ASB driving school continues a series of articles in which it talks in detail about the work of driving schools and traffic police during the coronavirus. All driving schools and students in Moscow were looking forward to the first day of summer, but summer seems to be in no hurry to come to the capital, and the second stage of easing in high alert mode is also in no hurry to give students the opportunity to continue practical classes. The miracle has not happened since 06/01/2020. only a small proportion of commercial organizations can begin to resume their activities, for example, non-food stores, laundries, shoe and clothing repair organizations were allowed to operate, hypermarkets were also included in this list, and car dealerships were also allowed to operate. Nothing is said about the work of driving and motorcycle schools in Moscow, which means driving instructors remain at home and cannot conduct classes. This whole situation with the coronavirus has a very unfavorable effect on all driving schools and motorcycle schools in Moscow; not all students who were in the process of learning before the suspension of the driving schools’ activities calmly perceive everything that is happening. Many students throughout Moscow call driving schools and demand a refund of money or documents on graduation from the driving school, but neither the administration nor the driving instructors of the driving schools are to blame for anything, we all found ourselves in this difficult period at the same time, and we can get out of it with minimal losses We can do the same only together.
One of the few favorable news was information from the Moscow traffic police. Since mid-May, traffic police in Moscow began to conduct state driving license exams in a limited number, for those students who fully completed their studies before 03/28/2020, i.e. until the introduction of a high-alert regime in Moscow.
The ASB Motorcycle School has already conducted one exam for motorcyclists studying for the “A” category. Our first license exam took place on May 23, 2020. You can still enter the traffic police building only if you have an electronic ticket for registration through the State Services portal. Such requirements apply to all visitors to the traffic police without exception; all of our students registered in advance for the exam on the State Services portal, and we successfully conducted it. Naturally, all students came to the exam with the skills that they had acquired before March 28, 2020; there was no talk of any additional classes, since conducting them is strictly prohibited. Motorcycle school employees met a group of students at the entrance to the traffic police and gave detailed instructions, measured the temperature of everyone who came, even on the street, all students stood at the required distance of one and a half meters from each other, each was wearing a mask and gloves. People were allowed into the traffic police building only if accompanied by a motorcycle school employee, and in the theoretical exam class a maximum of 4 people were accepted, thus ensuring social distance. The students sat at computers 2 meters from each other and immediately after completing the theoretical traffic rules exam, they went out into the street and dispersed around the area. During the exam, staff treated computers and computer areas, tables, chairs, etc., with disinfectants after each student.
The practical motorcycle driving test was also held in compliance with all safety standards. The motorcycle school students were satisfied, many of them successfully passed both stages, the theoretical traffic rules exam and the driving test. In general, the traffic police exam for category “A” went well. The ASB motorcycle school expresses gratitude to the traffic police officer at the address: Moscow st. Bolshaya Kosinskaya 1B, all stages of the exam under their leadership passed calmly and confidently, and most importantly in compliance with all safety standards, we also thank the students of the motorcycle school who strictly followed all the recommendations and guidelines during the exam process. Many students who have successfully passed their driving license exams will soon also register with the State Traffic Inspectorate through State Services and receive their long-awaited driver’s licenses. In such a difficult time of quarantine and self-isolation, this step towards meeting motorcycle schools and students is very important for everyone. Due to the spread of coronavirus infection and what the employees and students of the motorcycle school saw during the exams at the traffic police, we can assume that all exams this summer will be held in this format, mask mode and a limited number of candidates admitted to the exam, compliance with all safety standards, mandatory registration through the State Services portal; all this is no longer an assumption, but a reality.
The ASB motorcycle school decided to supplement this article with answers to popular questions that motorcycle school students asked and are asking. Due to the self-isolation regime due to the coronavirus, many citizens have more free time, and we hope that our article will become informative and interesting for them, and most importantly, inform them about the nuances in the field of additional education for motorcycle schools. Go….
Is it possible to take the exam at the traffic police if the student has only passed the theory?
In such cases, when a student at a car or motorcycle school has completed only a theoretical course, this is naturally not enough to be admitted to the traffic police exam. Each student studying for any of the categories of vehicles must undergo training in full. Full training includes: completing a theoretical course and passing all tests and exams provided for in the training program, completing a practical course and passing a practice exam, all driving hours provided for in the curriculum must also be completed in full. A student who has completed only a theoretical course will not be allowed to take exams at the State Traffic Inspectorate. If you only completed a theoretical course and for some reason interrupted your studies, you will have to study again and complete the training in full.
