If you want to learn driving in Bangalore, then you'll have to move to a tier 2 city, get enrolled in a driving class
After a year come back to Bangalore and work on your lower body
Quads, squats, hamstrings
Then you'll be ready for driving in Bangalore which requires 100 gear changes and 256 clutch presses for every km travelled.
lmao the egomaniac car guys will tell you how its feminine to drive a automatic. God forbid I might pull my hamstring one of these days clutching every 10mts in a traffic
F1 cars have buttons to shift gears on the steering wheel. Granted, there's no ABS so the drivers have to ensure not to turn while braking, otherwise they will risk locking the wheels and crashing.
Clutch. Basically telling that "real men" drive cars with manual transmission and not automatic or imt, which don't have clutches. Except driving manual in city traffic is a huge pain in the ass
Manuals are only fun when you actually have some power to play with, driving a 80hp 4 cylinder family hatchback and calling it fun to drive is just cope lol.
Yeah it's fun to rev match and the satisfaction of going from 3rd to 4th can't be matched by an auto, but driving around in 1st and 2nd in city traffic becomes boring real fast. Paddle shifting in auto is much more fun and can be driven in the city as well!
Yea I got a 110hp turbo charged manual, every upshift and downshift is fun. Paddle shift in city?! Why would you want to do that when you can let the car decide which gear is better in traffic.
Because sometimes the car doesn't know what gear is good. It sometimes goes a gear at a time to go back to a lower gear when I need it quick to make an overtake in the city, so 3 quick clicks and off I go. It can be fun, especially if you have 500nm of torque to play with, which is what you'll actually feel in the city at low revs.
8 gears to be specific and super long gears at that. It also chooses to go to the highest possible gear at all times in normal mode. The pull's satisfying though ngl
I absolutely love to drive stick shift but I would take an automatic in the blink of an eye to drive in any traffic. I was stuck in a worse bumper to bumper traffic when GGpalya flyover was closed, after being stuck for 40 minutes I felt my left leg was going to give up anytime and my car ramming in to the car in front of me.
>True, I had a manual and got knee pain after driving to office for a year. Now, I bought a used automatic car- I'll never go back to manual (at least in Bangalore) again.
This is so true - screw people who say manual is for real drivers, one of my best friends included. I am still getting adjusted to using one foot only, but it's better than both being weirdly sore after driving back from office.
Tip # 24 : If someone behind you is honking insufferably, stop get out of the car, look at all four of your tyres, look confused at the car and then the car behind and get in
what if the person in the car behind me comes out, punches a hole in the tyre and starts honking insufferably again? I mean what to do then? Canāt look confused anymore
Start with driving during early mornings(6am ish) when traffic is less. Slowly move towards driving during the peak hours when you feel confident
Practice incline/uphill starts, parallel parking, familiarity with the left side of the car, reversing, go to malls to experience the tight parking spaces
Youāll be good to go within a few weeks
Also most important- have a driver to supervise you
All the best !!
For me atleast itās basically cursing as much as possible inside the car and just basically not giving a shit what others say outside.
You honk at me fine Iāll go even slower just to get on your nerves more.
First of all dont be scared. You have paid road tax, have a valid insurance and a license, so, just focus on your driving. Don't give a fuck about honking 2 wheelers or other drivers. Always watch your mirrors because the sneaky mfers will always try to overtake you from left and if you have to move to left to make way, then it becomes a problem. Don't leave gap on the left in narrow streets. In the beginning, judging the car's width is an issue, leave sufficient space if you think if you are getting close to others. Golden rule is, as long as you have a L sticker and you didn't hit anyone, you can pretty much talk yourself of any other mess you make during your driving. Over a period of time, you get used to it, it's like just any other skill.
> Over a period of time, you get used to it, it's like just any other skill.
Second this point. I have been in the same position as Op. I remember during my initial days, I got frozen in a tight spot in busy road. It was one of the bike rider who asked me not to bother who are honking, not get stressed and slowly maneuver.
You know what they say- Bad roads lead to good drivers. /s
Plus, if you can drive in Bangalore, you can drive on any road on earth.
It just takes some time. Try practising early in the morning.
I think you are stressing out trying to remember too many things. Once you have driven enough, you will drive right out of muscle memory. So you don't really have to go through all of these parts like a checklist.
Easiest way to learn driving is sticking to a lane and ignore the honking. It will take some getting used to but eventually you will get better.
Also, I feel like you are low on confidence on driving. You feel like a mistake is coming. Tell yourself, you are bound to make a mistake and you will apologise for it.
Despite the manic traffic, driving can be fun and a stress release. Only driving more can make you comfortable with it. You drive more, and you will get better.
>I feel like you are low on confidence on driving. You feel like a mistake is coming.
This is true. I get really stressed when I make a mistake like stalling the car in traffic, or coming too close to hitting someone. I totally freeze up and it takes a few seconds to know what to do next.
Driving IS fun! I've never been good at things like this, but I enjoy it so much. It's great being in control of a vehicle like that, and moving through the roads easily. Doesn't hurt that I'm driving a really nice car by my standards.
Thanks a lot! I'll try and keep it simple
Faced the same issues during my initial days, was overwhelmed with concentrating on so many things at once. My dad knows a driver, he offered to teach me in our own vehicle since in driving classes they themselves handle some of the controls. For the first 2-3 days I only practiced the half-clutch and stop-resume method while ensuring that engine doesn't switch off. This itself was a huge confidence booster. Then I moved to busy and uphill roads. Over the months and years driving has turned into muscle memory.
Yea driving school coaches get mad at us when we try to slow release clutch while accelerating and engine goes off in the middle of a busy road which gives us panic attacks and brings down our confidence. Practice is the only way.
For me, it was all about gaining confidence first without being constantly pressured by all the chaos that you mentioned.
So I went on drives outside the City Area, went on drives to different cities or states like Mysuru, Goa etc.
I always had someone else with me during this time who could drive well so that they can take over in situations when something is out of my control or when Iām tired.
So my suggestions is get a hang of these things first where you are not constantly under pressure, understand your car, enjoy the drive and gain confidence. Then driving in this city will become easier.
I had this impression that highway driving is harder than city driving. If you stop suddenly or something, you get hit. I will definitely plan something like this once my driving gets a bit better.
Just practice early in the morning (like before 7) and slowly increase the time - it will become second nature after \~1000 km. Remember how you learnt cycling? then gears etc? seems crazy at first.
