Driving Fun

Chunkey

Should have had my Practical Driving test today- it would have been my 3rd this year, failed the other 2 for silly things that I usually don't do grrr.

Got a phonecall off my driving instructor whose car I was going to be using for the test saying that one of the wing mirrors was hanging off so I've had to cancel

Next abailable test date is March 29th so I'm not a happy bunny

*end of vent*

JonMurphy

Bad luck, mate. It's the waiting that's the worst part.

I have my second practical test Wednesday...

notman

I'm sort of glad it's so much easier to get a drivers license in the US. Unfortunately, I think it should require more than the ability to breathe though.
We don't have to drive with anyone anymore... except when doing the instruction course itself. That part isn't too difficult though. You just have to stay between the lines and not speed for a few drives and you pass. Then you take a common sense written test and you're done.

JonMurphy

Fear the UK driving test -

First, theory test, and hazard perception. Then the practical

Am I nervous? Yes

KDR_11k

I've got my second attempt at the practical test wednesday next week... Argh, I hate driving.

Toomas

If you hate driving then why the hell are you doing the license????

KDR_11k

Because these days you can't even be cashier at Walmart without a driver's license.

John Warner

my buddy had his driving test on 9/11.

... he failed.

Mongrelman

Man I quite hated that hazard perception test, really wierd (and my finger spasmed a few times and clicked the mouse when I didn't intend). Still passed thankfully.

I failed my practical the first time (due to some freaking stupid/wierd road layout/markings), but my advice is just keep relaxed and take your time.

MoP

Heh, I was lucky enough to take my theory test a few months before they phased in that hazard perception test, it's a bitch!

Rick Stirling

I'm old school Northern Ireland. All we had to do was steal a nova and do a hand brake turn.

I think it's great that the tests are harder, and I also think you should have to resit every 10 year until you are 60, then every 2 years.

Moz

seeing the drivers in north america, it is WAY TO EASY to get licenced.

snemmy

american driving test (at least in Kentucky)

for permit:
read driving manual, take test, pass eye exam, sit for picture. wait 6 months.

for liscence:
drive a block, turn right
drive a block, do a turn about(which you may do once a lifetime, usually during the test)
turn right, drive a block, parallel park(dont back onto curb like it did ),
drive a couple more blocks, turn around and go back.
pay some money for the card.

Mishra

i havent even looked into getting a license, and im turning 18 this year. : /

Hollowmind

Hell besides the driver's ed I had to take when I was 15 all I had to do was turn 16, take a written test, and have an eye exam. Sounds like you UK peeps have to jump through hoops to get your license.

PaK

There's no way I should be allowed to drive. It's 'really' easy to get a lic in california.

I've never failed a written or practicle ever.

Mishra: I got my lic at 27.

flaagan

Just call Clarkson, or if he's busy, I'm sure Hammond would be glad to give you your driving times in return for fuel for his Charger.

Rwolf

So did he really get his teeth whitend?

Getting a License in Canada is realitivly easy, if you just taken a Driving course just prior.

kleinluka

[ QUOTE ]
There's no way I should be allowed to drive.

[/ QUOTE ]

I second that..

ahahhahah *pokes pak in the side* :P

PaK

ass

JonMurphy

I failed. Didn't notice a cyclist on a mimi roundabout coming from the left. Examiner had to stop me. Oh well, try again. Apart from that, I would have passed.

Thermidor

I took my first test at 28 and passed it, they had just brought in the hazzard perception thing, and thats the only part i came close to failing. the video resolution was shocking. As for the actual test it was the only time i ever did a perfect paralel park.

Chunkey

I passed my theory test without reading the highway code book- was in crunch time in the run up to my test so it was a case of grabbing some test cds and just memorizing the answers and hoping it would stick.... fortunately it did and I just scraped through :P

My instructor is booking my next test as I type this, luckily she's paying for it seeing that I didn't get arefund for cancelling the last one.

I just hope that this time around I haven't got a merc trying to bum me when being told to pull over in a safe place..... :P

Or having to come out of a junction that is up a hill....

Or have cars blocking my view of unmarked crossroads.....

:P

MoP

Nice one Chunkey... yeah, a lot of the practical test is down to situational luck, but if you keep your head you should be fine. Remember, mirrors, signal, manouevre! And don't forget to check your blind spot

Chunkey

haha cheers MoP

Aye, and mirrors before signalling... which I get round the wrong way from time to time.

Annoying thing about my last 2 tests is that I got very few minor error marks, about 4-5 at most out of the 15 you are allowed, but I made a few silly mistakes that I usually don't make which meant I failed

KDR_11k

Bwahahaha! The fools have given me the permit. Now I shall terrorize the roads!

