Driving License(s)

I have had several stress fits due to the driving license requirements of the Rickshaw Run organizers. I had received an email in July stating that we had to have an International Driving Permit (IDP) that enabled us to drive a 3 wheeler. They also mentioned that in some countries this would require you to obtain your motorcycle license. Well there is no way on earth that I can do that - everytime I get on a motorcycle or scooter i just about fall over! So i was all stressed about what I could do and so I emailed the organizers. They got back to me and said that as long as I was legally allowed to drive a rickshaw in India, then it would be fine and I could do that however I wanted.

So I thought, Ok. I will get my Indian Rickshaw driving license. When I went to the driving school they told me that females can only get a one month permit, but not a full license. Crap.

When I went back to the US in November I went to AAA to obtain the IDP. At the first place I tried to get them to stamp "A" which includes 3 wheelers to no avail. Then I went to another one and we ALL misread the document and felt comfortable that I didn't need the A clicked since as we read it, it said 3 wheelers were exempt from category A.

So I carried on feeling grand that I had all the necessary paperwork. Yesterday I got an email from another team who said they were having issues with their IDP. So this sends me into a panic again! I try phoning The Adventurists but could never get a response. In the meantime I re-read my IDP and found where the mistake had been made. We read invalid as IN-VALID where it should have been invalid (like incapcitated). Jeesh. So then I call the driving school again and see if it's still possible for me to get my one month permit. Yes he says and then he proceeds to tell me that I can even have the whole license in 1 month. WHAT?! you said females couldn't get it!!! Now he says that females only can't get it for the black/yellow taxi rickshaws. urgh. if i would have known this 3 months ago I wouldn't be stressing right now. GRR.

I get all the paperwork sorted and submit. Only to get home and try the Rickshaw Run group one more time. Got Through - and guess what THEY DON'T CARE! They could care less what type of license we have - they just tell participants that so that legally they are covered. Lordy, I am about go to crazy!

Well, since my paperwork was already submitted I thought I better just go ahead with the transfer of my US license to an Indian one and get the 1 month permit for driving a rickshaw - at least this way 2/3s of our team is legal if a cop does pull us over and wants to cause hassle.

And today, Paul recieved his first ever real drivers license. He was so excited and was showing it to all of the people at his work! Apparently some of them drive all the time and don't even have licenses!