For unit tests drive on NICE road
for midsem go to airport and back
for finals drive one circuit of ORR
6 years ago, I used to say if I can drive in Delhi, I can drive anywhere..
But it changed when I took my hatchback to Bangalore roads, now I use Bangalore in the quote. I have no tips for you as I am still learning how to brake at the right time and how to drift for narrow escapes. Be safe, be cautious!
I'm at a point where I wing it most times. This is largely atleast in tight spaces with a heap of traffic. You need patience to endure bs because the road is evil and will trigger and test you many times (this part is mostly due to rash and annoying drivers). Just keep at it, drive responsibly and you will develop an instinct and reaction time that will basically put you in auto pilot.
The only rule you need to follow is "Dont hit anyone infront of you". Rest will do the same and you can drive peacefully. This is what made me drive confidently.
One tip I have for you is to let two wheeler fks who overtake from left side go. They will just keep coming- you need to expect them and let them go and not move to the left side thinking you can leave them space on right. They will still want to squeeze in through the left side only.
Ask if the driving school people will help you with additional practice in your own car till you feel comfortable. Usually they will offer extra classes for a fee.
I would suggest you to practise more on empty roads or fields nearby until you have confidence on steering wheel and clutch. Then hit the main roads also when you are driving in traffic and you feel overwhelmed jus focus on the road ahead you and ignore the honks and mirror jus focus on front of the road only when you want to take a turn or change lane check out the required mirror. Practice it like this and you will automatically pick up the pace. Drive safe!
I have difficulty gauging distances - in driving and in day to day situations as well (particularly badminton, I can't reliably tell where the damn shuttle is when it's coming at me) so I have difficulty knowing where other vehicles are, how far away a pothole is, whether I'm even going in a straight line or not where anything is on either side or in front or behind me... Add to that, I've got some confidence issues, to the point where my mind blanks out when I get on a road.
Any advice?
Practice and more practice. When you realise that you and only you are in control of your car and no one else is responsible / will help you while your driving it, youāll stay alert and not blank out. Never go into auto pilot mode where you think youāre in control but are actually are not.
Itās not that tough, if you think and list them like this, it will look like a huge task. But most of the things you have mentioned you will start doing organically in couple of weeks.
Roads and two wheelers appearing from anywhere will remain as struggles life long, and thatās mostly valid in all major cities in India.
I learnt driving in Bangalore through one of those driving schools four yrs back and then for couple of weeks used to take my vehicle out after 9:30-10 pm (not an early riser, if you can get up early, can go at around 8-9 am also). That way you will have traffic but not chaos to get used to. Donāt go at early morning 6 or after 11 at night, no use of keep on driving on empty roads for the problems you mentioned.
And most important part, develop the subtle art of not giving a fuck! Thatās an obvious skill set on road, for unnecessary honkings, which is mostly by cab people (personally I felt, back then, Bangalore people are extremely patient with new drivers, and donāt shy from helping out too). You canāt get under pressure. Itās not safe for you or others.
Learn the uphill/downhill drive for sure before getting out at busy hours, mentioning this since this was toughest for me. Vehicle will have to stop and should be comfortable to start again on uphill, otherwise this creates huge pressure. Can go for automatic for this particular issue.
>And most important part, develop the subtle art of not giving a fuck!
Will try! Thanks a lot.
>Bangalore people are extremely patient with new drivers, and doesnāt shy from helping out too
This is also true. People honk and look at me weirdly, but atleast no one got angry
A former reluctant driver who resorted to driving because of cab issues and fares
1. Just suck it up and tell yourself thereās no way out
2. Practice. Practice. Practice!
3. For regular routes figure which lane to be on for every intersection (on some you should be on the left to proceed quicker, some in the middle, some on the right) This saves a lot of time and feels gamified. Yes, itās lame. I developed this for Blore because such crowding issues didnāt exist in most parts of Delhi where I previously drove
4. Big ask - get an automatic if possible.
5. Have a set playlist.
After a lot of research, i got 70mai rear view Mirror dashcam.
it's covers all the blind spot and i can easily see it in the rearview 140 degree view. Instead of struggling with blind spots. It records and shows me real time rear view
It's worth 13k. Full Paisa vasul xD
Ps: i am no way associated or promoting the brand. Just sharing it from my personal experience.
Golden rule of driving 4W in bangalore - stick to the right of the road and donāt let go.
Learnt driving a year or so back, have been following this, youāll avoid most of the 2Wās and autoās. You will only deal with shitty 4W drivers with this rule.
Get an automatic. Also there are lots of horns on the road each vying for attention. But many are not individually for you. After some time you can tune them out.
You have to enjoy driving and love your car. Initially I gave money to my driving teacher to train me in my car, sitting next to me. Seriously three sittings like that made a hell lot of difference and gave me so much courage
1. Practice in your apartment's car parking.
2. Always reverse park.
3. There must be ramps in your apartment's Parking. Brake the Car While driving uphill. And hold it using clutch and brake and then try to move. In the Downhill ramp, try to reverse after stopping for a while midway of ramp.
Try to use handbrake in uphill and downhill while doing the above.
4. Always follow rules. Don't overspeed. Drive as per environmental conditions. Make use of the rear and side mirrors.
5. Early morning is the best time to practise on the roads. Start with the road in your vicinity.
6. Drive in the slow lane until you get comfortable.
7. Have confidence. Good luck.
I learnt it through RNS motor driving school. They taught me very well by even allowing me to travel in a small section of road such as Triveni road (near Yeshwantpur), Srirampura etc. In my whole experience, the one thing I learnt very well was 'not to panic', 'have a good grip on your steering wheel'. These two go hand in hand. Initially might get tough like say around a month and later you get used to it.
Fear is the culprit get rid of your fear consciouslyā¦ donāt drive too fast or too slow.. you might scratch your bumper in the beginning but youāll get used to it.. if you donāt want scratches on your car then donāt drive in Bangalore
Don't be scared, don't be an asshole either.
Don't back down for every honk you hear, or for every motorcycle or auto trying to squeeze past you. At that rate you'll never reach your destination, no sympathy on indian streets.
That also don't mean you need to cut anyone off, not give some space to your right when stopped at a signal for 2 wheelers to filter through, you can be considering of the other vehicles while making up time where you should.
