NEW santro Driving school, OLD ways of business. Review on Learning to Drive

In the start of my career, I promised myself a car at the end of 4 years of my job. Here was the 4th anniversary approaching, and I was raring to gift myself. But I had two issues, firstly should I buy a first hand or a second hand car, and secondly, since I have not driven anything for the last 4 years, how will be my reflexes and that too in a overcrowded traffic of Bangalore.

The answer of the first doubt was in a way simple. I decided to go for a good second hand car, either a Maruti Zen or a Hyundai Santro. Since Zen is no more in the production line, Santro had a upper hand in my favorite list.

Now came the issue of the ease and the command on the driving seat. I used to drive in my college days but the roads in my city were vacant and broad. So before investing money on a car, I thought it to be a good idea to try my hands on some other car, preferably a driving school. Since santro was my choice of the car, I approached the NEW SANTRO DRIVING SCHOOL, Old Airport Road.

I had a plan of driving for 3-4 classes and then decide whether driving in Bangalore is my cup of tea or not. These Driving school guys did not like my idea initially for just 3-4 classes. They tried to push me for the complete course - the driving license test(as I already have one). After a lot of negotiation they gave me a price of 900 bucks for 3 hours of training. Well this was expensive but very cheap than hitting a friends car while doing a test drive and paying for the damage.

I opted for weekend classes, and I was asked to call the assigned trainer a day before the schedule only to get the time slot. The first day I did so, and the training went smooth. I drove for 1 hour and covered some 10 kms. The trainer was focusing on my gear shifts, road presence, steering control. He also dedicated some 10 mins for the 1st gear clutch accelerator synchronization on plain as well as steep surface. I was impressed by the guidance being provided and also that I was still in good touch with a car.

The next schedule was the next weekend. Saturday I was out of the city, so I opted for Sunday. When I tried calling my trainer to fix a time, I got his phone switched off. I kept on trying the complete weekend, but got the same response. I didn't have the energy to go to their office again, so I just calmed myself and planned a visit to their office next Saturday.

Next Saturday when I reached there, I was informed that the trainer has changed his number and they provided me his new number. I wanted an explanation, as me being a customer, why I was not informed about the change in the phone number. I just did not get a satisfactory answer and hence I dumped the topic. I called up my trainer, and Sunday 12 noon time was fixed. This time was a bit suspicious as I knew the driving school office closes at 12. I re-confirmed the time, and I was assured that the trainer will report on time. Sunday came and so did the 12 noon time. I had called at 11.15 am and reconfirmed the place and time. In spite of that the trainer did not turn up. I waited for half an hour, and also tried calling from my cellphone, and 2 other PCO Booths, but that guy did not pick up the calls. I wanted to blast them off, but since their office timing was over, I kept my anger within myself for the next weekend.

Next Saturday, I just barged into their office and did a quite amount of blasting, before I could contact to their Boss, Mr. Imran / Irfan. After I told him my experience of the last 2 weeks and demanded my money back, they came in to action and within 15 mins I was standing in front of my trainer. He tried to give excuses for his behaviour of the previous week, but then what I wanted was another 2 hours of steering wheel. I just jumped in the back seat and after the slotted time of the trainee learning to drive, I took over the wheels. I was in good touch, and directly hit the old airport road and then in the Inner Ring Road. Hey I am not that bad as I was suspecting. I just loved the drive. I wanted to finish over the remaining 1 hour this weekend only and set early morning slot for Sunday.

The trainer was 15 minutes late on Sunday. But he did a makeup of the lost time by giving me 15 more minutes to drive. He was focusing mainly on my weak link of the clutch accelerator synchronization while staring in 1st gear. Done that, I took the car for a long stretch. So I drove from Marathalli to Domlur. The trainer also gave an introduction of the engine components and the oils and lubricants. In the last he asked for a gurudakshina, and I just handed him 50 bucks. He was not happy, and neither was I.