Requirements for a driver to obtain a license, restrictions on medical indications
To be able to obtain a license to drive a motorcycle, you only need to reach the required age and not have medical contraindications, in the presence of which driving a vehicle is strictly prohibited. The medical opinion may concern a ban for a certain time until the contraindications are eliminated, or it may be one that makes driving impossible for life. To eliminate such problems, you will need to pass a commission before enrolling in a driving school.
The rules for passing a medical examination are based on the standards outlined in the Federal Law of 1995 “On Road Safety”. For each category of drivers, different rules may be provided that provide specific standards and indicators by which the possibility of admission to driving vehicles is assessed.
The procedure for passing the commission involves visiting the following doctors:
- ophthalmologist;
- ENT;
- surgeon;
- therapist;
- neurologist;
- gynecologist (for women).
As a result of passing the commission, a driving ban will be imposed if the following disorders or diseases are diagnosed:
- chronic hearing or vision impairment;
- cardiovascular diseases;
- developmental delay (mental);
- mental illnesses;
- alcoholism, drug addiction, substance abuse and other diagnoses included in the list of prohibited driving.
If a positive conclusion is issued, the validity period of such a certificate will be 10 years.
One of the indicators that can interfere with driving is the lack of necessary visual acuity. However, in such situations, a recommendation from an ophthalmologist may be issued to use glasses or contact lenses while driving. It is worth considering that if it is necessary to artificially increase visual acuity, driving without glasses can be equated to driving a vehicle without a license, for which the driver can pay a significant fine.
Is it possible to study only theory or only practical driving lessons at a driving school?
If you already have a driver's license for any of the categories, you can separately take a theoretical course or driving practice for the corresponding category. Students who already have category A or B licenses periodically contact the ASB motorcycle school and ask to undergo either theory or driving practice separately; such training is possible. As a rule, such students simply want to restore their knowledge and practical skills, they have already studied at a driving school and completed the full course, passed all qualifying and state exams, received a license, but over time, the theory has been partly forgotten and driving skills too, so before leaving In real city traffic conditions, it is vital to restore these skills. If you already have a license, but you haven’t repeated the traffic rules for a long time or haven’t gotten behind the wheel of a motorcycle or car, be sure to take the number of practical lessons that you need at a driving school and take a full theory course, it will be effective.
At what age can you get a motorcycle license?
The age at which you can obtain a motorcycle license depends on the type of two-wheeled vehicle.
Today, there are the following minimum age requirements for candidates to obtain licenses of categories “M”, “A” and “A1”:
| Mopeds and scooters | with engine capacity up to 50 cm3 | from 16 years old |
| Light motorcycles | with engine capacity up to 125 cm3 | from 16 years old |
| Motorcycles | with engine capacity over 125 cm3 | from 18 years old |
| Tricycles and ATVs | with engine capacity over 50 cm3 | from 18 years old |
You can start training for category “A” long before you reach the age of majority, but you can pass qualifying exams in the traffic police only from the age of 18.
When is it better to study at a driving or motorcycle school, winter or summer?
All students who are interested in this issue, before going to study at a driving school, agree on one opinion: they study better in the summer, it is both easier and more comfortable. Of course, in the summer, training is calmer and easier, and this is a fact, but is it as convenient as everyone thinks? We will analyze the practice of driving a car and a motorcycle. First, let's look at driving a motorcycle, in the summer you can choose both indoor and outdoor areas for driving, in winter there will be only one choice, these are closed areas and not all motorcycle schools have them. Taking exams for Category A in winter is an exceptional luxury; in Moscow, not all traffic police have this opportunity and do not schedule exams at closed motorcycle sites every season. In the summer, things are much better with exams at the traffic police, many traffic police in Moscow have open motorcycle sites and take exams, the season usually starts in April and ends in September, if weather conditions permit, exams in such cases can be held throughout October. There is no particular difference in training between winter and summer; in winter you won’t be able to ride a motorcycle on the roads, but you can undergo training, but it is more advisable to start training at a motorcycle school before the start of the season. A full course of training at a motorcycle school takes 2-2.5 months; starting training in February, you can have time to ride both indoor and outdoor motorcycle sites, and get into the first exams at the traffic police, then after receiving your license, you can fully ride your motorcycle all summer long and autumn.