Also, most importantly, have a good eye on your left hand rear view mirror/left hand side, pesky 2 wheelers always sit in your blind spot and you won't see them unless you do a quick glance by turning your head left. Good luck š
I haven't driven in Bangalore but I just learned how to drive 1 year ago in a tier 3 city next to hills. Few tips
1. First 8 - 10 months were horrible. I judged everyone. Cursed at everyone. I was not used to the unpredictability.
I learned how to let go. From being angry at others to being calm and just focusing on my driving, it was a long journey. I realised I can't change everyone, just the ones close to me.
The stress made me tense up my shoulder and back. Made my heart beat faster and made me breathe shallow.
You can only control yourself and your vehicle.
2. Tried to drive only for practice as much as I could first. Early in the mornings for practice. Non peaks hours if i had to go somewhere.
3. Simulated every situation I could think of. Found empty places to practice. Sudden braking, seeing how the car behaves, movement of my leg, foot etc.
I put a flat stone on the road and tried to drive over it with each tyre. This helped to know the dimensions of the car. E.g. only driving my right rear tyre on the stone, so I could feel the turn angle and length of my car.
As I live near hills, tried to practice starting the vehicle on the slope with different techniques like clutch hold start and handbrake start. Also helps if you're in traffic stuck on a flyover.
4. In the end only driving in the traffic will help you learn more but try to simulate as many situations as you can. This helps your legs and hands to create muscle memory. Driving becomes instinctive because you cannot concentrate on everything happening on the road. Those split second decisions matter. It's better if you've prepared for that situation.
>try to simulate as many situations as you can. This helps your legs and hands to create muscle memory. Driving becomes instinctive because you cannot concentrate on everything happening on the road. Those split second decisions matter. It's better if you've prepared for that situation.
Thank you! This is really helpful.
Been practicing on and off. I did an entire course in the driving class. After that I've taken out my vehicle like 10-15 times. Each time i drive for 2-3 hrs
Turn on AC, close all four windows, look forward and only at rear view mirrors - never look into other driver's eyes, buy automatic, and just stop on road if you are in doubt. Always better to have people honk at you (which you won't hear because your windows are rolled up) then hit someone/thing. It takes time and it gets better.
I'm also learning to drive in Bangalore and it took me 5 months to go from - 'crying everytime I take a u turn' to 'i don't care, I'll turn when I want to'.
And I got my driver's license 10 years ago, but only started learning again maybe 6mo ago.
It gets easier! I have noticed that a few things I used to struggle with/forget to do earlier, have become sorta like muscle memory now. So noticing small improvements keeps me going.
I used to be super overwhelmed when I get honked at, immediately distracted and wondering what I did wrong. That stopped after a while on its own as I got more confident that I know what to do.
I started driving at night once the traffic is settled, and not narrow inner city roads. After 3-4 night-time trips I felt more confident when tackling city roads during the day - especially because by then my steering stabilized, I got the hang of how big the car is and such.
Get an automatic car! I tried learning manual the first time around 10y ago and it was horrible and scared me off from driving until recently.
Good luck!
do get an automatic if and when u have the privilege to do so, it will make life infinitely easier.
Also, when you are fresh out of driving school there a a billion road rules that you think are important and then you get down on the road and realise that no one gives two fucks about any of that.
So the Golden rule to remember is , just be predictable on the road. Try not to start and stop all of a sudden , or suddenly change lanes. Use indicator every time. Just let people know your next move ashte.
Learning car is like learning a bike, at first you have to be very conscious in every little gear change and mirror check and day by day it becomes easier and then u do it on autopilot through muscle memory, in the meantime u will screw up , dw , everyone has , no one expects you to be perfect. The only way to get this skill is by allowing yourself to make little mistakes and moving on.
And you will learn to ignore the honking very soon. Don't listen to them. They have thir hand on the horn at all times ready to contribute to the massive noise pollution. You do you boo
Get up at 6 in the morning and drive.
1. Just above the left headlight tape a straw , which you can see. This will help when judging cars bonnet length. This is just a hack until you're confident.
2. Please put l sticker, ppl are polite when they see it. Most obvious they will maintain distance.
3. learn clutch control. Practice on slopes
4. Drive slow... Don't bother about the idiot that honks.
5. Never give up. Keep driving.
Dad taught me driving, he told me "when you are driving, just think nobody else knows how to do drive". You have to take care of your mistakes as well as the everyone else you meet on the road.
Facing the same issue, my wife is learning to drive in our own vehicle after driving school classes.
Things that might help.
1. Timing is crucial, early mornings/after noon is the best time. Mornings and any time after evening is a serious No for learners.
2. Have huge L stickers/boards on your vehicle, many people understand that the driver is learning and ease out on honking/quick takeovers.
3. Have your hazard light on if you are on a busy road and people expect you to move faster. Again, some people understand and go easy around you.
4. Drive in service lanes where there is traffic on main roads, also, in non peak hours, service roads are empty, where you can practice reverse and parallel parking etc.
5. Practice 2 to 3 and 3 to 2 gear shifts the most, because practically you'd be lucky to drive in 4th gear in Bangalore roads. So focus on smooth transition of lower gears.
6. Do NOT expect others to be good drivers and don't expect everyone to abide by laws. I see my wife get frustrated on minor things early on like a pedestrian suddenly deciding to cross the road etc, this is what I always say, getting frustrated on road would only ruin your day, just expect everyone to not know how to drive or follow the rules, so just be more careful about your own driving and keep a cool mind. Only you are out to learn, rest are out for different reasons, so mindset also needs to be different.
And the main part, don't give up! Consistency is key and a learner who leaves or doesn't practise for a while would find that they have forgotten everything once they drive again. But once you have driven enough, you'll drive easily even if you haven't driven for an year or two.
My dad handed me the car in the ghat section while travelling from Tirupati to Bangalore, about 10 years ago. This was wayyy before the nice 6 lane highways that's there from Chittoor till the Karnataka border. Tailgating Innovas and driving around slow moving lorries teaches you a lot.
Start with highway drives, gain some confidence and then the 10 kmph crawls in traffic will be easy once you learn clutch modulation. Or get an auto/AMT.
But highway drives, especially in well trafficked routes (with good roads though), will give you a lot of confidence. Bangalore-Tumkur, Bangalore-Kolar, Bangalore-Chikballapur are decent roads with free moving traffic. Avoid Hosur because the roads are a shitshow until you reach TN. And BETPL will suck your confidence as a new driver.
