Driving Licence application + India + Confusion = Well, Confusion.

Actually, it's not even a Licence application.

It's a Learner's Licence application.

We had to get ourselves down to the Regional Transport Office (Road Transactions, rather) in Andheri, which is an hour away from home.

Now here's what they normally do.

1) If you've enrolled with one, the driving school gives you a big chart which has common road signs and signals and vehicle laws and which number they come under. (E.g. U/S 126: No person driving or in charge of a motor vehicle shall cause or allow the vehicles [where did the second vehicle come from?] to remain stationary in any public place, unless there is in the driver's seat a person duly licensed to -- Oh, forget it. here's what it means: No driver can leave his car unattended in the middle of the street.)

 Snippet of the chart. With spelling mistakes. (Click and zoom if not clear.)

They give you this sheet a day before the test and say that the officials may 'ask you questions. Please read / learn well.'

2) You are made to stand in a line like

 (off thehindu.com)

Even that's not explanatory enough. Well, it is my fault. I forgot to click pictures of the thousand-odd people swarming around the different blocks of the Office.

Anyway, the point is, you have to wait for so much longer if you've come all by yourself. The driving institute guy stood in line for us, at least.

3) The inspector will not ask you a SINGLE question about how the sign telling you to turn right RIGHT NOW

is different from the sign to turn right AHEAD:

(wikimedia)

4)
You know what? This is boring. I'm not doing finishing this.

I think what's important is the fact that we got out of there in one piece, and that I can start learning from Monday.


(PS/ Disclaimer: Road safety is important and so are signs... For the common folk, that is; not everyone is as smart as I am.)