[HD-5000]

What might be the problem is that you have to CALM DOWN. Before the examiner steps in the vehicle just be cool with something I like to call an "I don't give a crap" attitude.

Then when he steps in, just say, "what up G". Then, just drive, obeying his instructions, while making sure you're following all the rules of the road. Make small talk, comment about the weather, and don't forget to tell him of any terminal diseases you might have.

This approach looks better than the usual "OMG I am so going to fail this test, I'm just going to look like I don't know what the hell I'm doing" attitude.

 

[Pepsione1]

I still remember I got perfect on my driver's test on my first try. And I only had 10 hours of pratice with my instructor prior the test.

 

[wallijonn]

And I failed twice before succeeding.

Why did I fail both times? Because I rolled through Stop Signs. Yes, there were tree obstructions and the Stop Sign was, what I considered, too far back. That didn't matter to him.

Would you believe that all three times I had the same tester?

So, since then I make sure that I stop at the correct place on a stop sign and light and I make sure I come to a complete stop. And I make sure that I look all around before proceeding. (Since he warned me on that).

So perhaps if everyone told you how they failed you can keep them in your mind on your next test.

 

[dd3mon]

I went to a much smaller town than my own to get my liscense. There was no wait at all to take the test (in many larger cities a trip to the BMV can take all day!) and the test itself was cake. The lady didn't seem to really care what I was doing. She had me parrallel park behind another car (not even between two cars) because this town was so small there was no real parrallel spots to park in!

My advice: stay away from large cities, go to a small town to get your liscense!

-dd3mon

 

[rickcr42]

sorry guys but anyone who can't pass the driving test for whatever reason is not someone i want to cross paths with on the road

Driving is a priveledge and not a right and with that priveledge comes a heavy responsibility for your passengers ,yourself and to others out there,

make a mistake and people could get hurt or worse

even a simple thing like parallel parking may not seem important but if you can not do that then you do not have a full understanding or control of your vehicle and this "weapon" once out of your control is like an uncaged lion-hard to put back in the cage without getting torn up a bit

good thing i am not in charge or everyone would be taking the test ever two years or so just to see if they are still up to it

This "drivers liscence for life" crap is dangerous and many should be walking that drive .

i don't care if it is age ,night vision gone ,eyesight not what it once was ,too many years of drinking and drugging

i don't care

If you are dangerous i want you away from me and anyone i care about

go drive in the desert and whack cactuses ,just get away from me

and parking is an entirely different beast

Take up two parking spots in a busy lot and people get highly upset

Around here it could get you punched in the head

Hard

 

[ayt999]

I had to do parallel parking in my test...

of course, the street had no other cars parked so I went to the curve, and backed up for a bit to refine my distance between the car and the curb. hahahahaha. I passed too.

 

[Elec]

My road test was a lot easier than I expected. Pretty much just had to leave the parking lot, drive a couple blocks, and circle back to the DMV. Didn't have to do parallel parking. They did make me do up/downhill parking, but it was kind of funny. This is Illinois and there aren't much in the way of large hills, so on a perfectly flat road, the instructor told me to pretend I was on a hill

Ok, will do! I had to do a 3 point turn, which was easy enough. They also made me back up around a corner (why?). I have no idea what the point of that is, since I have never had to back up tightly around a corner in real driving. I back out of parking spots and driveways often, but for the test they wanted you to basically hug the curb. I went to get a new IL license a couple weeks ago after being out of the state the last few years, and I was horrified to find out they were making me take the written test. I hadn't even THOUGHT about the written test in 8 years, so I wasn't too hopeful. I managed to pass it SOMEHOW. Oh, and my original road test when I was 16 was taken in a big honkin' MINIVAN. That was loads of fun to learn to drive on.

 

[rickcr42]

backing up around a corner :

Not all driveways are straight and imagine how dumb you would feel if you pulled in to a driveway at someones house but did not have the skills to get back out without wrecking or driving on the lawn

I have actually known people with a drivers lsicense that were afraid of their own cars !

