I am sharing my G road test experience with fellow desis. I had my G road test at the Etobicoke centre and I passed. This was my first attempt.

Earlier, I had a full British licence that I exchanged for a G2 when I came here to Canada. My British licence was less than 2 years old therefore I didn't get a G. For my British licence I gave my road test in Central London, UK and passed in third attempt. Each time I failed, I found the examiners extremely patient and polite. They would note down my mistakes during the road test and in the end take time to explain not only to me but to my instructor as well. In UK, my instructor Mario always showed me the right approach while driving, irrespective of the road test.

Here, just before my G road test I thought it would be good to take a driving lesson or two. So I booked one of the most renowned (read expensive) driving schools in GTA. During my driving hour lesson the instructor was giving me some odd instructions but spent most of his time texting. He also advised me that I need to do some 'acting' and 'drama' for passing the road test. I decided not to go to the 'acting' and 'drama' school anymore and waste my money. Instead I read The Official MTO Driver's Handbook (http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/dandv/driver/handbook/) thoroughly. I was already following these rules as they are similar in the UK. I practiced more for over 2 months and then I booked my G road test when I had the confidence needed to pass the test.

So 29 July morning before my G road test at Etobicoke, I was waiting for the DriveTest examiner in my car. The examiner, a tall guy came and did his regular chores for checking the car. I had my new car for the test. When he entered my car I asked him politely if he would want me to turn the air conditioning on for him. He said 'NOPE'. He then started giving me instruction to drive the car. I followed what he said. After a little while on the road I had a parked car on the right. I had a doubt so I slowed down (my mistake) but not that much, on a speed limit of 50, I slowed to 40. Can you believe that the drive test examiner actually screamed at me!

WHY DIDD YOU SLOW DOWN, WHAT WERE YOU THINKINGG!!!, CAN YOU TELL ME WHY YOU SLOWEDD!!!

I was astonished by his behavior but I kept my calm and told him that "I was just cautious". I kept wondering though that is he supposed to do that. Shouldn't he be marking this down as a fault and explain to me at the end of the test. At least this was my expectation. I felt like a saying "Excuse me, Are you my teacher or what?" After that I was nervous for a bit but then I realised that this guy had some ulterior motive. He was now into fault finding and is biased. He will do everything possible to make me nervous so that I do something silly that he can mark down and fail me. Then I did a road side stop, three point turn, parallel parking. No faults (may be a minor or two). The examiner seemed angry. I could hear his "sighs" and "uffs" for nothing. He was getting desperate. He asked me to take the highway. I did enter, merge, lane changes, maintain speed limit, blind spot check. No faults (I saw in my yellow sheet later). At the time of merge the ramp was much curved so the speed limit was 30. I did not break the speed limit even though there were vehicles backing up behind me. Again, I could hear his "uff". I felt as if it is some kind of a joke or prank played on me. Well, then I came to a red light where he asked me to turn right. I was about to come to a complete stop when it suddenly turned green. I had limited visibility on my left because of stopped cars. I was slow anyway because of the red light so I turned right slow. Apart from looking at my right blind spot I also quickly looked left because there might still be vehicles turning left from the front. He started shouting!!!

C'MON... C'MON NOBODDY IS COMMING!! YOU KEEP ON LOOKING HERE AND THERE, HERE AND THERE!! WHY ARE YOU LOOKING??? WHATT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR?? WHY DONT YOU KEEP GOING.

I was shocked but maintained my calm and control. I was wondering that is this how DriveTest conduct G road tests. All through the rest of the road test he kept on uttering his silly comments trying to distract me from my driving and attempting to make me nervous. He maintained his anger and frustration and I maintained my calm. At the end on my road test he handed me my G2 licence and the yellow sheet. I was again shocked to look at it. Other than the right turn and odd one or 2 marked '/' there was nothing there. It was clean!!!. I passed. I understood that I did the right thing by keeping my calm. I asked him, "So I passed?? How come?" He seemed very angry and frustrated.

He said: YOU DID SO MUCH HARD WORKK SO YOU PASSED. YOU ALREADDY KNEW THE DRIVE TEST ROUTE.

I told him that I did not know the drive test route, but he did not believe me. I did not book my road test at those so called easier drive test centres far away. When I felt confident about taking my G road test I booked at the closest drive test centre from my residence and took the first available time spot without prejudice. This was because I was confident that I will pass. Well, of course I knew 25% of the route because I pass through this route every day while going to work!. Etobicoke drive test centre is 5 kilometres from my residence and right in the middle of my office and my residence. Actually it is impossible for anyone to know the full drive test route because there may be 1000 permutations.

After this experience I still do not understand the 3 below.

1. Why was this road test examiner so rude and impolite to me? Why was he screaming and shouting at me during my test? Why was it so necessary for him to point my mistakes during my test? Shouldn't he be writing down his comments and explain to me at the end of the test? What did he achieve by doing all this?

2. Why was this road test examiner so impatient? If the road test examiners are impatient, how can you expect the road test applicants to be patient drivers?

3. Why did this road test examiner accuse me at the end of the test of already knowing the test route? Even if I knew the route (I did not), this is not a violation. Shouldn't he be doing the right thing based upon the results of the road test rather than accusing me?

If 10% of DriveTest road test examiners are like this one, I guess we don't have too much of a problem. He is like one rotten apple that came into my basket by mistake. If 25% are like this road test examiner then we have some problem. If however, 50% are like this road test examiner then God save us.

Welcome to Canada.
With record number of immigrants hitting Canada and the demographic tilting towards visible minorities, it is natural that the locals feel threatened.
If you had come from India, you would have treated this as adjusting to the Canadian culture. But since you came from the UK, you already knew what decency is.
You should have complained to the MTO. It might not have made a difference at that point of time but later the instructor would have had much bad points that he may be fired.

Let me explain this to you with an example.
In 2009, I took the second career with the govt. of Canada paying me $ 28,000 to do a free course. I joined with a desi and he cheated me of the $ 28,000 that the Govt. of Canada paid for me to get IT education. All I got was a free laptop from the Desi employer. I compained to the govt. of Canada. They did not procecute nor fine the desi employer but hit me with a $ 3000 fine. I did not pay the fine. I came to India. I used to google frequently about that desi employer. in 2013 I found out that he tried to change his SAP institute ot a PCC (Private career college) so that he can still fleece govt. of Canada's money using his SAP training institute as a front. When the Govt. of Canada (MTCU) enquired, they found that he had 2 complaints (mind it, it was unresolved complaints) against him. One was mine. They refused to give him PCC status. Now he has closed his shop and is operating with a different name and different sponser.

So your complaint would have helped immigrants at a later date. Donot shy away from making complaints, as long as they are genuine.

Murali The Krishna

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I am a Gents and not a Ladies.

None of my biz TK but you are posting on 01st Aug under the SAME AVATAR ..

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Growing Old Is Mandatory ..Growing UP is Optional

I was to do something on 01 Aug. but due to Israel and Gaza conflict, I was not able to do it. So I am continuing with the same avatar.

Hope this clarifies.

Murali the krishna

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I am a Gents and not a Ladies.

Quote:

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Originally posted by tamilkuravan

You should have complained to the MTO. It might not have made a difference at that point of time but later the instructor would have had much bad points that he may be fired.

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Btw, Ontario's drivers license testing has been outsourced to a British company.

AamAadmi: Do you think he should have failed you in the exam ... and make a note of your mistakes on the yellow sheet rather commenting on your mistakes and passing you. I guess you are taking it too far