Driving (and discussion concerning driving)

[Ledgem]

Passed my first driver's test, passed my first motorcycle test. I'd say that the driving one was worse. In our area, it was well-known that there was a certain instructor who would, more likely than not, pass you (he was called "passing Pete"), and that there was one (termed the "angry black lady") who would fail you 99% of the time if it was your first time taking the test. Lucky for me, I believe Pete was my instructor that day!

First and foremost, practice to be a good driver. But if the odds are against you, take matters into your own hands. When and where your test is scheduled can make a huge difference. I was lucky: for my driver's test, even though it was in an urban region, it was right after lunch. There wasn't a single car on the road, and when it came time to parallel park, there was no true parallel parking spot available - I had to simulate parallel parking behind a single car. That was what I was most stressed about, so it saved me quite a bit.

Often, going out to a more rural test center will boost your odds of passing. But don't just get passed because you were smart about where to take the test, pass because you know how to drive. My first roommate failed his driving test because when he was going in reverse, he just looked in his rear-view mirrors - he never actually turned to look behind him. I didn't say anything, but he deserved to fail for that. Don't be a hazard on the road.

[monster]

I think the only reason why I passed the first time was because the instructor did not ask me to perform a parallel parking. All she did was asked me to pull up to a relatively empty curb. To this day, as long as I'm not late to class, I would pass over a closer parking space if it means not having to do parallel parking.

[Honda Boy Techy]

I passed my driving exam first time and was highly praised by the instructor. She said I did everything perfectly and only made one mistake. I accidentally crossed one white line for stop sign just a bit. She said I was one of the best she had tested in a long time. What was trippy though was I failed the learner's permit test the first time (a lot of my friends did, even a book worm friend of mine). The license test was insanely easy though. All I had to do was get on the bypass (4 lane highway around town) make a few left turns (we basically went in a circle) and bam! Done. I was praised for constanly keeping an eye on my mirrors and gauges and actually remembering to pull into the median to make a left turn on a 4 lane highway. A lot of people (particularly new driver's) will wait till both sides are clear and make the turn but smart people (like me ) wait for the first side to be clear, pull into the median, then wait for the next side. All this time I was driving my mom's PT Cruiser. The shittiest car anyone in my family has owned (Next to my brother's 1988 Pontiac Fiero) and I started with a 1985 Pontiac Sunbird.

PS, it is fun as hell to scare the crap outta my mom in my car. I was turning right outta Walgreen's. Dude sittin in the spot to go straight/turn left. I get beside him, he has no blinker going. When traffic is clear I start turn right and....so does he. SO to keep from getting hit, I hammer it in first and second (B16 Civic, insanely short gears so yeah, there was a kick). I'm used to this kinda crap, my mom ain't. It was so funny. Scared the crap outta her and plus the car makes her think it's goin faster than it really is due to it's size, noise, and transmission (short gears means higher revs, therefore the car sounds like it's going faster) so she thought I was speeding my ass off when I only hit about 45MPH.

[Takeru]

Originally Posted by Honda Boy Techy

(B16 Civic, insanely short gears so yeah, there was a kick).

Yeah, I drive a 2001 Honda Civic EX (Standard) and I fully understand you on the short gears, It's insane that I can only get to 20Mph in first if I really push it (I redline at 6,750 and shift at 4,500). Great fun it is though to scare the occupants. And hey, almost 2 1/2 years driving and no infractions or accidents yet! -crosses fingers-

[TakutoKun]

It sounds like the greatest portion of you had to do one test to pass. I did notice that one mentioned a "Learners' Permit" and then a road test. Here in Ontario, they make it insanely difficult and expensive to gain a full license.

First, once you turn 16, you can apply for a G1 (or Learner's Permit) in which you have to write two tests - one on road rules/laws and the other on road signs (80% to pass). You also have to pass a preliminary vision test. Then you have to drive with a fully licenses "G" driver with at least 4-years experience for 12-months. You can reduce this period to 8-months if you take a driver's training course. You also are not permitted on highways with a posted limit above 80 Km/hr without a licensed instructor.

Second, after the 12 or 8 months, respectively, you can apply to take your "G2" - Intermediate License -. You have to pass a road test that depends on the area you live in. In general, you are expected to drive through a town, school zone, park on a hill, parallel park, and perform a 3-point-turn. After receiving this license, you are permitted to drive alone on any Ontario-highway. You have to wait another 12-months before you can apply for your full G license.

Third, after 12-months, you can apply for the G license. This exam encompasses the G2 exam plus highway driving, emergency parking on a highway, three-point turning on a highway, driving through residential, commercial, school, hospital, and town areas. After you pass, you have a full license.