Driving training in a driving school for category B, it is better to take it in winter, naturally it will be more difficult, poor grip, poor visibility, ice, snowfalls and snow-covered roads, the features of winter driving are both interesting and dangerous, but you will definitely gain much more experience. When learning in summer, autumn or spring, the visibility of the road, road signs and markings is much better than in winter, poor visibility and relatively poor traction may only be in the rain, but such practice will also give you more confidence and significantly improve the quality of the experience gained. Every novice car enthusiast, at the initial stage of independent practice of driving a car, will find it difficult to navigate on a slippery, winter road; the first skid of the vehicle or poor braking will confuse the beginner, and in real traffic conditions they need to react in a matter of seconds. Many people want to leave difficulties for later, but you must agree that it is much easier to go through these difficulties in winter with a driving instructor than alone, so we advise you to go to a driving school in winter. The driving instructor will tell you all the nuances and subtleties of driving in uncomfortable and dangerous conditions associated with the peculiarities of winter weather conditions. Be bold and take advantage of this chance right away, do not put it off until later, because you will also have to drive in winter.
The procedure for obtaining a motorcycle license step by step
The complete process of obtaining rights includes the following steps:
- Completing training at a driving school or driving course.
- Preparation of documents, obtaining a medical certificate.
- Exams passage.
- Obtaining rights.
What documents will be required
Upon completion of training at a driving school or course, students are issued documents indicating that they have completed training for a certain category of driver's license. This document will be required for admission to the traffic police exams. But even after successfully obtaining a driver's license, it should not be thrown away. If you have to restore your driver's license or category for any reason, you will need a document confirming completion of training. In addition, the following documents are required:
- general passport;
- conclusion on successful completion of a medical examination;
- a receipt confirming payment of the state duty;
- application with a request to be allowed to take theoretical and practical exams.
When obtaining a license by persons under 18 years of age, the written consent of their parents, certified by a notary, will be required, which should be submitted at the stage of admission to a driving school or course.
To obtain a license you will need a certificate of completion of a driving school.
Obtaining a medical certificate
A medical examination for future motorcyclists includes an examination by a therapist (or general practitioner, family doctor) and an ophthalmologist (ophthalmologist). It can be completed in a licensed state, municipal or private clinic. In addition, you will need certificates from a narcologist and a psychiatrist. They can be taken at dispensaries or from specialists at government medical institutions strictly at the place of registration or temporary registration. Certificates from narcologists and psychiatrists are valid for one year. Additionally, a referral for electroencephalography is possible, but only if the doctor has doubts about the health status of the person being examined. A narcologist may refer you for blood and urine tests to determine the content of narcotic or psychotropic substances.
If a candidate driver has passed a medical examination and no contraindications have been identified, he will be given a medical certificate, which will be necessary for admission to take exams at the traffic police registration office. Its validity period from July 1, 2021 is only one year. Previously, medical certificates for motorcyclists were issued for two years (for those under 21) and three for older drivers. All of them continue to operate until their end. But you will have to receive a new certificate according to the current rules.
Passing exams at the traffic police
The main outcome of training in a driving school is exams at the traffic police to obtain a driver’s license or the corresponding category therein. Usually, before exams at a driving school or driving courses, internal exams or tests are held, by which teachers can find out how prepared students are for successful graduation.
Motorcycle driving is rented out at a special site
The traffic police exam is divided into two stages:
- Theoretical - passing an exam on knowledge of the Rules of the Road using exam cards that include a wide variety of questions.
- Practical. It is necessary to demonstrate the ability to operate a motorcycle on a specially equipped area. Unlike the exam for category “B” (passenger car), which involves driving on city streets or country roads, you don’t have to go anywhere on a motorcycle. A motor vehicle area can be equipped directly at a driving school or at the traffic police department. To successfully pass the exam, you will need to drive along it without breaking the rules, carefully fit into turns, and perform all maneuvers. There are six driving elements in total:
- high-speed maneuvering;
- passenger disembarkation;
- garage;
- snake;
- overall eight;
- large corridor.