Lacking the confidence to drive is as dangerous as someone with no fear and a reckless nature

both make you dangerous and both can get you killed out there

driving is no joke

 

[Elec]

Right, but they didn't make me back out of a tricky driveway. They made me back around a round corner in a subdivision somewhere. And it wasn't "navigate the corner without wrecking anything", it was 'Don't hit the curb! And don't more than 2 feet from the curb either!" Backing up is an important skill, but I still don't exactly understand the specific parameters of that test. Or I think they could have devised a better test for backing up

 

[plainsong]

I remember when I was learning how to drive. I was taking lessons, as well as going out with my dad. Oh how I hated driving with my dad! He had learn to back up on a curve, and back up in a turn. I loathed it. It was useless, wasn't going to be on a test, so who cares?

Well now looking back, dad wasn't so dumb after all. True it wasn't on the test, but I'd feel really dumb those times I've had to back up in something other than a straight line.

Also, over-preparing made the test that much easier. Really, they test the bare minimum of what a driver should be able to do. Could I parallel park now, even though I haven't driven in a while, and never had to parallel park when I did have a car? Of course I could. You just need to pay attention to what's going on around you. And as George Costanza pointed out, you don't go forward into a parallel parking space.

 

[TrevorNetwork]

*lol* I passed my G1 (Written, to drive with an experienced driver) first time. Failed the G2 (Drive solo w/ restrictions) three times, and passed the G (Drive solo) the first time.

I had the same examiner -3- times for the G2 though... I drove the same way the fourth time with a different examiner, passed with fly colours. <shrugs>. Now I'm in B.C., and I don't have a car! Not that I really need one.

Trevor

 

[wallijonn]

rickcr42,

Why are you beeing so hard nosed?

When I took my Bus Driving course we were asked how many people have ever been in an accident.

Out of 15 people there I was the only one who has never had a car accident. I've been driving for over 30 years.

I know how to drive in snow, on ice, in the rain, in a dust storm, and in wind. If you have never driven in snow, how will you ever know what to do?

My point is that there are plenty of bad drivers out there. And a lot of them feel that they are safe drivers. They are not going to accomodate you just because you want them to go driving in the desert.

Quick question, what's the difference between entering and exiting a traffic circle in Massachusettes and one in Pennsylvania? Who has the right of way?

If you do not know the difference, perhaps you do not want to be driving in states with traffic circles; or those that have snow, duststorms, wind storms, ice storms, or commuter traffic (like route 128 in MA). Florida is also fun... ever driven through a water spout? I know someone who did.

 

[Stephonovich]

I passed my first time, both on Learner's Permit (written only), and Drivers' Ed. (written and driving) Then, for my actual license, I just hand them the paper that says I passed Drivers' Ed. satisfactorily, and they give me a license.

Only mistakes I made in driving was forgetting to turn off my turn signal when making an emergency stop on the road, and not looking left and right at an intersection. (although I wonder about that last one, as I didn't have a Stop or Yield sign; the other ones did. And yet I'm supposed to look?)

As for how I drive now, I'd say pretty sanely. I keep up with traffic (IMO, it's safer to go the speed of everyone else than become an obstacle everyone has to pass), and I go faster than posted limits on curves, and I initate slides on our gravel road for no reason... OK, so I'm not sane. Normal teenage male, though, I'd say.

EDIT: wallijohn, sorry if it offends, but I'd say you fall under the category of 'overcautious driver'. Now, that's not a bad thing neccesarily, if you also have the skills to navigate out of an emergency situation. My mom's an overcautious driver, but has no skill in recovering from a skid, driving on snow, and the like. She's ditched the car more times than I care to count. Sure, I may drive pretty insane, but I can also recover from a slide with one hand, even in our '88 F-150, which is RWD, and has almost no weight in the back. (adds up to a very squirrely and fun vehicle) Yes, I've driven on snow. And ice. And rain. And mud. I live in Nebraska. I've driven through mud thick enough that a 4WD pickup spins and fishtails through it. And snow deep enough so that if you stop, you'll never get going again.

