Hello Folks,

I am here to share my bitter experience with German DL making process and warn potential people of a particular school.

Although its know that driving school tries to make more out of you, this one is way beyond one can imagine.

Fahrshcule Scchuhardt, in Darmstadt is most notorious. It is run by the family and all of them are employees. They try to teach you less rules and particularly pick one where you might have no idea until you have read them during theory.

Then during your practical test they use this weakness, by explaining the examiner and when you fail, deal is done. Not to forgwet this pattern exist for all people who take the test. So they way things go is people who are suppose to get their license (having made sufficient hours 50+ for newbie without driving experience) take exam first in order. Then those who are not suppose to have their license or have not made the hours they want you to, are just give few minutes of driving and the examiner asks you to head back to school. Then your are told reasons like you were slow, did not do this and that...

I have seen 2 cases personally where people finished their exams in less than 10 min. Now i have sarted to search for another school and this time I want to be really careful.

It would be wise for people to warn or recommend driving schools in this thread and help the rest of us, perhaps make sure other don't go through the same ordeal some of us might have gone through.

Aerofreak.

Well.. I understand that you had a bitter experience with this particular driving school.. but if you name the driver school in a public internet forum, they can sue you for damaging their trade-reputation.. just a reminder to save you more trouble with them.. other than that I agree that one has to give tones of money for the german driving license.. I just finished mine and spent almost the worth of a small car price for it.. pretty expensive indeed for a plastic small card.. ;) but the natives also do the same.. so Germany is an expensive country where you can also earn "good" money.. so you earn and spend and help the economy move on.. ;)

Regards,

Lacrima

Sometime one just have to compromise :-) I had even more bitter experience in changing the driving school. What I experienced is that they have network and work like mafia for eachothers benefit. Once you change and sign a contract with new school, then you would know the facts. They would exploit that thing and further they will test "whether the old school taught you all the things or not" ;-)) This testing would take 15 to 20 hours (at least). It is true they do not introduce you to the routes that the examiner normally takes during examination. Unless you satisfy them, means sufficient driving hours (like 40 or 50).

After getting the driving license then you would think of buying a car. Then a new story would start "how to deal with autohandler". the public transport is the best option. Once you move out of Germany...make the driving license in some other country or just spend around 2500 to 3000 Euro and do not complain.

Hey,

May be I was really lucky. I was with a very nice driving school. It cost me around 900-1000 euros in total. The trainer was a really nice man and we were always driving the route the examiner may take. I have had a very good experience with my driving school. Like I said, may be i was lucky.

Regards

Fais

I had to spend just around 700 Euro, no theory classes and some 11 hours of driving.

I have my Indian DL since 1996, and one can do an "umschreibung" here in Germany, within the first 3 years you are registered here (Einreisedatum)

Those who want more details can do a search in this Forum. It was extensively discussed.

I did undergo the same procedure as Fred had said. However the driving school I selected was wrong one.

Lacrima,

I have delibrately mispelled the driving school name. If at all they want to sue me, I think they will also face trouble if the statistics of their record proves, more people had failed and have made more hours compared to an average. I think this weakness is what they exploit people who dont have any information.

If any one can suggest me a good driving school in Darmstadt region, I would be happy.

My experience have been very good!

First the Landratsamt allowed me to do conversion (umschreibung) even after almost 4.5 years(normally 3 years is the limit). I had some reasons for that- but they were personal.

Thereafter, I took two 90 minutes drving classes and passed in one go. The instructor was also nice.

One strategy was that I tried to be cool (tried to follow some basic rules of not driving fast, turning the neck at 90 degree or more even when not required :-> and to give way to others, sometimes even when it was my turn to go). I was also prepared to give this driving test once more, so i had no fear of failing and this proved good for not getting anxious while driving.

Almost at end of driving test, i crossed the 50km limit, he was waiting for me to do some mistake and immidiately (angrily) he pointed it out but later gave me the licence.

But for sure, there are people who take advantage. if you are not aware of the situation.