What was your experience with getting your driver's license?

[Suki]

Originally Posted by MissMisa

I'm the same as you Suki, failed 3 times!

Things have been against me with driving... in England, the theory test has changed twice since I started, the driving test has been altered, the test center has been moved, and my tests have been cancelled because of snow.

Everything has been the same for well over 30 years... until now! Haha. So yeah, luck is against me. I still haven't passed and it's a 3 month waiting list for a test now.

Not like I could afford the £1000 insurance for a car anyway...

3 months waiting list? Geez. I'm sure you'll pass it next time, 4 is the number! *high five*

Originally Posted by JohnBraden

I took the Spanish driver's test and I had to use a Seat 133 manual transmission.... Do they still have those around, Suki? I bet not!

LOL no, I've never even seen a car like that around. I took my exam with a brand new Peugeot 307.

Originally Posted by JohnBraden

The part I hated was having to use that dreaded "L" placcard on a BMW....

Hahaha xD I never used the L plate. I couldn't get it to stay stuck on the rear window, it kept falling off.

Originally Posted by protheus

It costs about 300-400 EURO

Wow that's really cheap!

We have a multiple-option test we have to pass before we get to the practice test. I passed that one on the first try. It was about... 50 questions and you had to get 47 right at least.

Originally Posted by evanny

about costs? well first you have to finish driving school - its around 300-600 $ for theoretical and practical and medical course - takes 1 or 2 month. then after that you may go and take the exam - each driving ~100$, theoretical test (have to pass to allow you to have driving test) each time ~20$

So if you fail your practical test you have to take again the theoretical one even if you passed it before, and pay $20 each time? That sucks.

Here if you pass it once you don't have to ever take it again. But every time you fail your practical exam you have to take 5 in-car lessons, and these are 25€ ($33) for a two-hour ride with your driving teacher.

Do you guys also had your teacher sit next to you in the co-pilot's seat and the examiner behind in the passenger seat during your practical exam?

Originally Posted by Nyororin

I imagine it`s not all that normal to pass on the first try.

Over here I'd say, on average, it's mostly 2nd or 3rd attempts. That's for the practical one. Most people get the theory part done with on their first try.

[protheus]

Originally Posted by Suki

Do you guys also had your teacher sit next to you in the co-pilot's seat and the examiner behind in the passenger seat during your practical exam?

Nope, you're "trainer" isn't allowed to approach the car during the exams. The one at your shoulder is a very intimidating police officer.

[evanny]

suki.
theoretical test is useful for 1 year. in that time you have to get practical done.
and driving schools include all the preparation. actually only way to get a license is when school allows you. you can't show up out of the blue and take the test. still..each time some 100$. i know a guy who failed after 3 seconds. when they were about to begin and pull out of the stop he didn't notice car passing buy and almost had a collision. such waste of money...
and we only had the driving where teacher was next to us with his set of pedals. officially you have to take 10 lessons each 2hrs long. i was sent off after 8. but at the exam no - we only have one person who attends you and some 5 cameras in the car - if you feel like it you can then look at the recordings in you think they were unfair and get the decision changed.
we also always drive in pairs. 1 hr one then the 2nd and then change again. i was usually with a lady who was in numbers of 30+ with her lessons

i got to ride their BMW at the exam thou i didn't like it so much. pedals were so stiff...

[PockyMePink]

I got my license yesterday. It was my first time doing the drivers test, and I passed. I didn't do too well, so I'm not sure how I passed really...

My license costed $7.

[fluffy0000]

I've made due without a car, but I've got a California Class M drivers license .
I was stopped while 'unlicensed' on my bike and given the choice of a ticket and a long walk home.
Or a ticket and proof of completion of DMV (dept. of motorvehicles ) approved basic rider course. It cost me $200 USD and took 2 weeks which included the Calif DMV written test and 2 afternoon sessions of riding around
a motorcycle course with cones etc.
note: they provide bikes or you can ride your own*
upon completion you get your Class M license.

[seiki]

I failed my first time ( I still contend that it was because it was not taken in my normal car ) it was $14 including the fee to remake it. I feel that it is incredibly easy to get your liscense and that some people should not be driving but somehow manage to pass.

[JamboP26]

I had a year & a half of driving lessons, at around £20 a week & on the test I reversed into the kerb, but still passed. The worry & nervousness I experienced then, has made me determined not to do anything stupid to lose my licence, so I don't have to take the test again

[RealJames]

I rocked my test,
then
after a series of speeding tickets, the last one being 150 in a 30 (in a mountain road way way far away from any city or houses . . . ) I lost my license, but luckily for me I could transfer it to a Japanese license before having to submit it to the law.
So I can still drive!

Driving is natural to me, I love it, a little too much ><

[Suki]

Originally Posted by protheus

Nope, you're "trainer" isn't allowed to approach the car during the exams. The one at your shoulder is a very intimidating police officer.

A police officer sits on your side while you're taking the exam? Damn.

Originally Posted by evanny

theoretical test is useful for 1 year. in that time you have to get practical done.

Same here, you have to get both things done within a year, but if you take and pass your practical, you don't ever have to take the theoretical one again.

Originally Posted by evanny

actually only way to get a license is when school allows you. you can't show up out of the blue and take the test.

Here you can decide when you're ready for it. There's no minimum of in-car practice you have to have taken before being able to take the exam. Your teacher tells you when he thinks you're ready for it, but you can still go for it without his consent.

Originally Posted by evanny

we only have one person who attends you and some 5 cameras in the car - if you feel like it you can then look at the recordings in you think they were unfair and get the decision changed.

Cameras in the car? wow xD More to add to the pressure of the one who's taking the exam. And who's the person "who attends"? Examiner? Driving instructor?

Here it's usually two people taking the exam together. So it goes like... the first person starts taking the exam, the driving instructor is sitting next to you with his set of pedals for him to take over if he has to (needless to say, he does so you're automatically failed), and on the back seats there's the examiner and the person who's taking the exam when you're done.

Originally Posted by PockyMePink

I got my license yesterday. It was my first time doing the drivers test, and I passed. I didn't do too well, so I'm not sure how I passed really...

My license costed $7.

Congrats.

And what?! 7 bucks? Please, exaplin...?

Originally Posted by RealJames

I rocked my test,
then
after a series of speeding tickets, the last one being 150 in a 30 (in a mountain road way way far away from any city or houses . . . ) I lost my license, but luckily for me I could transfer it to a Japanese license before having to submit it to the law.
So I can still drive!

Driving is natural to me, I love it, a little too much ><

Everyone likes a little speeding every now and then. But you have to be stupid to get your license taken away cause of "a series of speeding tickets". I dunno how it is over there, but here there're signs all along the highway and roads letting the drivers know where the radars are located.

That's what they look like:


So if you're driving and you come across this sign you slow down to the allowed speed. No photo. No ticket. No losing your license.

[Aniki]

I don't have a drivers license, or know how to drive a car. Nor am I going to try to get one.