Getting your driver’s licence is one of those milestones we just can’t get around. It is an intimidating experience as we have to face that scary traffic officer and the fear of failing in front of our peers.
Nonetheless, we just have to get over ourselves if we want to cruise around the city and there are a few things to remember when going for the test.
Amputu Agapidus from Amputu Driving School has been preparing aspiring drivers for the driver’s test for about three years. Agapidus said the most important parts of the test are the parallel parking, reverse parking, the three-point turn and the hill.
In parallel parking, the driver has to park his/her car parallel to the road between two sets of three poles positioned as if they were real vehicles.
This parking should be done in three movements and is the most intimidating, Agapidus said. If the driver makes one mistake, he/she is automatically disqualified from the test. The mistakes could include making too many movements or bumping into one of the poles, which has the severity equivalent to bumping an actual car.
Reverse parking is much easier and far less frightening than parallel parking. This includes reversing the vehicle into the parking, also between two sets of three poles either from the left or the right side. Agapidus said although this parking is also important, drivers are only disqualified if they make the same mistake twice.
When performing the three-point turn, the driver has to be able to turn the vehicle around in a box which is as wide as a two-way street.
This task also requires three movements and the driver is not allowed to turn the steering wheel while the car is at a standstill.
Bumping into the pavement or moving the steering wheel while the car is not moving results in a disqualification.
Departing from a hill is also a very important section of the test. The driver is required to drive up the hill from a stagnant position without letting the car roll backwards. Failure to do so is also punished with disqualification.
Agapidus said it is very hard to take the test in Windhoek in comparison other towns because traffic officers are much stricter in the capital. This is why many potential drivers head out to other towns to take the test. “When taking the test, drivers must be serious about their money,” Agapidus said. It is also very bad if the driver is nervous, he added. “We can only talk to them to calm them down.”
NaTIS offices are open in Windhoek from Monday to Friday. The cost of taking the learners test is N$35 to write and N$45 after you pass to get your document. The drivers test costs N$110 to take and N$150 for the printing of the card once you have passed.
For all of you getting ready to take to the road, remember to keep your nerves in check and concentrate when performing all your parkings.