[Dkong1026]

I've been driving since about March...so not horribly long.


The one thing I especially hated about my exam is that the path we took was through a bunch of sidestreets loaded with stop signs, so it was hard to even get up to 25 mph because 30 feet after one stop sign, there'd be another.

[Ledgem]

Originally Posted by matradley

It sounds like the greatest portion of you had to do one test to pass. I did notice that one mentioned a "Learners' Permit" and then a road test. Here in Ontario, they make it insanely difficult and expensive to gain a full license.

In the US, it varies state by state. I think all states require you to take a permit test - just paper and pencil. Not very difficult. In NY, for both car and motorcycle permits, it's largely the same. Rules of the road, identification of signs, and "what would you do if..." scenarios. If you fail it, I don't believe there's a time penalty between when you can take it again, but that may vary.

For road tests, in NY there used to be a requirement that you either took a driver's education course, or a short 5-hour defensive driving-like course before you could even register for a road test. I hear that they've now bumped it up so that anyone under 18 can't register for a road test, but I don't know if that's in effect. In California, you supposedly need 50 hours of driving experience before you can register for a road test.

It's a lengthy process, in hindsight. Sadly, despite the length, I don't think that it stops people from getting on the road with poor driving skills and knowledge.

[Honda Boy Techy]

It Tennessee it's 15, learner's permit computer test (or Pencil and paper, I took the computer one). You are are supposed to have 50 hours epxerience with 10 of those at night (you can easily lie about that, most do, my dad however made sure I got all of it). at 16 you are eligible to take the road test to get your intermediate restricted license (I'm 19 and still have it but I coulda upgraded licenses at 17. Just too lazy to get it changed). You don't hve to take any classes but some do to lower their insurance. My insurance wouldn't be affected so I didn't take any courses.

Originally Posted by Takeru

Yeah, I drive a 2001 Honda Civic EX (Standard) and I fully understand you on the short gears, It's insane that I can only get to 20Mph in first if I really push it (I redline at 6,750 and shift at 4,500). Great fun it is though to scare the occupants. And hey, almost 2 1/2 years driving and no infractions or accidents yet! -crosses fingers-

Try an 8,000RPM redline. Rev hungry B-Series FTW!!! Yeah, I can get to about 30-35 in first, about 82 in third about 115 in 4th and I've never had the balls to go any faster than that. I normally redline 4th and back the hell off cause doi 115 in a tin can is scary. But still, that damn Pikes Peak tranny I have (all B16 transmissions are like that to make up for the complete lack of torque these motors have but people love to mate them to B18 engines too cause B18 have more torque plus this tranny = hella badass acceleration) it's just ridiculous. Moving from a mostly stock 95 Civic EX Coupe with the original D16Z6 motor (125HP, 109 TQ longer gears) to a lighter 96 Civic CX hatchback with a B16A2 engine swap (160HP, 111TQ, approx 165-170HP and 115-118TQ with mods, really short gears) that was a hell of a learning curve. I basically had to relearn how to drive temporarily cause it had more power, the car was lighter, no power steering, stiffer stage 1 racing clutch, a 7lb flywheel (vs. a stock 25-30lb flywheel), short gears, geez, I squalin tires every chance I got and not even meaning to (then again it had 13" steelies with bald tires when I first got it, 2 days later it was riding on my 15" Integra GS-R/LS mesh alloys with good tires).

[Nintendo]

been driving for about 6 years now. drive reckless, race in the canyons now and then and speed.

never got pulled over, so i never got a ticket. guess im lucky.

[Takeru]

Originally Posted by Honda Boy Techy

It Tennessee it's 15, learner's permit computer test (or Pencil and paper, I took the computer one). You are are supposed to have 50 hours epxerience with 10 of those at night (you can easily lie about that, most do, my dad however made sure I got all of it). at 16 you are eligible to take the road test to get your intermediate restricted license (I'm 19 and still have it but I coulda upgraded licenses at 17. Just too lazy to get it changed). You don't hve to take any classes but some do to lower their insurance. My insurance wouldn't be affected so I didn't take any courses.

For Nevada (where I started driving) it was a 75 question computerized quiz and you had to get at least 70 correct, and if you didn't (like me, I got 69 the first time) you had to wait a week before retaking it. After passing that, yeah, the driver's test was pretty much cake. My instructor told me to go around the block and through a residential neighborhood.

