The way RTA road test is conducted is that there is an inspector sitting on the front passenger seat of the car, a student on the driver’s seat, and three students on the back seat. Each student in the car is given a chance to drive and perform “stunts” like lane-change, left-turn, right-turn, entering the circle (roundabout) and so on.
So the first student gets a chance to reverse the car and take it out of the driving institute, and the last student gets to park the car back in the parking. The students in between just have to drive on the road.
I happened to be the first student so I started off at the driving seat.
I conducted all the safety inspections, adjusted my seat and mirrors, and fastened the seat belt.
Everything was in order and I was good to go.
But when I started to reverse the car the inspector stopped me and asked me to look at the dashboard. I looked at the dashboard and found the usual meters and indicators. I had no clue what he was talking about. He then specifically asked which light was lit on the dashboard. That’s when I noticed the door-open light was lit. Some asshole at the back did not shut the door properly and it wasn’t in my wildest imagination to look out for the door-open warning light. I totally missed it. Not an ideal way to start your road test!
Anyway, I requested everyone at the back to check their doors (after making sure it’s not my door) and I was ready again. But by that time I knew I had failed the test for not being able to check the readiness of the car before driving it. I believe the inspector let me drive further just out of sympathy. I had totally lost my spirits. Nevertheless, I took the car out of the institute gate and entered the main road (after following the stop sign, of course). Next was a circle and I had to make a right turn. So I signaled the right turn light and made the turn after making sure it was safe to enter the circle. Next I was told to change lane to the left. I followed the four points and began to change the lane after making sure that the truck on my back is at a safe distance away. But halfway through the lane the inspector grabbed my steering wheel and pulled it back in the lane (apparently the truck on my back was not at a distance safe enough). He then ordered me to park the car on the right shoulder. That was it for me. It was next student’s turn and I knew beyond a shadow of doubt that I had failed the test. All of this took hardly a couple of minutes. Three minutes tops.
I really felt like strangling the asshole who did not shut the door properly and cost me my road test. But I did not want to end up in jail so I let him go.
So that’s how my first attempt of road test went.
Let’s see how many it takes to nail it.
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- Buying a car in Dubai – Part 2