If you fail the first part of the exam, you can start taking it again in at least a week. This can only happen three times, then you are allowed to retake it only no more than once a month. You will not be allowed to practice driving without successfully passing a test on your knowledge of the Road Traffic Rules. When the first part of the examination process is completed successfully, you can move on to driving. The results of the traffic rules theory exam are valid for six months. During this period, you must pass a practical exam, otherwise you will have to retake the tickets again.
Video: passing motorcycle driving tests in St. Petersburg
How much does a motorcycle license cost?
The total cost consists of several components: tuition fees, medical certificates and state fees.
The cost of training in driving schools in Moscow and the region is significantly higher than in other cities. You can significantly reduce the cost of rights if you have the opportunity to choose a region of the country where courses cost less. Muscovites and residents of the region will be able to learn how to drive a motorcycle for about 29–30 thousand rubles. And in Volgograd it will cost about 15–16 thousand rubles. In Tyumen, the cost of training will not exceed 11 thousand rubles, as in Chita or Omsk. The price also depends on the quality of training, technical base, and qualifications of teachers. Opening category “A” from “A1” differs in cost only slightly. A couple of thousand rubles maximum. A full category for driving a motorcycle costs more.
The cost of a medical commission varies for residents of the Russian capital and region within 3-4 thousand rubles. In the regions, you can get a certificate for almost half the amount. As an economical way, it is worth considering contacting government medical institutions.
The state duty is 2000 rubles, it is the same for all regions. You can save on it if you pay through the Gosuslugi portal using a non-cash method. In this case, there is a 30% discount, that is, you will have to pay 1,400 rubles.
Obtaining rights
There are several ways to submit documents for a license:
- at the traffic police department. Obtaining a license takes place in the department where the exams were taken and to which the driving school is assigned. An application is submitted there, and you can immediately obtain a driver's license.
- through the Gosuslugi portal. To receive the service you must have a verified account. After authorization, you have the opportunity to submit an application electronically and make an appointment with the traffic police at a convenient time. The application indicates the numbers of the medical certificate and document confirming completion of the driving school. On the portal, immediately upon submitting the application, you need to pay the state fee or send a scanned copy of the receipt. You will need to come to your appointment at the traffic police in person with original documents and a printed registration slip;
- at the MFC. The application is written by hand, the form will be issued at the center itself, you must take the original documents with you. The date of the visit to the traffic police is scheduled at the reception.
The certificate is issued directly at the traffic police registration center at the specified time. There, the future motorcyclist is photographed and given a document to sign. The whole procedure takes about an hour.
A driver's license can be obtained from the traffic police department.
For what reasons can a motorcycle license be denied?
There may be several reasons for refusal to issue a category “A” license. Let's list the main ones:
- the age of the applicant who has not yet reached the minimum threshold for receiving the category;
- health restrictions;
- failing a motorcycle driving test;
- lack of documents.
Is it possible to suspend training at a driving school or motorcycle school?
In the process of studying at a driving school, a student may experience different life circumstances, illness, conscription into the army, a change of job, moving to a new place of residence, a business trip, a wedding, the birth of children and a host of other reasons. In such circumstances, many want to suspend training, but they are afraid of the consequences, students think that they will have to start all over again. Each driving school may have radically different regulations on this matter. At the ASB driving school, you can suspend and then continue training in any current circumstances; the administration always meets students and treats such situations calmly. The most important thing is to immediately notify the driving school if there is a need to suspend training. In such cases, the stage at which the student wrote an appeal to the driving school on this issue is recorded, the time for which the transfer of training is possible is discussed, and the student calmly goes about his business, after the end of this period, the student proceeds to the stage of training at which he stopped. In our driving school, everyone, without exception, is allowed to retake the theory course for free. If training is suspended at the theory stage, we advise everyone to go through it from the beginning in order to consolidate and repeat the material; more time will be spent, but the positive effect will be much more noticeable. Lessons with a driving instructor are resumed in order, with the exception of those already completed. Transferring classes in a car and motorcycle school is a completely standard process and there is nothing to be afraid of, the most important thing is not to give up everything and not get lost, some students do this, and then show up six months or a year later and begin to explain everything, this is completely wrong. Let us repeat, the main thing is to notify the driving school administration in advance, explain everything in detail and ask for as much time as you really need, this will greatly facilitate your further training.