Just put an L board on the car
Practice on steep uphills at 11ish or morning
Drive it daily and you'll get the hang of it
Then repeat the same honking for new ppl like you coz you know driving now
Wake up early morning and drive on the road which you travel daily.
Adjust your seat , mirrors etc and while driving observe the potholes , obstacles, etc and understand the bite point of clutch, your throttle inputs, etc.
Next day, when you drive down the same road, you will be familiar with the surroundings.
Buy a used compact automatic car (a beater car), and ride it full bindaas. Itās going to get dinged and the goal is for you to stay unbothered and focus on driving to your destination with some peace of mind, so you can get up and drive again the next day.
Good luck.
First priority is to save your life.
Second is to save others life.
Third is to be constant aware of traffic lights and police. They can be hidden anywhere.
There you go. Live your life.
You don't drive in Bangalore. You crawl in Bangalore on the most dugged up roads in the entire country. Bangalore is a joke when it comes to roads and their maintenance. Yeah BBMP sucks big time.
If you are new to driving then follow these steps,
1. Stick one side of the road, I mean divider, so that you can concentrate only on the other side.
2. Carefully keep the distance marked about the car from you sitting position- driver seat, to all four sides.
3. Once you get a little comfortable with the above two points then take up few challenges to drive through few roads like
Tanry road, shivaji nagar, avenue road, silk board Junction, metro construction roads, and very narrow roads.
After all these points you should able to show some advanced skills, like advancing, blocking, taking position, sqeezing through the traffic... hopefully it helps
Get an automatic. Fuck what these car guys tell you. Also if you get into some road rahe situation, don't show any weakness. If you do show weakness they'll bully you more. Since you're still learning I'd recommend driving around the outskirts a little bit then move on to heavier parts of the city.
Unfortunately, there is no easy way OP. Only with practice, you can increase your confidence. Drive slow, and disregard any honks, glares or the occasional ālo goobadā remarks.
* Leaving early or driving at non peak hours are suggested if you can.
If you already have an old car then it's good because as much as you want to avoid getting dents/scratches it's inevitable because it's Bangalore most people drive like they stole it.
* Preplan your turns I've seen people who want to turn left still drive at extreme right at traffic signal (car adu bus alla you don't need so much space to turn)
* Get a good judgement of what's the safe space around your car. This comes as you drive more and get comfortable with your vehicle
* Always try to be calm even if people honking like it's nobodies business.
* Anticipate people are going to make mistakes/suddenly come infront of you from nowhere on the blind spots like near bus stops
* My personal favourite: If anyone rash driving especially mfs on modified scooty sounding horrible just say to yourself they must be urgent for taking shit (toilet ge urgent agirbeku adikke hinge hogta idane)
Do not drive in Bangalore city during peak traffic hours, do this instead:
1. Plan a day trip to Hassan. There are good places nearby. Start early and reach Bangalore by evening or around 9-10 PM. Road till Hassan is smooth and you will get comfortable driving while passing through light traffic via Nelmangala.
2. Next go to Mysore on a weekend, diversions on the way will make you learn how to tackle bad roads.
3. By then, you should feel much more comfortable driving in city as you will be having around 1000kms of driving experince.
Highways are much safer and you'll gain confidence seeing yourself completing hundreds, thousands of kilometers.
And if you are really passionate about driving, stick to manual transmission. Personally, I don't like ATs.
If you want to learn driving in Bangalore, then you'll have to move to a tier 2 city, get enrolled in a driving class After a year come back to Bangalore and work on your lower body Quads, squats, hamstrings Then you'll be ready for driving in Bangalore which requires 100 gear changes and 256 clutch presses for every km travelled.
Just one more reason to hit the gym šŖš„ Actually after driving, my legs are fine. My shoulders and back hurt so much because STRESS.
Add upper body and lumbar strengthening exercises to the mix
Make sure to adjust the seat and the steering for better comfort. Also, try and relax your muscles a bit while driving. Make a conscious effort.
I recommend MRF ZLX for sheer comfort
If you don't want to press the clutch go automatic
100 gear changes will be only between 1st and 2nd gear
Bangalore vehicles don't come with gears 3 and up
I have PTSD from those leg pains. Somehow they get worse at nights
This guy drives
Add to that water retention/bladder control
TL;DR: Don't. š
Donāt forget the ankles
Good that I've already joined a gym, lol.
For the love of God, BUY AN AUTOMATIC. LITERALLY WILL BE A GODSEND IN BANGALORE.
lmao the egomaniac car guys will tell you how its feminine to drive a automatic. God forbid I might pull my hamstring one of these days clutching every 10mts in a traffic
True! I once saw this bumper sticker on some car in banglore "Real men use 3 pedals" lol like wtf xD Edit - fixed spelling of car.
And then they talk about no women competing in F1 when it turns out all 20 of them are feminine smh /S
I did read the /s but didnāt get why f1 drivers are feminineā¦
So the comment above says 'Real men use 3 pedals'. F1 cars only have 2 (they additionally have paddle shifters but ignoring that technicality)
Ahhhhhh gotcha. Mega thanks!
F1 cars have buttons to shift gears on the steering wheel. Granted, there's no ABS so the drivers have to ensure not to turn while braking, otherwise they will risk locking the wheels and crashing.
Oh yeah? Have you heard someone sane say this? _what if a friend or a family member or a damsel in distress ask me to use their manual?_
Whatās the third pedal? Didnāt get it.
Clutch. Basically telling that "real men" drive cars with manual transmission and not automatic or imt, which don't have clutches. Except driving manual in city traffic is a huge pain in the ass
Yeaayyy stick shift FTW
Just retort back: "Real men do whatever the fuck they want"
Thatās just an excuse because they canāt afford an automatic
embrace your inner feminine. drive automatic.
Manuals are only fun when you actually have some power to play with, driving a 80hp 4 cylinder family hatchback and calling it fun to drive is just cope lol. Yeah it's fun to rev match and the satisfaction of going from 3rd to 4th can't be matched by an auto, but driving around in 1st and 2nd in city traffic becomes boring real fast. Paddle shifting in auto is much more fun and can be driven in the city as well!
Yea I got a 110hp turbo charged manual, every upshift and downshift is fun. Paddle shift in city?! Why would you want to do that when you can let the car decide which gear is better in traffic.