Luckily the tester didn't complain that I was well below the speed limit at times.

Downsizer

you dont even have to be able to speak or read english to drive in america. god forbid you be able to read signs or anything. got into an accident with a lady who could'nt read or speak it.

JKMakowka

[ QUOTE ]
Bwahahaha! The fools have given me the permit. Now I shall terrorize the roads!

Luckily the tester didn't complain that I was well below the speed limit at times.

[/ QUOTE ]

Damn, you are in Niedersachsen also right? I will better not leave my flat anymore
Congratulations

Ruz

I took my driving test in 1987 and passed on the second go. we did n't have the theory test then, thank god

hawken

did mine in 96, no theory back then either.

I got banned from my driving school and had to steal my stepdads car to learn.

needless to say, I was an excelent motorist. These days I don't trust myself, too many computer games

Malekyth

I didn't get my learner's permit 'til I was 17, then didn't bother with the license until damn near 19. I just didn't care, at all. I even failed the actual road test twice. Driving was always such a bore ...

A year or so after I moved to NC, my boss found out I was driving on an expired license (from Wyoming; two jobs previous ), freaked out and made me come with him and his wife to the DMV to get it ironed out. I had such trouble with the Wyoming test that I didn't expect to do well on this one. I studied the little booklet like mad, memorizing facts and figures, re-reading and re-checking. Then came test day. The questions were not much more challenging than: "You see a stop sign ahead. Do you: A) Apply gradual pressure to the brakes and stop; Shoot your passenger in the temple with a large-calibur handgun and then throw yourself from the moving vehicle; C) Masturbate to a screaming orgasm while shouting anti-Bush rhetoric and running the stop sign." I can't remember if I got THAT one right ... but yeah, very easy test. If you're inbred and/or lobotomized and need a license, get it in NC.

Chunkey

Well guys, my next test is this Tuesday in an area I have no knowledge of- gonna spend a few hours doing the main routes with my instructor this weekend, and touch wood I shall be motoring in the afternoon!!

Also, my car passed it's MOT, cost me £140 for the test and service, £20 of that spent on repairs which I thought was gonna cost me several hundred..... phew!! the joys of driving and I don't even have a full license (yet ) :P

TNSLB

Good luck, Chunk!

Harl's getting his next month. It would be this month but he's crunching so has no time to practise. We bought him a used car , it's so cutey... I was just completely unable to teach him how to drive my car (manual), so we had to get an automatic.

Chunkey

Thanks Tins

Ooooh nice car Does Harl need to sit in the back in order to fit in without folding over himself?

There's nowt difficult about a manual gearbox, just gotta love and caress the clutch.... plus you can't wheelspin in an automatic or anything else remotely mental.... no fun!

Good luck Harl on getting your license dude

Chunkey

GAAAAAAAAAAAAHH!! yet again my test gets cancelled... This time around due to the road conditions being too bad due to snow.... someone give me a fucking break will they?!

*composes himself*

Luckily I haven't lost my fee this time around and there might just be a chance the test will be rescheduled for Friday.... just waiting for my instructor to get back to me on the date....

notman

Damn, they are just toying with you now

Toomas

Automatic is for sissies not to mention in real countries you can do your tests with manual only.

JonMurphy

Damn Chunkey. The fates seem to conspiring against you.

KDR_11k

Luckily I haven't lost my fee this time around and there might just be a chance the test will be rescheduled for Friday.

You mean, they take your money, cancel the test and keep the money? WTF?

not to mention in real countries you can do your tests with manual only.

Here in Germany you can get an automatic-only license if you desire so but I don't think anyone wants that.

BTW, what causes the difference in consumption and power between manual and automatic? The mere presence of the automatic or just an inefficient shifting behaviour?

Chunkey

KDR: Because I didn't cancel my last test within 3 days of it, I lost my fee- her car got vandalised so it was not fit for the driving test. Though my instructor did give me 2 free lessons as compensation- still a shitter though

KDR_11k

But if it's their fault, shouldn't they pay for it?

flaagan

Manual transmissions are EASY to learn. Heck, I learned on a / my corvette, and those things have what most people consider the most punishing clutches / shifting of any car on the road (course, I think it shifts wonderfully... especially at speed )

Scott Ruggels

An automatic transmissions shifts inefficiently. Manual, you are responding to the situation at hand. I drive a stick Volswagen, and my previous three cars had sticks, I leaned to drive a stick first before an automatic

Scott

hawken

automatic is a kind of rarity in the UK. I think you can do an automatic license, but picking up an automatic car would be almost impossible.