Is it possible to change the driving instructor at a driving school or motorcycle school?
In one of our articles DRIVING INSTRUCTOR, we wrote in detail about how the lessons are held and what students need to pay attention to when starting practice, we advise all students to read it, preferably before they attend their first driving lesson. Practical driving lessons, in our opinion, are the most difficult stage of training and should be approached as seriously as possible. The first and most important thing when starting practical driving lessons is to establish contact with your driving instructor. All driving instructors aim to make friends with the student from the very first lesson, but if the student himself is not in the mood for this, all the efforts of the instructor may not be effective. In such cases, the student wastes his time and, as a rule, blames the driving instructor and the driving school for everything. Remember, the driving instructor does his best and shares his experience as much as possible, and the student must trust him and strictly follow his instructions. Of course, we are all different and controversial situations do occur. Before going to driving practice, the administrators of our driving school immediately inform students that they should always keep the administration informed about the entire practice process. Our driving school has long had a practice of control driving lessons, in which students practice the exercises and skills they acquired during the training process. Each student of our driving school is required to call the administrator after completing the first driving lesson, after the tenth, fifteenth and twentieth lessons, so we track the learning process and find out the details of the practice. All students of the ASB driving school know that this is very important and it is possible to avoid controversial situations, as well as influence the learning process during the internship, and not at the end, when there is no point in it anymore. As for changing the instructor during practical lessons, such a procedure is possible and sometimes necessary, and we always accommodate the student and change the instructor at any stage of the practical driving lessons. This situation is quite standard and you can change your driving instructor at any time, of course it is better to do this during the first practical lessons. If you understand that you are not comfortable and you have not found a common language, do not delay and immediately report this to the driving school. They will definitely find a replacement for you, and you will continue your studies without any losses.
What's included in the price?
By signing up to study for a category A license at our driving school, you will receive:
- Theoretical course lasting 1 month. During it, you will learn traffic rules, consider both typical and rare situations on the roads, and also learn how to behave if they arise. The program includes topics covered during training for any driver category. During classes at a driving school, you will learn how to provide first aid to a victim on the road, what features motorcycles have, you will be able to learn an algorithm for resolving conflicts that arise on the roads, and the correct tactics for communicating with traffic police officers.
- 18 practical lessons.
- Preparation of documents for obtaining a motorcycle license.
- Obtaining a certificate of completion of a driving school.
- Escort to the traffic police.
How to choose a driving instructor?
Determining a win-win formula in such a matter is very difficult. We are all different people and each one needs an individual approach. Typically, a driving instructor is chosen in the same way as a driving school, based on reviews and recommendations. We wrote in detail about how to identify a real review on the Internet from a fake one in our article REVIEWS ABOUT A DRIVING SCHOOL. In any case, to fully evaluate a driving instructor, you need to come to him for at least two or three lessons. There are certain points when choosing a driving instructor that you definitely need to pay attention to. In Moscow, in a car and motorcycle school, when choosing a driving instructor, it all comes down to the fact that the student first of all chooses him based on the location of the car or motorcycle track. In Moscow, this is the most valuable time, so not everyone wants to travel across the city to practice, and vice versa, those who chose a driving school on a recommendation are ready to sacrifice their time and go to a specific instructor at the exact site where he practices. The first rule when choosing a driving instructor, do not neglect the advice of the administration of the auto-motorcycle school, first of all, they know all their instructors and during their communication with you, they can determine who is best for you. Secondly, before going to practice, be sure to tell the administrator about all your fears, the specifics of perception of information, what kind of driving experience you have already had, if any, in general, be frank and reveal in more detail all your wishes, fears and assumptions regarding practice driving. Third, be just as frank and as open to the instructor as possible during your first driving lesson, this will make it easier for you and him to implement the learning objectives, and will direct the learning process in a comfortable direction. If we are talking about private driving instructors, pay attention to the reviews and do not look for the minimum price, in the case of the minimum price, you can waste your time, the driving lesson will be short and ineffective, most of the time you will sit and listen instructor in the car and drive quite a bit in it; private instructors often resort to these tricks to lure you into your first lesson. Then, in such cases, they will inform you that this price implies payment for an introductory lesson, so you did not go anywhere, but listened to such a “woe” instructor for the entire lesson. Be careful when talking with a private instructor on the phone, ask all the questions you are interested in and discuss all the nuances of the first lesson. The average price of one practical lesson in driving a car or motorcycle in Moscow is 1200 -1500 rubles and such a lesson lasts from 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours.