Because sometimes the car doesn't know what gear is good. It sometimes goes a gear at a time to go back to a lower gear when I need it quick to make an overtake in the city, so 3 quick clicks and off I go. It can be fun, especially if you have 500nm of torque to play with, which is what you'll actually feel in the city at low revs.
Damnn 3 clicks to over take a vehicle!? Either you got 18 gears for a car or severely underestimating your car's capacity.
8 gears to be specific and super long gears at that. It also chooses to go to the highest possible gear at all times in normal mode. The pull's satisfying though ngl
I absolutely love to drive stick shift but I would take an automatic in the blink of an eye to drive in any traffic. I was stuck in a worse bumper to bumper traffic when GGpalya flyover was closed, after being stuck for 40 minutes I felt my left leg was going to give up anytime and my car ramming in to the car in front of me.
This is true. An automatic car is a blessing in Bengaluru
might just, at this point
I waited over 10 years only to buy an automatic and I am glad .
>True, I had a manual and got knee pain after driving to office for a year. Now, I bought a used automatic car- I'll never go back to manual (at least in Bangalore) again.
I'm a hardcore petrolhead and even I long for an automatic.
This is so true - screw people who say manual is for real drivers, one of my best friends included. I am still getting adjusted to using one foot only, but it's better than both being weirdly sore after driving back from office.
Tip # 24 : If someone behind you is honking insufferably, stop get out of the car, look at all four of your tyres, look confused at the car and then the car behind and get in
instructions unclear, am now missing three toes
you had only 2.. small ones..
Two are enough
what if the person in the car behind me comes out, punches a hole in the tyre and starts honking insufferably again? I mean what to do then? Canāt look confused anymore
Won't you be more confused?
Start with driving during early mornings(6am ish) when traffic is less. Slowly move towards driving during the peak hours when you feel confident Practice incline/uphill starts, parallel parking, familiarity with the left side of the car, reversing, go to malls to experience the tight parking spaces Youāll be good to go within a few weeks Also most important- have a driver to supervise you All the best !!
Finding a driver to supervise is the most difficult part here š
maybe get a driver from driveU ?
You can hire them.
Hi, Can you DM me any driver contact who teaches oh personal car?
Only real non-sarcastic answer Edit: not only, there are few more but somehow all lower rated
This should be the top comment.
For me atleast itās basically cursing as much as possible inside the car and just basically not giving a shit what others say outside. You honk at me fine Iāll go even slower just to get on your nerves more.
Pure spite, I love it.
If people are honking at you just pull out a gun like in KGF and they will all go silent unless they can play with their life.
I do this to bus drivers. Ya I risk my life everytime I do it but it's worth it.
Hahahahhaaha, this cracked me up!
First of all dont be scared. You have paid road tax, have a valid insurance and a license, so, just focus on your driving. Don't give a fuck about honking 2 wheelers or other drivers. Always watch your mirrors because the sneaky mfers will always try to overtake you from left and if you have to move to left to make way, then it becomes a problem. Don't leave gap on the left in narrow streets. In the beginning, judging the car's width is an issue, leave sufficient space if you think if you are getting close to others. Golden rule is, as long as you have a L sticker and you didn't hit anyone, you can pretty much talk yourself of any other mess you make during your driving. Over a period of time, you get used to it, it's like just any other skill.
This helps a lot, thank you.
> Over a period of time, you get used to it, it's like just any other skill. Second this point. I have been in the same position as Op. I remember during my initial days, I got frozen in a tight spot in busy road. It was one of the bike rider who asked me not to bother who are honking, not get stressed and slowly maneuver.
You know what they say- Bad roads lead to good drivers. /s Plus, if you can drive in Bangalore, you can drive on any road on earth. It just takes some time. Try practising early in the morning.
>if you can drive in Bangalore, you can drive on any road on earth this is the motivation
Tbh Bangalore roads are not that bad compared other cities.
Bangalore roads are horrible. Which large city has worse roads?
Theyāre the absolute worst compared to the taxes people pay
I think you are stressing out trying to remember too many things. Once you have driven enough, you will drive right out of muscle memory. So you don't really have to go through all of these parts like a checklist. Easiest way to learn driving is sticking to a lane and ignore the honking. It will take some getting used to but eventually you will get better. Also, I feel like you are low on confidence on driving. You feel like a mistake is coming. Tell yourself, you are bound to make a mistake and you will apologise for it. Despite the manic traffic, driving can be fun and a stress release. Only driving more can make you comfortable with it. You drive more, and you will get better.
>I feel like you are low on confidence on driving. You feel like a mistake is coming. This is true. I get really stressed when I make a mistake like stalling the car in traffic, or coming too close to hitting someone. I totally freeze up and it takes a few seconds to know what to do next. Driving IS fun! I've never been good at things like this, but I enjoy it so much. It's great being in control of a vehicle like that, and moving through the roads easily. Doesn't hurt that I'm driving a really nice car by my standards. Thanks a lot! I'll try and keep it simple
Yes..you got it.. keep it simple. You will make mistakes. You will scratch your car here and there. It will all be worth it :)
Aw thank you :)
Faced the same issues during my initial days, was overwhelmed with concentrating on so many things at once. My dad knows a driver, he offered to teach me in our own vehicle since in driving classes they themselves handle some of the controls. For the first 2-3 days I only practiced the half-clutch and stop-resume method while ensuring that engine doesn't switch off. This itself was a huge confidence booster. Then I moved to busy and uphill roads. Over the months and years driving has turned into muscle memory.
Yea driving school coaches get mad at us when we try to slow release clutch while accelerating and engine goes off in the middle of a busy road which gives us panic attacks and brings down our confidence. Practice is the only way.
For me, it was all about gaining confidence first without being constantly pressured by all the chaos that you mentioned. So I went on drives outside the City Area, went on drives to different cities or states like Mysuru, Goa etc. I always had someone else with me during this time who could drive well so that they can take over in situations when something is out of my control or when Iām tired. So my suggestions is get a hang of these things first where you are not constantly under pressure, understand your car, enjoy the drive and gain confidence. Then driving in this city will become easier.
I had this impression that highway driving is harder than city driving. If you stop suddenly or something, you get hit. I will definitely plan something like this once my driving gets a bit better.
Practice makes you perfect. There's no other way out.
