Corona also has a massive impact on the operation of driving schools.
The Starnberg driving instructor Thomas Schubert has to take a lot of hygiene measures.
Starnberg
- "Nobody can get into my car without a face mask," says Thomas Schubert.
The operator of a Starnberg driving school knows no mercy.
“The one and a half meter distance cannot be maintained during the driving lesson in the car.” Once, Schubert even had to refuse a student the driving lesson because he presented a medical certificate that allegedly exempted him from wearing mouth and nose protection for health reasons.
Corona also has a massive impact on the operation of driving schools.
"We meticulously adhere to all hygiene requirements," says Thomas Schubert.
The chairman of the driving instructors in the county lists a whole range of measures that he has had to take since the end of the first lockdown in May.
Before and after every school trip, all objects in the vehicle that the student has to touch are disinfected.
“Steering wheel, turn signal lever, gear lever, door handles and so on.
You won't even finish there, ”says Schubert.
He also always has mouth-nose masks ready for his customers, because "it happens time and again that someone forgets his mask or it breaks".
Apart from driving instructors, examiners and the student, no other person is allowed to be in the car.
So - as was common in the past - it is no longer possible for a learner driver to “drive another student home” on his practice drive, Schubert regrets.
In his small training room on Theresienstraße in Starnberg, there are also strict rules.
Schubert can normally teach twelve to 20 students there, “now there are only six at most”.
Participants must register online beforehand for each lesson.
After 45 minutes of instruction, the room is thoroughly ventilated once.
And as with the practical driving lesson, the pupils have to disinfect their hands with the disinfectants provided before each theory lesson - Schubert also provides disposable gloves if required.
All of this naturally causes additional costs, “around 50 to 80 euros per month,” estimates Schubert, who trains with five cars, four motorcycles and a moped.
Learner drivers need their own helmet and protective clothing for motorcycle training.
Schubert can only appeal to all learner drivers to "adhere strictly to the rules" like him.
For example, he knows from a colleague that he had to be in quarantine for 14 days and therefore could not work because a knowingly infected student had completed his test drive despite the obligation to quarantine.
Regardless of Corona, Schubert and his colleagues have to struggle with a completely different problem.
“We driving schools are extremely popular, throughout Germany,” says Schubert.
Around 200 novice drivers are currently being trained in his company, with only four driving instructors - “that just doesn't work anymore,” says the 49-year-old.
When he installed an online registration system on his homepage during the first lockdown, during which he was not allowed to attend any training for two months, “80 people joined us,” says Schubert.
And even now he still has around 15 inquiries a week.
"But I can no longer take in everyone, we are already working through it completely," says Schubert.
Under certain circumstances, it could now take a year before you have your driver's license in your pocket.
Why is this run on the driving schools?
“I don't know, I can't explain it to myself,” says Schubert.
It is clear, however, that there is far too little examination capacity.
“The TÜV simply doesn't have enough inspectors,” says Schubert.
The waiting times are getting longer and longer until you get an appointment.
And in the next year, according to Schubert, this situation will worsen when the test drives are extended from 45 to 55 minutes.
That means automatically: “There are fewer test stations.” With such prospects, it is only the minor problem if you are not allowed to get into the car without a mask.