Road Transport Authority seemed to have made a slight yet good makeover. Driver’s Learning License which was once a ritual is now determined by one’s traffic and driving knowledge. In the earlier era, the staff of driving school used to take the signature of a person requiring a license on a prescribed form, and fix an appointment with the transport officer. The practical test was just a ritual. After that, in a week or so, one could get Driving License. It is not so now.
Today, I attended a learner’s driving test. It was not a practical driving test; it was a computer-based one to test an aspirant’s knowledge but not skill. I, who has been driving for the last twenty years, failed in the test! The test examines a person’s knowledge about road signs, and also about what one does in certain critical driving situations.
When I was on a trip to my home village and on the way to railway station, a small truck which came in on reverse gear and hit my car on its bonnet no matter how loudly I cried saying he (one coming in the reverse direction) was wrong ; he was unable to apply brakes. I realized that the driver, probably new to driving, was not adequately familiar with use of gears and brakes. His mistake cost me Rs.20000. This driver must be an employee, and must have been engaged without his driving skills verified. Effective driving tests are a must to avoid loss of this kind to the innocent citizens and their families.
The Road Transport Office was in an utter mess when the server was down and the waiting lines were quite long. They have no alternative. Any Transport Commissioner should visit the transport offices, come like a ordinary citizen and find for himself what happens in the grueling queues. This is what the illustrious TTD Executive Officer, Mr. IYR Krishna Rao did; he stood in line like an ordinary citizen to get to know of the service given to devotees.