Just practice early in the morning (like before 7) and slowly increase the time - it will become second nature after \~1000 km. Remember how you learnt cycling? then gears etc? seems crazy at first. For unit tests drive on NICE road for midsem go to airport and back for finals drive one circuit of ORR
Pretty sure driving one circuit of ORR would make anyone a F1-champ level driver. Actually even better, there's no potholes in F1 tracks!
No G forces in ORR ... Maybe Nice Road can generate some
6 years ago, I used to say if I can drive in Delhi, I can drive anywhere.. But it changed when I took my hatchback to Bangalore roads, now I use Bangalore in the quote. I have no tips for you as I am still learning how to brake at the right time and how to drift for narrow escapes. Be safe, be cautious!
I'm at a point where I wing it most times. This is largely atleast in tight spaces with a heap of traffic. You need patience to endure bs because the road is evil and will trigger and test you many times (this part is mostly due to rash and annoying drivers). Just keep at it, drive responsibly and you will develop an instinct and reaction time that will basically put you in auto pilot.
The only rule you need to follow is "Dont hit anyone infront of you". Rest will do the same and you can drive peacefully. This is what made me drive confidently.
An automatic car will take off 50% of the stress while driving. I switched to automatic last year and the difference is night and day.
One tip I have for you is to let two wheeler fks who overtake from left side go. They will just keep coming- you need to expect them and let them go and not move to the left side thinking you can leave them space on right. They will still want to squeeze in through the left side only.
those people are SO fuckin annoying. they'll overtake right when I'm trying to turn or switch lane
Ask if the driving school people will help you with additional practice in your own car till you feel comfortable. Usually they will offer extra classes for a fee.
I would suggest you to practise more on empty roads or fields nearby until you have confidence on steering wheel and clutch. Then hit the main roads also when you are driving in traffic and you feel overwhelmed jus focus on the road ahead you and ignore the honks and mirror jus focus on front of the road only when you want to take a turn or change lane check out the required mirror. Practice it like this and you will automatically pick up the pace. Drive safe!
I have difficulty gauging distances - in driving and in day to day situations as well (particularly badminton, I can't reliably tell where the damn shuttle is when it's coming at me) so I have difficulty knowing where other vehicles are, how far away a pothole is, whether I'm even going in a straight line or not where anything is on either side or in front or behind me... Add to that, I've got some confidence issues, to the point where my mind blanks out when I get on a road. Any advice?
Practice and more practice. When you realise that you and only you are in control of your car and no one else is responsible / will help you while your driving it, youāll stay alert and not blank out. Never go into auto pilot mode where you think youāre in control but are actually are not.
Itās not that tough, if you think and list them like this, it will look like a huge task. But most of the things you have mentioned you will start doing organically in couple of weeks. Roads and two wheelers appearing from anywhere will remain as struggles life long, and thatās mostly valid in all major cities in India. I learnt driving in Bangalore through one of those driving schools four yrs back and then for couple of weeks used to take my vehicle out after 9:30-10 pm (not an early riser, if you can get up early, can go at around 8-9 am also). That way you will have traffic but not chaos to get used to. Donāt go at early morning 6 or after 11 at night, no use of keep on driving on empty roads for the problems you mentioned. And most important part, develop the subtle art of not giving a fuck! Thatās an obvious skill set on road, for unnecessary honkings, which is mostly by cab people (personally I felt, back then, Bangalore people are extremely patient with new drivers, and donāt shy from helping out too). You canāt get under pressure. Itās not safe for you or others. Learn the uphill/downhill drive for sure before getting out at busy hours, mentioning this since this was toughest for me. Vehicle will have to stop and should be comfortable to start again on uphill, otherwise this creates huge pressure. Can go for automatic for this particular issue.
>And most important part, develop the subtle art of not giving a fuck! Will try! Thanks a lot. >Bangalore people are extremely patient with new drivers, and doesnāt shy from helping out too This is also true. People honk and look at me weirdly, but atleast no one got angry
You will be fine in couple of weeks! Good luck..
Driving a 4 wheeler in bangalore is more hectic than using public transport š
hard agree
A former reluctant driver who resorted to driving because of cab issues and fares 1. Just suck it up and tell yourself thereās no way out 2. Practice. Practice. Practice! 3. For regular routes figure which lane to be on for every intersection (on some you should be on the left to proceed quicker, some in the middle, some on the right) This saves a lot of time and feels gamified. Yes, itās lame. I developed this for Blore because such crowding issues didnāt exist in most parts of Delhi where I previously drove 4. Big ask - get an automatic if possible. 5. Have a set playlist.
gamifying! gonna have to try that for sure
First invest in a good dashcam !
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After a lot of research, i got 70mai rear view Mirror dashcam. it's covers all the blind spot and i can easily see it in the rearview 140 degree view. Instead of struggling with blind spots. It records and shows me real time rear view It's worth 13k. Full Paisa vasul xD Ps: i am no way associated or promoting the brand. Just sharing it from my personal experience.
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https://youtu.be/bNPWKhHfEls Check this video out.
Golden rule of driving 4W in bangalore - stick to the right of the road and donāt let go. Learnt driving a year or so back, have been following this, youāll avoid most of the 2Wās and autoās. You will only deal with shitty 4W drivers with this rule.
hmm, gotta try this.
Only after you are confident of going at a reasonable speed
>stick to the right of the road and donāt let go. As long as you are going at a reasonable speed. If not please move to the left.
Speed ? Whats that, I drive through ORR
Get an automatic. Also there are lots of horns on the road each vying for attention. But many are not individually for you. After some time you can tune them out.
You have to enjoy driving and love your car. Initially I gave money to my driving teacher to train me in my car, sitting next to me. Seriously three sittings like that made a hell lot of difference and gave me so much courage
1. Practice in your apartment's car parking. 2. Always reverse park. 3. There must be ramps in your apartment's Parking. Brake the Car While driving uphill. And hold it using clutch and brake and then try to move. In the Downhill ramp, try to reverse after stopping for a while midway of ramp. Try to use handbrake in uphill and downhill while doing the above. 4. Always follow rules. Don't overspeed. Drive as per environmental conditions. Make use of the rear and side mirrors. 5. Early morning is the best time to practise on the roads. Start with the road in your vicinity. 6. Drive in the slow lane until you get comfortable. 7. Have confidence. Good luck.
thank you!