I'm not stupid. Show me a situation, and if it's too dangerous to safely navigate (for instance, a blizzard; ever driven through one? How about fog thick enough that the car you're following at 20 MPH disappears at 10 feet?), I won't drive. OTOH, what most city people consider undriveable (4" of snow, a downpour of rain...), people who live in the country don't. We know how to handle 'dangerous' conditions.

All I'm saying is that there are people who drive at well above 'normal' speeds/conditions and do just fine.

(-:Stephonovich

 

[rickcr42]

Quote:

Right, but they didn't make me back out of a tricky driveway. They made me back around a round corner in a subdivision somewhere. And it wasn't "navigate the corner without wrecking anything", it was 'Don't hit the curb! And don't more than 2 feet from the curb either!"

which makes my point .

Same principle without the "stuck" factor

If you could do that than you can back up without going over the curb and wrecking someones lawn or running over the family pet just hanging out and chillin' in the sun

Someone mentioned failing because they went through a stop sign so they could see the road

Dumb as it sounds the law is the law and no exeptions ,even when it is flat out stupid

Two years ago i was in a wreck and i was not even moving !

Picture a three way intersection with the leg of the "T" going east-west and the cross of the "T" north-south.

I am travelling east to the stop and want to go left but there is a building to my right at the corner and the road curves from due south to east with the curve being some 40 feet from my position.

Not a lot of time to react and the traffic at this intersection moved a at fair clip

My position behind the white "stop here" line gave me no shot at seeing what was coming to my right and was a recipe' for disaster if i pulled out blind from a dead stop.

Your classic T-Bone

so like anyone would I moved up to where i could see

naturally

Well while i am sitting there waiting my turn this guy travelling north (coming from my right) turns to go west (my east-west lane),cuts the corner and hits the left front bumper of my vehicle.

Would have been a non event exept i was driving a Jeep Wagoneer and he was in a compact car

[size=medium]WHAM ![/size]

The impact blew out every single pice of glass on the drivers side ,tore up the drivers door and wrecked the rear quarter panel which flattened the drivers side rear tire !

I did not even get a scratch on my bumper which is the part he contacted me being a LOT higher than his vehicle

I hit my flashers and get out ,not moving 'cause i know i am right and this punk just wrecked himself

I was not moving so how could i possibly be wrong ?

Well I WAS WRONG !!!!!!!

The officer that responded said because i went beyond the white line i was technically at fault to which i responded if i had not inched up i had no shot at seeing around the building RIGHT THERE IN MY WAY and walked his butt right up to the corner and said "let me know when you can see the oncoming traffic"

No ticket but the warning issued pissed me off (the other guy got nothing but he did wreck bad enough to need a tow) so i vocalised my opinion of the intersection in the paper

to no avail

The line remains the same ,the obstruction is still there and you still need to inch up to see

And i still do not "get it" on the point of the other guy cutting the corner ,putting him in my lane ,and not getting a summons for failure to drive right-a stute in my state

Guess who paid out

 

[djgustashaw]

I passed both my learner's permit test and my driving test on my first try. I also took drivers ed one summer to lower my insurance. My driving test was a joke... I didn't even have to park normally. I drove around our city's block and came back to the police station, where the examiner told me to "pull into that gravel area." That was it. However, the hours I spent practicing at drivers ed made up for it. I'm a safe driver, I always watch out at intersections and especially parking lots. If there's one thing I've learned, it's that lots of people don't understand the idea of "right of way" and you have to watch your own ass even if they'll be at fault.

Stephonovich:
Here's a good example of why you need to watch both ways even when you have the right of way at an intersection. My friends and I were going to a movie, and we had to leave a busy parking lot. It's hard to descibe, but one of the intersections that leads out has buildings on either side of our lane so you can't see who's coming from the intersecting road. We had the right of way with no stop sign, and my friend was driving through when somene came flying in and blindsided her. They ran their stop sign, and even ran one as they drove away after the officer had written up the report. What a dumbass.