The category "M" (for mopeds and scooters), which appeared at the end of last year, presented new requirements to future road users. If earlier anyone from 12 years old could ride a scooter, now you need to get a driver's license to drive this vehicle.
The introduction of the new category has so far been felt only by residents of large cities, where almost every driving school teaches adolescents and adults to drive a scooter. In small towns, training in category "M" has not yet gained much popularity - the majority of those wishing to ride two-wheeled vehicles prefer to study in the category "A" familiar to everyone.
Passing the exam together with the driving school
You must be 16 years old to pass the Category M driving license exam. The service costs 5-10 thousand rubles (in different regions of the country the prices for training in driving schools vary). It is assumed that the course of study will include a standard study of the rules of the road and a little practice, although the latter is not available in all driving schools. The theory course for any category of driving license lasts approximately 1–1.5 months, at the end of which you will need to pass the so-called internal exam (test for knowledge of traffic rules). If you do not pass the exam the first time, then you will be assigned a retake and given time to prepare.
After passing the internal exam at the driving school, you can start your practice. It is not yet known exactly how many hours students will have to travel to category "M". At the end of the training, you will have to show the standard overall "eights", a corridor, semicircles, a snake, acceleration and deceleration on a straight line, movement at low speed, etc. If you do an excellent job with these figures on the internal practice exam, then you can safely go to the traffic police and show your skills to inspectors.
Self-exam on a scooter
In recent years, a trend has begun to emerge in the country to take a driver's license exam on its own. If you have previously ridden a motorcycle or moped, and you know the theory well, then you can call or come to the traffic police at the place of registration and agree on passing the exam. There is also the possibility of passing the exam with a driving school or on your own in another city or region. When passing on a license in this way, you must have on hand a certificate from the traffic police at the place of registration, which will say that you have not previously been deprived of your license or do not have a driver's license of another category.
Important details
It is best to come to the traffic police and find out about the procedure for conducting an exam for driving a scooter in advance, since you will hardly be given all the necessary information by phone (phones are often busy). If you are going to take an exam for category "M", then it is worth knowing in advance what documents you will need. Otherwise, you will have to go back to your hometown and collect information for a long time.
In conclusion, it is worth noting that after the introduction of new categories, including "M", a lot of confusion arose, and programs for students according to the new rules have not yet been clearly formed. If you do not want to just waste time and money, it is better to specify in advance the cost of training, the types of transport corresponding to a particular category, the learning process, the number of hours of theory and practice, and other important details.