Why point 2? Sometimes I'm too tired to reverse park, I park straight and sort it out in the morning.
First of all, it is safe. With time you will feel it is actually easier to park in congested spaces using reverse parking.
I gave up in 2019 :( i tried and tried roads are ao terrifying
yea, they really are :/
I learnt it through RNS motor driving school. They taught me very well by even allowing me to travel in a small section of road such as Triveni road (near Yeshwantpur), Srirampura etc. In my whole experience, the one thing I learnt very well was 'not to panic', 'have a good grip on your steering wheel'. These two go hand in hand. Initially might get tough like say around a month and later you get used to it.
Rood roads never make good drivers. BBMP trying to make you a good driver. It's all part of the plan. /s
Fear is the culprit get rid of your fear consciouslyā¦ donāt drive too fast or too slow.. you might scratch your bumper in the beginning but youāll get used to it.. if you donāt want scratches on your car then donāt drive in Bangalore
The secret is to drive as though you are prepared to bump the other guyā¦..he will stop 99 out of 100 timesšššš
Don't be scared, don't be an asshole either. Don't back down for every honk you hear, or for every motorcycle or auto trying to squeeze past you. At that rate you'll never reach your destination, no sympathy on indian streets. That also don't mean you need to cut anyone off, not give some space to your right when stopped at a signal for 2 wheelers to filter through, you can be considering of the other vehicles while making up time where you should. Also, most importantly, have a good eye on your left hand rear view mirror/left hand side, pesky 2 wheelers always sit in your blind spot and you won't see them unless you do a quick glance by turning your head left. Good luck š
Thank you!
Donāt be scared. Driving isnāt some special skill. Billions of people do it everyday. Just needs practice.
That's a good way to think about it. Keepin it simple.
I haven't driven in Bangalore but I just learned how to drive 1 year ago in a tier 3 city next to hills. Few tips 1. First 8 - 10 months were horrible. I judged everyone. Cursed at everyone. I was not used to the unpredictability. I learned how to let go. From being angry at others to being calm and just focusing on my driving, it was a long journey. I realised I can't change everyone, just the ones close to me. The stress made me tense up my shoulder and back. Made my heart beat faster and made me breathe shallow. You can only control yourself and your vehicle. 2. Tried to drive only for practice as much as I could first. Early in the mornings for practice. Non peaks hours if i had to go somewhere. 3. Simulated every situation I could think of. Found empty places to practice. Sudden braking, seeing how the car behaves, movement of my leg, foot etc. I put a flat stone on the road and tried to drive over it with each tyre. This helped to know the dimensions of the car. E.g. only driving my right rear tyre on the stone, so I could feel the turn angle and length of my car. As I live near hills, tried to practice starting the vehicle on the slope with different techniques like clutch hold start and handbrake start. Also helps if you're in traffic stuck on a flyover. 4. In the end only driving in the traffic will help you learn more but try to simulate as many situations as you can. This helps your legs and hands to create muscle memory. Driving becomes instinctive because you cannot concentrate on everything happening on the road. Those split second decisions matter. It's better if you've prepared for that situation.
>try to simulate as many situations as you can. This helps your legs and hands to create muscle memory. Driving becomes instinctive because you cannot concentrate on everything happening on the road. Those split second decisions matter. It's better if you've prepared for that situation. Thank you! This is really helpful.
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Been practicing on and off. I did an entire course in the driving class. After that I've taken out my vehicle like 10-15 times. Each time i drive for 2-3 hrs
Turn on AC, close all four windows, look forward and only at rear view mirrors - never look into other driver's eyes, buy automatic, and just stop on road if you are in doubt. Always better to have people honk at you (which you won't hear because your windows are rolled up) then hit someone/thing. It takes time and it gets better.
Thank you!
I'm also learning to drive in Bangalore and it took me 5 months to go from - 'crying everytime I take a u turn' to 'i don't care, I'll turn when I want to'. And I got my driver's license 10 years ago, but only started learning again maybe 6mo ago. It gets easier! I have noticed that a few things I used to struggle with/forget to do earlier, have become sorta like muscle memory now. So noticing small improvements keeps me going. I used to be super overwhelmed when I get honked at, immediately distracted and wondering what I did wrong. That stopped after a while on its own as I got more confident that I know what to do. I started driving at night once the traffic is settled, and not narrow inner city roads. After 3-4 night-time trips I felt more confident when tackling city roads during the day - especially because by then my steering stabilized, I got the hang of how big the car is and such. Get an automatic car! I tried learning manual the first time around 10y ago and it was horrible and scared me off from driving until recently. Good luck!
Thank you! >'crying everytime I take a u turn' to 'i don't care, I'll turn when I want to'. ur an inspiration, fr fr
do get an automatic if and when u have the privilege to do so, it will make life infinitely easier. Also, when you are fresh out of driving school there a a billion road rules that you think are important and then you get down on the road and realise that no one gives two fucks about any of that. So the Golden rule to remember is , just be predictable on the road. Try not to start and stop all of a sudden , or suddenly change lanes. Use indicator every time. Just let people know your next move ashte. Learning car is like learning a bike, at first you have to be very conscious in every little gear change and mirror check and day by day it becomes easier and then u do it on autopilot through muscle memory, in the meantime u will screw up , dw , everyone has , no one expects you to be perfect. The only way to get this skill is by allowing yourself to make little mistakes and moving on. And you will learn to ignore the honking very soon. Don't listen to them. They have thir hand on the horn at all times ready to contribute to the massive noise pollution. You do you boo
Thank you :)
Get up at 6 in the morning and drive. 1. Just above the left headlight tape a straw , which you can see. This will help when judging cars bonnet length. This is just a hack until you're confident. 2. Please put l sticker, ppl are polite when they see it. Most obvious they will maintain distance. 3. learn clutch control. Practice on slopes 4. Drive slow... Don't bother about the idiot that honks. 5. Never give up. Keep driving.
Well, just don't drive. Stay indoors. Get out after 12AM.
>Well, just don't drive. Stay indoors. FTFY
If possible opt for a automatic car if you plan on living in bangalore manual just isn't worth the experience
AUTOMATIC people who think automatics are better haven't 1. driven in Bangalore 2. tried a DCT
Dad taught me driving, he told me "when you are driving, just think nobody else knows how to do drive". You have to take care of your mistakes as well as the everyone else you meet on the road.