Originally Posted by Honda Boy Techy

Try an 8,000RPM redline. Rev hungry B-Series FTW!!! Yeah, I can get to about 30-35 in first, about 82 in third about 115 in 4th and I've never had the balls to go any faster than that. I normally redline 4th and back the hell off cause doi 115 in a tin can is scary. But still, that damn Pikes Peak tranny I have (all B16 transmissions are like that to make up for the complete lack of torque these motors have but people love to mate them to B18 engines too cause B18 have more torque plus this tranny = hella badass acceleration) it's just ridiculous. Moving from a mostly stock 95 Civic EX Coupe with the original D16Z6 motor (125HP, 109 TQ longer gears) to a lighter 96 Civic CX hatchback with a B16A2 engine swap (160HP, 111TQ, approx 165-170HP and 115-118TQ with mods, really short gears) that was a hell of a learning curve. I basically had to relearn how to drive temporarily cause it had more power, the car was lighter, no power steering, stiffer stage 1 racing clutch, a 7lb flywheel (vs. a stock 25-30lb flywheel), short gears, geez, I squalin tires every chance I got and not even meaning to (then again it had 13" steelies with bald tires when I first got it, 2 days later it was riding on my 15" Integra GS-R/LS mesh alloys with good tires).

What sucks for my car is that I have to slam into 5th if I plan to do over 60mph -.- not exactly a "speed machine". I had to retrain myself to my step-mother's 2006 V-6 6-speed Accord, now that was fun. hitting 95 on the onramp in 2nd. Only thing I didn't like about the Accord though was that even though it was a standard, you couldn't hear the engine, and it annoyed me since I shift by what the engine sounds like.

[ChainLegacy]

Driving has been pretty uneventful for me, now two years into it. Well, I did get hit by a guy who was high on cocaine, but I wasn't hurt o_o... My car got crushed, though. Got a new one.

[TakutoKun]

Originally Posted by ChainLegacy

Driving has been pretty uneventful for me, now two years into it. Well, I did get hit by a guy who was high on cocaine, but I wasn't hurt o_o... My car got crushed, though. Got a new one.

It is great to know that you were not too badly injured in this accident.

I was involved in an accident in my first winter of driving. An older lady, on the first day of winter, put me into a Guard Rail out on the highway. She was driving a bit too fast for the conditions and hit a patch of ice and spun out of control. I must admit, everything was in slow motion (or it felt like that anyways), but the hit was hard. I remember the impact.

[Guernsey]

I am about retake the driving test, the written portion of the driving test and I need some tips on how I can be prepared for the driving test especially since it is multiple choice. I realize that not everyone lives in Ohio but I need some tips nonetheless on how I can be prepared.

[cors8]

The manual and common sense should be just fine. I didn't do much to prepare for it other than a quick review on what the sign shapes and symbols were.

[Kyuusai]

Read the book. Memorize the rules. Watch out for trick questions.

Don't worry, driving tests in the USA--in any state--are not difficult as long as you prepare yourself. When you're through, you'll probably be amazed at how low the requirements are to get on the road, but thankful for the remarkably low passing score, to account for points lost due to poor questions.

[Phantom-Takaya]

It's not that hard, so just get enough sleep the night before the test. Besides, if you fail, you can try again.

[finalfantasyfanatic]

your chances of passing are pretty good, I don't know what it's like in the US but in Australia it used to be pretty easy (screwed if I know what they've done since those new rules came in). Like cors8 said, it's multiple choice so you already have the answer, just use common sense and generally the longer answer is normally the correct one.

[Aoie_Emesai]

Originally Posted by Kyuusai

Read the book. Memorize the rules. Watch out for trick questions.

Don't worry, driving tests in the USA--in any state--are not difficult as long as you prepare yourself. When you're through, you'll probably be amazed at how low the requirements are to get on the road, but thankful for the remarkably low passing score, to account for points lost due to poor questions.

My sister, all of them has failed over 2 times each already. I really wonder how hard it can be. I remember passing it 90+ on my written.

~~~

That aside, the best way is to take practice test they give you online. Try those out and just keep in mind of rules of the road and learn your signs.

Here's the link - http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/interactive/tdrive/exam.htm

Even though it says California, it's basically almost the same everywhere, your miles may vary but this enough should give you most of the important parts of what you can expect on the actual test.

[Omfgbbqwtf]

I am not sure about Ohio, but in California they give the test back to after the test. I just got a bunch of tests from my friends who took it before me and studied them.

[Vexx]

Originally Posted by Aoie_Emesai

My sister, all of them has failed over 2 times each already. I really wonder how hard it can be. I remember passing it 90+ on my written.
...

That may be Nature's Way of saying to them, "Perhaps you should familiarize yourself with taxis, busses, and light rail"