Practical exam, category A. Winter exam 2019/2020.
After changes 10/14/2017.
The set of test exercises for candidates for category “A” vehicle drivers contains 3 exercises:
Exercise No. 1 - “Maneuvering in a confined space, braking and moving at various speeds, including an emergency stop”;
Exercise No. 2 - “Parking a vehicle and leaving a parking space”;
Exercise No. 3 - “Stopping to safely board or disembark passengers.”
EXERCISE 1. “MANEUVERING IN LIMITED SPACE, BRAKING AND DRIVING AT DIFFERENT SPEEDS, INCLUDING EMERGENCY STOP”
The exercise consists of 4 elements: “Figure Eight”, “Snake”, “Speed Maneuvering” and “Deep Corridor”.
The examiner determines for the examination 3 of the 4 elements included in this exercise, taking into account the existing conditions for performing the entire exercise, including the possibility of simultaneous placement of elements, the traffic management scheme used on a race track, an automated race track or an enclosed area.
1.1 "Dimensional eight".
When performing a task, the candidate driver moves along a given trajectory, which is built according to given dimensions (Figure 1).
1.2. "Snake".
The candidate driver moves along a given trajectory, leaving the first marking cone on the left side of the motor vehicle, sequentially driving around the marking cones on the left and right sides (Figure 2).
1.3. "Speed Maneuvering"
Driver candidate:
- drives sequentially around 5 marking cones on the left and right sides (Figure 3);
- makes a turn in the space limited by marking cones;
- sequentially passes clearance gates 1, 2 and 3;
- stops at a distance not exceeding the “L” value from the “STOP” line (according to the projection of the front clearance);
- engages neutral gear (when performing the exercise on a motor vehicle with a manual gearbox) and holds the vehicle stationary with one foot touching the surface of the platform;
- leaves the exercise area, crossing the “STOP” line.
The time required to complete an exercise element should not exceed 35 seconds.
1.4. "Overall corridor"
Driver candidate:
- moves in the clearance corridor (Figure 4);
- stops at a distance not exceeding the “L” value from the “STOP” line (according to the projection of the front clearance);
- engages neutral gear (when performing the exercise on a motor vehicle with a manual gearbox) and holds the vehicle stationary with one foot touching the surface of the platform;
- leaves the exercise area, crossing the “STOP” line.
In the area marked with size “G”, marking cones (marking posts) are not installed.
EXERCISE No. 2 - “PARKING A VEHICLE AND EXITING A PARKING SPOT”
The candidate driver, after crossing the exercise start line on a motorized vehicle, stops at the designated place so that the motorized vehicle crosses the exercise start line according to the projection of the rear clearance, turns off the engine and dismounts (Figure 5).
Next, the candidate driver, keeping the motorized vehicle in balance, on foot, located on the side convenient for him from the motorized vehicle, rolls it in reverse and places it on the step within the designated parking space so that, according to the projection of the front clearance, it crosses the end line of the exercise. Then he gets on the motor vehicle, starts the engine and drives out of the parking space.
EXERCISE No. 3 - “STOPING FOR THE SAFE BOARDING OR DISCHARGING OF PASSENGERS.”
Driver candidate:
- moves along the designated lane (Figure 6);
- gives a turn signal and makes a lane change maneuver to the stopping place so that the projection of the left side of the motor vehicle crosses the control line;
- stops at a distance not exceeding the “L” value from the “STOP” line and not exceeding the “L” value from the marking line along the projection of the right side of the vehicle;
- engages neutral gear (when performing the exercise on a motor vehicle with a manual gearbox) and holds the vehicle stationary with both feet touching the surface of the platform;
- leaves the exercise area, crossing the “STOP” line.
Motorcycle school Acategory - we will prepare you to pass the traffic police exam for category A, as well as to safely ride in city traffic. Organized WINTER EXAM 2019/2020 with the provision of a motorcycle.
You can open category A if you have B or if you change your license.