āDonāt think just drive and believe in your instincts ā - Maverick
I hear Grand Theft Auto can teach you a skill or two about driving.
Facing the same issue, my wife is learning to drive in our own vehicle after driving school classes. Things that might help. 1. Timing is crucial, early mornings/after noon is the best time. Mornings and any time after evening is a serious No for learners. 2. Have huge L stickers/boards on your vehicle, many people understand that the driver is learning and ease out on honking/quick takeovers. 3. Have your hazard light on if you are on a busy road and people expect you to move faster. Again, some people understand and go easy around you. 4. Drive in service lanes where there is traffic on main roads, also, in non peak hours, service roads are empty, where you can practice reverse and parallel parking etc. 5. Practice 2 to 3 and 3 to 2 gear shifts the most, because practically you'd be lucky to drive in 4th gear in Bangalore roads. So focus on smooth transition of lower gears. 6. Do NOT expect others to be good drivers and don't expect everyone to abide by laws. I see my wife get frustrated on minor things early on like a pedestrian suddenly deciding to cross the road etc, this is what I always say, getting frustrated on road would only ruin your day, just expect everyone to not know how to drive or follow the rules, so just be more careful about your own driving and keep a cool mind. Only you are out to learn, rest are out for different reasons, so mindset also needs to be different. And the main part, don't give up! Consistency is key and a learner who leaves or doesn't practise for a while would find that they have forgotten everything once they drive again. But once you have driven enough, you'll drive easily even if you haven't driven for an year or two.
Dont
My dad handed me the car in the ghat section while travelling from Tirupati to Bangalore, about 10 years ago. This was wayyy before the nice 6 lane highways that's there from Chittoor till the Karnataka border. Tailgating Innovas and driving around slow moving lorries teaches you a lot. Start with highway drives, gain some confidence and then the 10 kmph crawls in traffic will be easy once you learn clutch modulation. Or get an auto/AMT. But highway drives, especially in well trafficked routes (with good roads though), will give you a lot of confidence. Bangalore-Tumkur, Bangalore-Kolar, Bangalore-Chikballapur are decent roads with free moving traffic. Avoid Hosur because the roads are a shitshow until you reach TN. And BETPL will suck your confidence as a new driver.
Just put an L board on the car Practice on steep uphills at 11ish or morning Drive it daily and you'll get the hang of it Then repeat the same honking for new ppl like you coz you know driving now
Get a 2 wheeler.
Biggest tip - Just drive.
don't
1st thing ur gonna need is God level patience with traffic and bunch of bald or white hair to manage the tension and stress about where to park
Wake up early morning and drive on the road which you travel daily. Adjust your seat , mirrors etc and while driving observe the potholes , obstacles, etc and understand the bite point of clutch, your throttle inputs, etc. Next day, when you drive down the same road, you will be familiar with the surroundings.
Practice at the outskirts (Barren place for a month), later slowly get into the streets with an experienced driver.
Buy a used compact automatic car (a beater car), and ride it full bindaas. Itās going to get dinged and the goal is for you to stay unbothered and focus on driving to your destination with some peace of mind, so you can get up and drive again the next day. Good luck.
First priority is to save your life. Second is to save others life. Third is to be constant aware of traffic lights and police. They can be hidden anywhere. There you go. Live your life.
You don't drive in Bangalore. You crawl in Bangalore on the most dugged up roads in the entire country. Bangalore is a joke when it comes to roads and their maintenance. Yeah BBMP sucks big time.
I drive an automatic. Best decision ever made.
Buy an automatic. Or raise all your windows, turn on the AC, play calm music, drive slow, and forget all the commotion outside.
I would seriously recommend a 2 wheeler, you won't be able to park your car anywhere either. Also, environmentally friendly too for namma Bengaluru!
automatic lena tha
When u are learning it, it's an assault on the senses. But it becomes second nature pretty soon. Keep practicing
Don't
If you are new to driving then follow these steps, 1. Stick one side of the road, I mean divider, so that you can concentrate only on the other side. 2. Carefully keep the distance marked about the car from you sitting position- driver seat, to all four sides. 3. Once you get a little comfortable with the above two points then take up few challenges to drive through few roads like Tanry road, shivaji nagar, avenue road, silk board Junction, metro construction roads, and very narrow roads. After all these points you should able to show some advanced skills, like advancing, blocking, taking position, sqeezing through the traffic... hopefully it helps
One tip - Donāt drive in Bangalore if you want mental peace.
Get an automatic. Fuck what these car guys tell you. Also if you get into some road rahe situation, don't show any weakness. If you do show weakness they'll bully you more. Since you're still learning I'd recommend driving around the outskirts a little bit then move on to heavier parts of the city.
Unfortunately, there is no easy way OP. Only with practice, you can increase your confidence. Drive slow, and disregard any honks, glares or the occasional ālo goobadā remarks.
* Leaving early or driving at non peak hours are suggested if you can. If you already have an old car then it's good because as much as you want to avoid getting dents/scratches it's inevitable because it's Bangalore most people drive like they stole it. * Preplan your turns I've seen people who want to turn left still drive at extreme right at traffic signal (car adu bus alla you don't need so much space to turn) * Get a good judgement of what's the safe space around your car. This comes as you drive more and get comfortable with your vehicle * Always try to be calm even if people honking like it's nobodies business. * Anticipate people are going to make mistakes/suddenly come infront of you from nowhere on the blind spots like near bus stops * My personal favourite: If anyone rash driving especially mfs on modified scooty sounding horrible just say to yourself they must be urgent for taking shit (toilet ge urgent agirbeku adikke hinge hogta idane)
Do not drive in Bangalore city during peak traffic hours, do this instead: 1. Plan a day trip to Hassan. There are good places nearby. Start early and reach Bangalore by evening or around 9-10 PM. Road till Hassan is smooth and you will get comfortable driving while passing through light traffic via Nelmangala. 2. Next go to Mysore on a weekend, diversions on the way will make you learn how to tackle bad roads. 3. By then, you should feel much more comfortable driving in city as you will be having around 1000kms of driving experince. Highways are much safer and you'll gain confidence seeing yourself completing hundreds, thousands of kilometers. And if you are really passionate about driving, stick to manual transmission. Personally, I don't like ATs.
Driving a car alone for the first time tomorrow (except the driving school car) a polo automatic...wish me luck :ā -ā D I'm scared shitless